James Whale, the long term radio DJ and TV personality has died from cancer, aged 74.
His wife Nadine Lamont-Brown confirmed the news to The Sun, announcing: “James slipped away very gently this morning. It was a beautiful passing, and he left with a smile on his face.”
In a statement shared on social media, TalkTV said: “We are sad to announce that James Whale MBE died earlier today, aged 74, following a lengthy battle with cancer. As a broadcasting legend for over 50 years, James will be missed by so many at Talk and the wider News UK family.”
Whale was diagnosed with stage four kidney cancer in 2020.
His colleague, Mike Graham announced his death on Talk on Monday (4 August) while paying tribute to his friend who he had worked alongside on Talk for the past six years.
Graham said in a moving tribute: “James began his remarkable career in the early 1970s when he pioneered a new kind of radio in Britain, the late night shock jock phone in. By the late 1980s, the James Whale radio show had become a cultural phenomenon, broadcasting every weekend on ITV. He attracted millions of viewers, making him a household name.
“James would go on to host a variety of programmes for ITV, Sky and the BBC before finding a new audience for talk radio, all the while continuing to make headlines during his appearance on Celebrity Big Brother.
“In 2006, after surviving kidney cancer, James launched Kidney Cancer UK, raising hundreds of thousands of pounds. In 2024, James was awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours, recognising his extraordinary contribution to broadcast and charity.
“James Whale broke the rules, he shaped the airwaves, and did it all on his own terms. For millions, James wasn’t just a broadcaster. He was a companion, a provocateur, and a good friend that we’ll all never forget. God bless you, James. We’ll miss you.”
The news comes just days after Whale recorded his final ever podcast from a hospice with his wife, as he thanked fans for listening. He said a farewell to fans in an emotional clip shared on TalkTV on Friday (1 August).
Speaking with his wife Nadine, Mr Whale said: “We’ve had a good time together haven’t we?” to which she replied “the best”.
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He said: “Thank you for being a listener. I hope it helps in some way and who knows what’s next, so I can only say au revoir.”
Whale, who has been a fixture of British radio and TV for five decades, announced in May that he had stopped his treatment and was “at the end of his cancer journey”.
More to follow….
