May he rest in peace.

Legendary Australian radio broadcaster John Laws will be honoured with a state funeral after his death at the age of 90.

John passed away at his home in the inner-Sydney suburb of Woolloomooloo on Saturday, November 8, and his funeral plans have now been revealed.

His family have accepted an offer from NSW Premier Chris Minns to honour John’s legacy in a state funeral, set to be held on November 19.

The service will take place at St Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney, the NSW Premier confirmed just days after the news of John’s death.

“John’s career was extraordinary. Few broadcasters have left such a deep and lasting mark on Australian media,” he shared on November 12.

“Beginning in 1953 at Bendigo’s 3BO and later becoming a household name on Sydney stations such as 2UE and 2SM, his distinctive tone earned him the affectionate title ‘Golden Tonsils’.”

“On behalf of the NSW Government, I extend my deepest condolences to John’s family, friends, colleagues, and all who listened, learned, and were challenged by him.
For much of his career, John Laws was Australia’s highest-earning and highest-rating radio announcer. (Credit: Getty)
“His legacy lies not only in the thousands of hours on air, but in the connection he forged with millions of Australians.”

John’s family confirmed the devastating news of his death in a statement issued on the evening of Sunday, November 8.

“Today marks a very difficult day for our family, with the news that our beloved father/grandfather/uncle John Laws has died peacefully at home,” it read.

“While fame and prominence had become a mainstay of his life, for us, he was always the person who meant so much, away from the microphone, the cameras, and the headlines.”

“It is comforting to know that John’s was a life lived well – he had remained in good health and even better spirits right up until the last few weeks,” the statement concluded.

A cause of death for has not yet been released.
John and his beloved wife Caroline, whom he affectionately dubbed “princess.” (Credit: Getty)

Tributes pour in

As the news of his passing broke, tributes began to roll in from across Australia, including from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who described him as an “iconic voice.”

“Generations of Australians trusted and respected him for telling it straight, digging deep, and giving his guests and his listeners a chance to be heard. John was always a thoroughly prepared and thoughtful interviewer – and wonderful company off-air. My condolences to his loved ones and to all who benefited from his wisdom and guidance.”

Fellow radio broadcaster Kyle Sandilands also took to social media to share his condolences, writing that he was “one of the true originals” on X.

“You could never mistake him for anyone else. He said what he thought, didn’t care who he offended, but could also show deep compassion when required. I’m devastated to have lost a mentor and a mate. Radio won’t be the same without him.”

Actor Russell Crowe wrote that John was a “legend, in the very best, most Australian sense of the word.”

In his tribute, Ray Hadley penned: “He had a special connection with the average Aussie and everyone felt like they knew Lawsie.”

How many times was John Laws married?

John Laws was married a total of three times.

He wed Sonia Zlotkowski in 1956, whom he divorced in 1963; he wed Yvonne Helstrom-Roux in 1965, whom he divorced in 1974, and he wed Caroline Laws in 1976. He and Caroline then remained married for 44 years until she passed away from ovarian cancer in 2020.

In an exclusive interview with New Idea in 2023, John described her death as “awful.”

“Thank God for my friends and my kids. We fell in love with each other when we were 15. [Her death] hurt.”

As for his last few years of life, John’s mantra was simple.

“Having happy people around me. It’s very important.”
The couple first met as teenagers, before meeting again later in life, where they ultimately fell in love as adults. (Credit: Getty)

Did John Laws have children with Caroline?

When John Laws and Caroline married, it was John’s third marriage and Caroline’s second.

Together, they had nine children from previous marriages and chose not to have any children together of their own due to the already large size of their blended family.

What was John Laws’ famous quote?

Veteran radio broadcaster John Laws became famous for his catchphrase, “Valvoline, you know what I mean,” due to the many years he spent endorsing the brand in commercials. While his voice is also synonymous with several other brands that he has endorsed, such as Oral-B, John Laws’ most famous quote is much more personal.

At the beginning of every broadcast, John Laws greeted listeners with “Hello world, I’m John Laws,” before signing off with his signature quote, “You…be kind to each other.”

When did John Laws retire from radio?

At the age of 18 years old, John commenced his radio career in Bendigo on 3BO in 1953. He then joined Sydney station 2UE, before spending time on the airwaves of 2GB, 2UW, and 2SM, as well as short periods with both Network Ten and Foxtel.

Ultimately, after 70 years behind the microphone, “Golden Tonsils” as he was affectionately dubbed, retired from radio on November 8, 2024, almost exactly a year before his passing.