10 July 2021

Radio and TV presenter Jonathan ‘Jono’ Coleman dies after long cancer battle

10 July 2021

Tributes have been paid to radio and television presenter Jonathan Coleman who has died with prostate cancer.

The 65-year-old passed away peacefully on Friday with his wife and two children by his side, his family said.

Coleman, who was born in London, had a successful broadcasting career in both the UK and Australia.

The popular, fast-talking veteran, known as Jono, first hit screens in 1979 and later teamed up with Ian ‘Dano’ Rogerson to become one half of the duo “Jono and Dano” in Australia.

After moving to the UK, became on half of Virgin Radio’s Russ and Jono with Russell Williams in the mid-1990s.

Coleman’s family said they were announcing his death “with the heaviest of hearts” and that he had endured his cancer fight for four years.

In a statement tweeted by his son Oscar, the DJ’s wife Margot said her husband had been her soulmate “for close to 40 years”.

Jono Coleman (PA Archive)

She said: “We have been fortunate to have lived a rich and wonderful life and I have been lucky enough to watch up-close someone with enormous talent and the special gift to make people laugh.

“I will miss him beyond words and with the support of our gorgeous children, Oscar and Emily, and their partners, we will continue to live in the manner he wanted.”

She said her husband wanted to be remembered “for doing a good deed every day”, and she added that this reflected his “generosity and caring nature”.

Williams tweeted about his former colleague with pictures from their radio career, writing: “We had the best of times & right now it feels like the worst of times. My thoughts & love are with Margo, Emily, Oscar & Jono’s sister Sharon. Rest easy ‘Little buddy’ and ‘Thank You Very Much Indeed’. Blessed to have had him in my life.”

Alongside a picture of Coleman, BBC Radio London also paid tribute to their former colleague.

They tweeted: “We are so sad at the news that our former colleague Jono Coleman has died from cancer at the age of 65. Our thoughts are with Jono’s wife Margot and his children today.”

Australian comedian Adam Hills said Coleman had been “One of my early radio heroes, and one of the nicest people I ever met”.

He tweeted: “I used to wake up to his voice back when radio alarm clocks were a thing. A ball of positive energy who scaled the heights of the industry in both the UK and Australia.”

Presenter Jeremy Vine described Coleman as a “giant of radio”.

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