Tributes pour in as Hey Hey It’s Saturday star John Blackman dies at the age of 76 after harrowing battle with cancer

Tributes pour in for John Blackman after him died at the age of 76 after a harrowing battle with cancer and surgery to remove his jaw.

The Australian radio star died on Tuesday after suffering a heart attack, according to famed reporter for The Morning Show, Peter Ford.

Following the sad news of his passing, Hey Hey It’s Saturday star Marty Fields remembered John as a “master announcer and incredible radio pioneer.”

‘So sad to hear of the passing of my old mate John Blackman. He was a master voice-over announcer, live act and an incredible radio pioneer,” he wrote on X.

‘His work at 3AW Breakfast and of course as a great stand announcer on Hey Hey. Love for Cecile and his family. A huge loss. Pallid friend.’

Former Australian Senator Derryn Hinch added: “Shocked and saddened by the death of John Blackman. He dealt with his illness so courageously. We had some huge fights, but he was the fastest ad lib guy ever. Valley.’

Nine’s entertainment editor Richard Wilkins also shared his condolences.

“I had the pleasure of working on Hey Hey many times over the years, and John was an integral part of the family,” he said.

Australian saxophonist Wilbur Wilde also said on Channel Nine’s Today Show that “without John there would be no Hey Hey.”

“He was a wonderful husband, a wonderful son, a wonderful son-in-law and he was loved by the entire Australian public,” he added.

3AW broadcaster Neil Mitchell remembered John as a ‘top class broadcaster’.

‘(It’s) very sad to hear of John Blackman’s death. “He was a constant throughout my radio career,” he said.

In a statement, Channel Nine and 3AW also wrote: ‘Throughout his illustrious career, John has demonstrated an unwavering dedication to his craft.’

“His remarkable versatility and enduring presence in the industry underlined his exceptional talent.

“Colleagues and fans admired his professionalism and the genuine friendliness he radiated both on and off the microphone.

“John Blackman’s legacy is one of laughter, dedication and a profound impact on Australian media.

“As we commemorate his remarkable journey, we celebrate the indelible mark he left on our hearts and on the entertainment landscape.

‘He will be greatly missed, but his voice will continue to echo in our memories. ‘

Meanwhile, Peter paid tribute to the ‘incredible’ radio legend on Channel Seven’s breakfast show and told how John passed away at home after resting.

“John had come home and was resting yesterday afternoon. He came to the kitchen and said to Cecile: “I’m not feeling well. I’m going to sit on the couch for a while,” Peter said.

The reporter added that John was recently told he needed further surgery after his cancer returned following his life-saving surgery in 2018.

“He told me last week that he was going to have another operation on Monday because something had returned and he wasn’t happy about that,” he continued.

‘But I was told it wasn’t the cancer that took him. His wife Cecil called this morning to share the news.’

He then praised John for keeping his sense of humor throughout his difficult battle with cancer and paid tribute to the ‘wonderful artist’.

“Australia is a sadder country now that this news is coming out. John was an incredible man, he was a great performer on radio and television. Over the last few years he has been fighting this incredible battle against cancer,” he said emotionally.

‘His battle with cancer where they removed a large part of his jaw. He still went out and always found a way to laugh about things.

“If anyone was disarmed when he saw his appearance, he would immediately put them at ease. He had the ability to relax you and make you laugh.”

The legendary broadcaster had a hugely successful radio career spanning more than 50 years, but was best known for his character voices on the long-running variety TV show Hey Hey It’s Saturday.

John’s death comes just months after he opened up about his grueling battle with cancer, which saw him undergo a 12-hour surgery to remove his jaw in 2018.

In 2022, John faced a second battle when he was diagnosed with brain cancer, which was removed with a six-hour surgery that left a titanium mesh plate in his head.

Not long before his death, John is said to have been told he would have to return to hospital for another operation this year after his cancer made a devastating return.

He is believed to have died of a heart attack and is survived by his wife Cecile, whom he married in December 1972, and his daughter Tiffany, 28.

Earlier this year, John bravely opened up about his battle with cancer and his surgery to remove his jaw.

The presenter was first diagnosed with a serious case of skin cancer known as basal cell carcinoma in August 2018.

The “really aggressive” cancer was discovered during a routine visit to his doctor to check for an inflamed pimple.

Later that same year, John underwent a massive 12-hour operation to remove the cancerous growth in his mouth, and his jaw was replaced with part of his femur.

In January 2024, he talked about how his life changed after the operation, which removed the cancerous tumor but left him unable to work in front of a microphone.

‘When I went to my surgeon to get the test results, he said, ‘Look, John, your life is going to change completely from now on,'” he told the Herald Sun.

‘Professionally, financially, emotionally it will never be the same again. You’ll never work in front of a microphone again.’

He bravely said that the grueling operation could not rob him of his famous sense of humor, despite changing his career.

‘Everything the surgeon said came true. Even now, talking to you, it’s painful. I can’t do what I love,” John continued.

“Luckily I still have my sense of humor, they didn’t remove that.”

Just years later in 2022, John faced a second battle when he was diagnosed with brain cancer and required another life-saving surgery.

Another growth had ‘cratered’ as a result of one of the removal procedures and started moving towards his brain.

John admitted the cancer could have ‘killed’ him and he underwent a six-hour operation to remove the ‘aggressive’ tumor and was left with a titanium mesh plate in his head.

“That was the one that could have actually killed me because it was a very aggressive cancer (squamous cell carcinoma) growing on the top of my head,” he said.