Radio pioneer James Valentine announces retirement

February 3, 2026 8:06

James Valentine behind the mic (Credit: ABC Radio Sydney: Declan Bowring)

Long-serving ABC radio presenter James Valentine has announced he will be putting down the mic, with his final show scheduled for this Friday.

Valentine took to 702 ABC Radio Sydney Afternoons to share the news on Monday.

He had been off the air since June 2025 after revealing that he had been diagnosed with omentum cancer, describing it “as a fatty veil, which extends from the stomach over [the] intestine”.

“This decision has been hard for me to make, but look, I think my health is giving me a pretty clear message that it still might be a while until I could return and resume broadcasting,” Valentine said of his retirement.

“[It] could still be another year or six months or so until I’ve got the energy or the strength to come back. I just think it’s too long. I think it’s time to say, come on, somebody else come and have a shot.

“I need to focus on getting better, on being with family and friends and making sure that I’m giving my health my best shot.”

Valentine took to the ABC’s airwaves in the late 1980s after Peter Wall — the then manager of ABC Radio Sydney (which went by 2BL at the time) — gave him the opportunity to try local radio.

After a stint at 666 ABC Radio Canberra, he moved to ABC Radio Sydney covering the Mornings shift. He switched to Afternoons in 2001.

Enjoying Mumbrella? Sign up for our free daily newsletter.

For two years beginning in 2022, Valentine worked as a Breakfast host, before returning to Afternoons.

In March 2024, Valentine was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer, and stepped away from hosting for treatment. He was replaced by radio and television personality Tim Webster in his absence. In June 2025, James O’Loughlin picked up the mic as Valentine’s fill-in presenter.

The radio veteran’s last broadcast — a two-hour retrospective show titled the “James Valentine Afternoons: Retrospective” — will reflect on the most memorable moments from his career. It will air at 12:30pm AEDT on February 6 (Friday), and across NSW at 1:30pm.

Hugh Marks, the ABC’s managing director, paid tribute to Valentine and his impact on the public broadcaster’s radio offering.

“James is one of the great creative forces in Australian broadcasting,” Marks said in the written announcement of Valentine’s retirement.

“He has an extraordinary gift for turning everyday moments into joyful, smart and surprising radio, and the connection he has built with his audience over decades simply cannot be overstated.

“We’re proud to celebrate everything he has brought to the ABC, and we wish him strength and support as he focuses on his health.”

At the time of writing, Valentine’s permanent replacement has not been announced.

During his career, Valentine is credited with revolutionising the format of talkback radio, using segments such as “This is What I Live With” and “Rant” to inject some fun into the formula.

His retirement from Afternoons means he will also move away from Upbeat — his ABC Jazz show that began airing in 2020.