Beloved ABC radio presenter James Valentine is confirmed to have passed away at the age of 64, two years after being diagnosed with cancer.
Valentine’s family has confirmed he chose voluntary assisted dying at home.
Valentine was a defining voice of Sydney radio, hosting across the ABC for more than three decades and fronting the Afternoons program on ABC Radio Sydney for over 20 years.
Valentine retired from ABC Radio Sydney in February after 25 years with the station, stepping away to focus on treatment following his cancer diagnosis.
He first revealed he had oesophageal cancer in March 2024, taking a leave of absence to undergo treatment. While he returned to Afternoons last year, he later exited the program in June after scans showed tumours in his omentum.
In a statement, Valentine’s family said he died at home surrounded by loved ones.
“James passed peacefully at home surrounded by his family, who adored him,” the statement read.
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“Throughout his illness, James did it his way, which lasted all the way until the end when he made the choice to do Voluntary Assisted Dying.”
“Both he and his family are grateful he was given the option to go out on his own terms. He was calm, dignified as always, and somehow still making us laugh.”
Valentine is survived by his wife, Joanne, and children, Ruby and Roy.
The ABC said details of memorial arrangements and opportunities to honour him would be shared in the coming days.
In a statement posted to ABC’s website, ABC managing director Hugh Marks paid tribute to Valentine’s impact on audiences and the medium.
“For decades, James Valentine has been more than a presenter – he has been a trusted companion for so many people, part of the rhythm of everyday life for generations of our Sydney audience.
“James brought warmth, wit, and humanity to radio as an exemplar of radio craft. His style was never about confrontation or noise – it was always about connection. James turned his patch of the Sydney airwaves into a place of companionship, and his daily presence will be deeply missed by his significant audience and all of his colleagues at the ABC.”
In the same statement, ABC Director of Audio Ben Latimer said James set an enduring standard for thoughtful, original broadcasting.
“James Valentine was kind, curious and endlessly creative. He treated listeners, callers and colleagues with the same respect and warmth, and he believed deeply in radio as a place for ideas, experimentation and human connection.
“James was never afraid to try something new, to push the format and to have fun while doing it. He loved radio, he loved experimenting with it, and he loved the sheer fun of making it every day. He demonstrated, more than anyone I can think of, that great radio can be smart, playful and deeply human all at once. His influence will be felt across the ABC for many years to come.”
Valentine’s career began in the mid-1980s on ABC television, where he hosted cartoons on The Afternoon Show before moving across a range of ABC TV programs.
He later transitioned into radio, working at 666 ABC Radio Canberra and on Sydney Mornings, before settling into what would become his defining role. In 1999, he took the helm of the Afternoons program on 702 ABC Radio Sydney – then known as 2BL – a position he held for more than 20 years.
He briefly stepped into the Breakfast slot between 2022 and 2023, but Afternoons remained his enduring home.
From Mediaweek