James Whale, the veteran radio DJ and TV personality, has died from cancer, aged 74.
In a statement shared on social media, his employers 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.”
His wife Nadine Lamont-Brown also confirmed the news in a brief statement that said: “James slipped away very gently this morning. It was a beautiful passing, and he left with a smile on his face.”
Whale was first diagnosed with cancer back in 2000 and had to have one of his kidneys removed. Then, in 2020, the TalkTV host revealed that the cancer had returned to his kidney and spread to his spine, brain and lungs.
His colleague, Mike Graham, announced his death to listeners on Talk on Monday (4 August) while paying tribute to his friend whom he had worked alongside on Talk for the pastGraham 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. six years.

Radio presenter James Whale, pictured in 2023 (Getty)
“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.”
He concluded: “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 in an emotional clip shared on TalkTV on Friday (1 August).