James Whale is dead… what killed him? Here’s all to know

Veteran broadcaster and radio personality James Whale has passed away at the age of 74, following a prolonged battle with cancer, his agent confirmed on Monday.

Whale’s illustrious career stretched across six decades, featuring memorable stints with the BBC, LBC, and TalkSport. More recently, he continued to engage audiences through his podcast and a weekly late-night programme on TalkRadio.

His wife, Nadine Lamont-Brown, expressed her sorrow in a heartfelt statement: “It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing of my darling husband, James Whale, who died peacefully this morning with a smile on his face, holding my hand.”

Known for his unfiltered opinions and provocative style, Whale became a defining figure in British talk radio. Colleague and friend Mike Graham read a tribute live on TalkTV, honouring Whale, who had been battling stage four kidney cancer. Graham also took to X (formerly Twitter), describing Whale as “a remarkable man with an extraordinary voice. The world is a lesser place today.”

TalkTV commemorated Whale on social media, calling him “a broadcasting legend for over 50 years” and noting that he would be deeply missed. Fellow broadcaster Piers Morgan paid homage as well, hailing Whale as “one of Britain’s all-time great radio talk show hosts and a fantastic bloke.”

Whale had previously revealed his kidney cancer diagnosis in 2000, which returned in 2020. In the years that followed, he openly shared his health journey through social media, his podcast “Tales of the Whales,” and his TalkTV appearances.

He first rose to prominence in the 1980s with his late-night programme, The James Whale Radio Show, on Radio Aire in Leeds. The show, later broadcast live on both ITV and the radio, was unlike anything British audiences had seen before. A mix of shock-jock antics, late-night talk, and unpredictable live segments, it quickly became notorious—and popular.

Running from 1988 to 1992, the show featured call-ins, celebrity sparring, and controversial skits, often pushing the boundaries of taste and decency. Whale embraced both praise and criticism, with one reviewer famously describing him as “the liveliest new personality to hit TV in years.”

Whale began his career in radio in the 1970s, presenting for stations in Newcastle, Derby, and Middlesbrough before joining Radio Aire in 1982. During his time on Metro Radio in Newcastle, he laid the groundwork for the no-nonsense phone-in format that became his trademark.

He even pioneered the UK’s first in-store radio station, broadcasting from a Top Shop in London’s Oxford Circus in 1970. By the late 80s, he was named Local DJ of the Year at the Sony Radio Awards and had firmly established his presence in the media landscape.

After his TV show ended, Whale carried the spirit of his chaotic programming into Whale On, which aired from 1993 to 1995. Although it faced stiff competition from edgier shows like The Word, Whale remained a distinct voice.

He returned to radio in 1995, hosting a late-night show on Talk Radio, where he famously caused a stir by airing a personal phone call that turned out to be from his lover. Despite the scandal, he remained one of the few talk presenters to survive the station’s 2000 rebranding to TalkSport.

However, his outspoken nature led to his dismissal in 2008 after urging listeners to vote for Boris Johnson in the mayoral election, breaching Ofcom’s impartiality rules. The station was fined £20,000.

In spite of this, Whale maintained ties with media outlets, including a return to LBC where he had previously hosted weekend shows. In 2000, shortly after his cancer diagnosis, he and his late wife Melinda chose to live life to the fullest, embarking on globe-trotting adventures and enjoying what he called his “hedonistic years.”

Determined to raise awareness, Whale founded the James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer in 2006, which later merged with Kidney Cancer UK. After stints with BBC Essex and online ventures, Whale rejoined TalkRadio in 2016.

He also appeared in the 18th season of Celebrity Big Brother, and despite being suspended in 2018 over an insensitive interview, he remained on air. That same year, Melinda passed away from lung cancer. Whale later found companionship again and married Nadine Lamont-Brown in 2021.

In January 2024, he was awarded an MBE for his contributions to broadcasting and cancer awareness. Even in his final months, Whale stayed vocal, courting controversy with strong views on immigration and the Israel-Gaza conflict.

His final broadcast, a sit-down with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage in his garden, aired in mid-July 2024. In his last column for the Daily Express, he reflected:

“I’ve spent much of my professional life winding people up about their stupidity… But boy have I had some fun, and hopefully created some entertaining, engaging radio that has made people think a bit harder.”

Tributes have poured in. Theo Paphitis hailed his passion for kidney cancer awareness, while Shane Richie and Eamonn Holmes praised his unique legacy. Richie summed it up: “In the eighties, James moved the goalposts when it came to live TV… his late-night Friday talk show was the stuff of legend.”

James Whale remained a trailblazer to the very end—opinionated, audacious, and impossible to ignore.