The funeral of broadcasting legend James Whale was held this afternoon in Maidstone, Kent, drawing mourners from across politics and showbiz to honour the late radio titan.
Whale, who died last month aged 74 after a courageous battle with cancer, was laid to rest at St Nicolas Church. Among those paying tribute were politician Nigel Farage, visibly emotional as he walked alongside Lizzy Cundy, TV presenter Eamonn Holmes and singer Matt Goss. Friends Bobby Davro and Lizzy Cundy also joined Whale’s wife Nadine and his family in saying their final goodbyes.
The service was followed by a wake celebrating Whale’s extraordinary life and career, during which he was remembered not only as a broadcasting trailblazer but also as a tireless charity campaigner. Earlier this year, he was awarded an MBE in recognition of his work in radio and his advocacy for Kidney Cancer UK, where he served as lifetime president.
In his poignant final column, published posthumously in the Daily Express, Whale wrote candidly: “If you’re reading this then I’m dead. I’ve always wanted to write that… I’m in the great radio studio in the sky, hopefully hanging out with my broadcasting heroes. Of course, I don’t want to die… but I think I’ve probably beaten the odds several times already just by lasting this long.”
He spoke with both humour and heartbreak about not living to see Christmas, admitting: “It makes me sadder than I can say – there have been plenty of tears – but it’s the hand I’ve been dealt.” Whale also reflected on politics, joking that he’d love to see whether Nigel Farage could “sort out Britain’s many problems.”
James married Nadine Lamont-Brown in 2021, after losing his first wife Melinda to lung cancer in 2018. He leaves behind two children, two grandchildren, and a legacy as one of the most distinctive voices in British radio.
