Viewers have thanked weekend cookery show Saturday Kitchen for airing a touching tribute to celebrity chef Antonio Carluccio.

The Italian writer and restaurateur died aged 80 after a fall at his home on Wednesday.

He first appeared on the BBC programme when it first came to screens in 2006, returning as a regular guest before recently taking on a brief stint as presenter, with close friends and colleagues Gennaro Contaldo and Jamie Oliver.

Dedicating Saturday morning’s show to the late cook, presenter Matt Tebbutt introduced clips of Carluccio’s time on the show and paid tribute to the “godfather of Italian gastronomy”.

The segment also included a piece from Two Greedy Italians, where Carluccio prepared a festive ricotta and panettone pudding.

Fan Stefano Hatfield responded on Twitter: “Shed a tear there at that beautiful tribute to the late, great #AntonioCarluccio, a lovely man with a twinkly eye who I was privileged to meet a few times and learn from #TwoGreedyItalians #SaturdayKitchen #RIP.”

Another wrote: “Fab show and a lovely tribute,” while one added: “Beautiful tribute. Well done.”

One viewer took a more light-hearted approach, commenting: “Hope the lovely man pasta-way pizza-fully.”

TV producer Amanda Ross shared two pictures from her time working behind the scenes with Carluccio and wrote on Twitter: “Thanks to everyone for thier lovely comments about our #saturdaykitchen Antonio tribute. He will always be in our hearts x.”

Carluccio was the creator behind Italian delicatessen and restaurant chain Carluccio’s.

Following the news of his death, Oliver paid tribute to Carluccio in an emotional Instagram post.

He wrote: “He was my first London Boss at the Neal Street restaurant 25 years ago which was an institution and Mecca of wild mushrooms where I had the pleasure of working for him.

“He was such a charismatic charming don of all things Italian!! Always hanging out the front door of the restaurant with a big fat Cigar a glass of something splendid and his amazing fuzzy white hair.

“He was an amazing food ambassador that will be sorely missed.”