Rick said the team’s thoughts were with his family and his wife, Heather Wainwright, who is Radio Cumbria’s breakfast newsreader.
Nankivell’s radio career began with BFBS which led him to work in Cyprus, Gibraltar, Germany and the Falkland Islands.
“Richard, or Nanks as we all called him, was a much-loved colleague who was as funny and entertaining off air as he was on the radio,” Rick continued.
Rick said that Nankivell, who lived near Penrith, “never shied away from asking tough questions of those in authority”.
“Even though he retired over 10 years ago, he was still talked about fondly by the BBC Cumbria team with stories about the big personality that he was,” Rick added.