James Valentine, the warm, witty and curious-minded broadcaster who became one of the defining voices of ABC Radio Sydney, has died aged 64 after a long battle with cancer, the details of which he regularly shared with his listeners.

His family said he died peacefully at home, surrounded by loved ones, having chosen voluntary assisted dying. 

For more than three decades, Valentine was a familiar presence in Australian media – first as a musician and television personality, then as one of the country’s most distinctive radio hosts. Best known for steering ABC Radio Sydney’s Afternoons program for more than 20 years, he cultivated a rare on-air intimacy with listeners, combining intelligence, humour and an instinctive feel for the rhythms of everyday life. 

Valentine retired from the ABC in February this year, citing the need to focus on treatment after a cancer diagnosis in 2024 and subsequent complications in 2025. 

Born in Ballarat in 1961, Valentine was drawn early to music and broadcasting. He picked up the saxophone at school and later studied classical saxophone in Melbourne before launching a professional music career in the 1980s.

James Valentine at The Django Bar. May 2023.

He brought his sax skills to some of Australia’s best-known acts, beginning with a stint in Models (contributing to their hit albums Out of Mind, Out of Sight and Models’ Media), Jo Jo Zep & the Falcons, Kate Ceberano, Wendy Matthews and Absent Friends.

Though broadcasting became his public calling, music remained central to his life, and he continued performing jazz regularly with his own groups. 

Valentine’s transition to broadcast media began in the late 1980s as host of ABC television’s The Afternoon Show. He later appeared across commercial and public television, including TVTV, Good Morning Australia and as a commentator on various programs. 

Yet it was radio that proved his ideal medium. On Afternoons, Valentine reimagined talkback as something more playful and humane. Rather than relying on outrage or politics, he invited callers to discuss etiquette, relationships, neighbourhood oddities and the small dramas of domestic life. Segments such as The Done Thing, What I Live With and Rant helped create a loyal community of listeners across Sydney and regional New South Wales. 

Valentine was also an writer, publishing six books ranging from children’s fiction to collections inspired by his radio work. In 2020, his program won a Bronze Award at the New York Festivals Radio Awards. 

Tributes flowed swiftly following news of his death, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese describing him as one of Australia’s “national treasures”. Governor-General Sam Mostyn revealed Valentine had recently been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his services to broadcasting, music and the arts. 

James Valentine is survived by his wife, Joanne, and their two children, Ruby and Roy.