James Valentine death: Radio, television presenter, 64, dies via voluntary assisted dying after diagnosis

Legendary radio and television presenter James Valentine has died aged 64 through voluntary assisted dying after a cancer diagnosis.

Two years ago, Valentine was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer. He took leave from his role at ABC, where he had worked for over 20 years.

The presenter returned to the airwaves before stepping back after the discovery of tumours in his omentum.

“James passed peacefully at home surrounded by his family, who adored him,” Valentine’s family said in a statement on Thursday.

“Throughout his illness, James did it his way, which lasted all the way until the end when he made the choice to do Voluntary Assisted Dying.”

“Both he and his family are grateful he was given the option to go out on his own terms. He was calm, dignified as always and somehow still making us laugh.”

The broadcaster was officially farewelled in February this year, where he thanked his audience for years of support through his 25 years at the ABC.

“I could ask callers to make stuff up, to invent stories, to go with any sort of fanciful notion of the city that we had going on,” Valentine said.

“What a huge buzz of enjoyment I got when you called in, in response to something I’d suggest.”

ABC managing director Hugh Marks said Valentine was a “trusted companion”.

“He has been a trusted companion for so many people, part of the rhythm of everyday life for generations of our Sydney audience,” Mr Marks said in a statement published by ABC.

“James brought warmth, wit, and humanity to radio as an exemplar of radio craft. His style was never about confrontation or noise — it was always about connection.”

How does voluntary assisted dying work?

Voluntary assisted dying, often called VAD, has been legally available in NSW since 2023.

It is only available to terminally ill adults and has a strict eligibility criteria.

“Voluntary assisted dying means an eligible person can ask for medical help to end their life,” NSW Health says.

“The person must have an advanced and progressive disease, illness, or medical condition that is expected to cause their death within six months (or 12 months for neurodegenerative diseases like motor neurone disease).

“They must also be experiencing suffering that can’t be relieved in a way that is acceptable to them.

“A person must meet the eligibility criteria and follow all the legal steps for voluntary assisted dying to happen. This will allow them to take or be given a medication to bring about their death at a time that they choose.”

If approved, a patient can either self administer or have a medical professional administer medication to use voluntary assisted dying.

“Voluntary assisted dying and suicide are different. Asking for medical help to die is not suicide under the law in NSW,” the health department says.

Voluntary assisted dying is legal in all six Australian states — Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania, South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales — as well as the Australian Capital Territory, but remains illegal in the Northern Territory.