Nick Clarke, the journalist who chronicled his fight against cancer in an audio-diary broadcast on Radio 4, died yesterday, aged 58.

Clarke, who presented The World at One and Any Questions, discovered last year that he had a soft-tissue sarcoma — a malignant tumour — on his left leg. He had the leg amputated and, after nine months of treatment, delighted colleagues by returning to present Radio 4’s lunchtime news.

His return in August was limited to two days a week but the cancer returned and he was forced off the airwaves.

His death was announced on The World at One, in accordance with the wishes of his widow, Barbara. He leaves his wife, twin boys and three children from a previous marriage.Tony Blair said: “Nick was an outstanding presenter who over many years represented the best elements of public service broadcasting in this country. A true professional, he will be deeply missed.”

Michael Grade, the BBC Chairman, described Clarke as, “one of the most outstanding broadcast journalists of his generation, and held in great respect by his Radio 4 audience”.

Mr Grade added: “His series of audio-diaries, in which he chronicled events both emotional and physical during the course of his illness, provided one of the most moving and courageous broadcasts in memory.”

Colin Hancock, Editor of The World at One, said: “Nick was the most brilliant interviewer I’ve ever known. He had an instinct for exactly the right approach, every time; never hectoring or offending, always probing in precisely the right areas.”

Oliver Letwin, the Conservative policy chief, added: “After many interviews and lunches with Nick Clarke, I can say I have never dealt with a journalist who was more acute or more honourable.” James Naughtie, a Radio 4 colleague, said: “It’s awful that his voice has gone, but he inspired such love and respect among his colleagues that we will never forget.”

Speaking last July about the overwhelming listener response to his illness, Clarke said: “The effect you’re having on other people’s lives is very difficult to come to terms with. We’ve done nothing, except have the treatment and decide maybe survival is a better option than the alternative.”

Clarke joined the BBC in Manchester in 1973 and reported for the Nine O’Clock News, The Money Programme and Newsnight. He first presented The World at One in 1994, clashing frequently with Alastair Campbell.

When Downing Street called for a less adversarial approach to political interviews in 1999, Clarke said: “We’re an independent journalistic organisation, we can’t become a conduit. If the Government wants a conduit it can buy air time.”

At this year’s Times Cheltenham Literature Festival, Clarke was part of the panel at The Times Debate, discussing whether the media had made Britain a better or worse place over the past 30 years.