John Blackman: Hey Hey It’s Saturday star dies at the age of 76 after harrowing battle with cancer and major surgery to remove his jaw
Australian radio star John Blackman has died at the age of 76.
News of the Hey Hey It’s Saturday star’s death was confirmed by Peter Ford on The Morning Show on Wednesday.
Channel 7 breakfast show hosts Larry Emdur and Kylie Gillies paid tribute to the radio legend following the devastating news of his death.
“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 fought this incredible battle against cancer,” they said as they paid tribute.
His beloved fans also quickly took to social media to pay tribute to the radio legend and thank him for his famous sense of humor over the years.
Australian radio star John Blackman has died at the age of 76
They wrote: ‘Thanks for so many laughs, John. My childhood was richer because of you. Vale John Blackman’;
‘RIP John Blackman’; ‘Thoughts and prayers to family and friends of John Blackman. REST IN PEACE. So sad to hear of his passing, the laughter stopped for a while’;
‘RIP John Blackman condolences to the family.’
Earlier this year, John bravely opened up about his battle with cancer and his surgery to remove his jaw.
In 2018, John underwent a massive 12-hour surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his mouth and jaw.
In January he told how his life changed after the life-saving operation, which robbed him of his cancer but meant he could no longer 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 operation to remove his jaw could not rob him of his famous sense of humor.
‘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.”
