Hey Hey It’s Saturday host Daryl Somers shares heartbreaking tribute to ‘dear friend’ John Blackman following his tragic death at age 76

Hey Hey It’s Saturday creator and host Daryl Somers has shared his heartbreaking tribute to John Blackman following his death on Tuesday.

John, who voiced puppet Dickie Knee on the comedic variety show, passed of a heart attack aged 76 following a harrowing years-long battle with bone cancer. 

Daryl, 72, said he called John last Monday and told him he ‘loved’ him without realising it was their final goodbye, reported the Herald Sun on Wednesday.  

‘It is not always that God affords you the luxury of saying goodbye, although we did not even know we were saying goodbye when we spoke,’ he said.

‘I said, “I love you, mate. We are very fortunate we had so many years together being able to essentially have fun between ourselves [on Hey Hey] and it resonated out through the telly into so many houses around Australia and people enjoyed it.”‘

Hey Hey It’s Saturday host Daryl Somers, 72, (left) has shared his heartbreaking tributeJohn Blackman (right) following his death aged 76 on Tuesday

The triple Gold Logie award-winner continued: ‘It is such a shock, because he kept fighting for so long I thought he would continue on. He was such a dear friend.’

Daryl went on to commend John’s strength of will as he faced years of ill health following a bone cancer diagnosis which led to the removal of his jaw through surgery.

The television personality said his dear friend John was ‘an inspiration to so many people going through ill health’.  

It comes as the tributes are pouring in for John after he died at the age of 76 following a harrowing battle with cancer and surgery to remove his jaw.

Daryl said he called John last Monday and told him he ‘loved’ him without realising it was their final goodbye, reported the Herald Sun on Wednesday

‘It is not always that God affords you the luxury of saying goodbye, although we did not even know we were saying goodbye when we spoke,’ Daryl said

The Australian radio star passed away after a heart attack on Tuesday, according to The Morning Show’s celebrity reporter 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 at the passing of my old mate John Blackman. He was a master voice over announcer, live act and incredible radio pioneer,’ he wrote on X.

‘His work at 3AW breakfast and of course as the wonderful booth announcer on Hey Hey. Love to Cecile and his family. A massive loss. Vale buddy.’

Daryl went on to commend John’s strength of will as he faced years of ill health following a bone cancer diagnosis which led to the removal of his jaw through surgery

Tributes are pouring in for Hey Hey It’s Saturday star John Blackman after he died at the age of 76 following a harrowing battle with cancer and surgery to remove his jaw

Former Senator of Australia Derryn Hinch added: ‘Shocked and saddened by death of John Blackman. He handled his illnesses so bravely. We had some huge rows but he was the fastest ad lib man ever. Vale.’

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.

Today Extra host Sylvia Jeffreys added: ‘John has a long legacy within Channel Nine working across multiple shows and a legend on the comedy scene.’

Australian saxophonist Wilbur Wilde also said on Channel Nine’s Today Show, that ‘without John there was no Hey Hey.’

‘He was a marvellous husband, a wonderful son, a terrific son-in-law and was loved by all Australian audiences,’ he added.

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

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

John’s former co-star on Hey Hey, Livinia Nixon, told ABC, he was a supportive and influential figure in the industry.

‘I’m just heartbroken for his wife and Tiffany, his daughter, and everyone that he looked after because even though he had so much on his plate in the last few years, healthwise, he was the backbone of that family,’ she said.

In a statement, Channel Nine and 3AW also wrote: ‘John Blackman’s legacy is one of laughter, dedication, and a profound impact on Australian media.

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

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

The Australian radio star passed away after a heart attack on Tuesday, according to The Morning Show’s celebrity reporter Peter Ford

Meanwhile, Peter paid tribute to the ‘incredible’ radio legend on the Channel Seven breakfast show and told how John had passed away at his home after going for a rest.

‘John had got home and was having a rest in the afternoon yesterday. He came out to the kitchen and said to Cecile ‘I’m not feeling so great. I’ll just had a sit down on the couch’,’ Peter shared.

The reporter added that John had recently been told he had to go in for more surgery after his cancer had returned following his life-saving 2018 operation.

‘He told me last week that this Monday, he was to go in for more surgery because something had returned and he wasn’t thrilled about that,’ he went on.

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

He went on to praise John for keeping his sense of humour throughout his difficult cancer battle and paid tribute to the ‘beautiful performer’. 

‘Australia is a sadder place with this news breaking now. John was an incredible man, he was a beautiful performer on radio and television. In recent years he has put up this incredible cancer fight,’ he emotionally said.

‘His cancer battle that saw them take away a major part of his jaw. He still got out and about and he would find a way to laugh at things.

‘If anyone was disarmed when they saw his appearance, he would make them comfortable straight away. He had the ability to relax you and let you have a laugh.’ 

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

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 gruelling cancer battle, which saw him undergo a 12-hour operation in 2018 to remove his jaw.

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

Not long before his passing, John was thought to have been told he had to return to hospital for more surgery this year after his cancer had devastatingly come back.

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

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

Earlier this year, John bravely opened up about his cancer battle and surgery, which saw him have his jaw removed.

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

The ‘really aggressive’ cancer was discovered on a routine trip to his doctor to see about an inflamed pimple.

Later that same year, John had a massive 12-hour operation to remove the cancerous growth on his mouth, and his jaw was substituted with a portion of his thigh bone.

In January 2024, he told how his life changed after the operation, which removed the cancerous tumour but meant he couldn’t work in front of a microphone again.

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

Not long before his passing, John was thought to have been told he had to return to hospital for more surgery this year after his cancer had devastatingly come back

‘Professionally, financially, emotionally, it is never going to be the same again. You will never work in front of a mic again.’

He bravely told how the gruelling operation couldn’t rob him of his well-known sense of humour despite changing his career.

‘Everything the surgeon said has come true. Even now talking to you, it is painful. I can’t do what I love,’ John went on.

‘Thankfully, I still have my sense of humour, they did not remove that.’

On Hey Hey It’s Saturday, John (left) voiced legendary characters including Angel, Mrs Macgillicuddy, Alfred Desk Mike and Charlie Who as he won over legions of fans

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

Another growth had sprouted ‘in a crater’ a result of one of the removal procedures, and started to move towards his brain.

John admitted the cancer could have ‘killed’ him and he had a six-hour surgery to remove the ‘aggressive’ tumour 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) that was growing right on the top of my noggin,’ he said.