Kyle Sandilands breaks down over the death of his good mate and mentor John Laws

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Kyle Sandilands has paid an emotional tribute to his old friend and mentor, John Laws.

A video posted to Instagram by The Kyle and Jackie O Show showed the 54-year-old radio host getting emotional while recalling the late broadcaster, who passed away on Sunday at the age of 90.

The radio hosts fondly remembered John Laws, a close friend and broadcasting icon, noting that he was a mentor to Kyle and played a key role in launching his career, they shared in a social media post.

‘Rest easy, John, you will be missed.’

Kyle started his tribute on Monday’s KIIS FM breakfast show by saying that the person was much funnier and more thoughtful than most people realized.

He shared that his mother was very upset when he told her about the death of the well-known media personality, affectionately nicknamed ‘the Golden Tonsils’.

Kyle remembered first meeting Laws about forty years ago while working as a panel operator in Townsville.

He really helped guide my career. When I was first getting into radio at just 16 years old, I actually worked as a technician, pressing the buttons to start and stop his commercials.

‘I ended up being mates with him, we’d have dinner, we’d have lunch.’

After a remarkable 71-year career in radio, recently retired broadcaster Laws was a frequent guest on The Kyle and Jackie O Show.

Laws was famous for his playful and direct way of speaking to the audience, and he often good-naturedly teased the pair whenever he was on the show.

On Monday, Kyle and Jackie revisited an old video of Laws playfully calling Jackie ‘Jackie Naught’.

Kyle mentioned that Laws criticized him for seemingly copying his style. Both Kyle and Laws used golden microphones while recording, and they both shared a love for Rolls-Royce cars, much like a mentor and protégé.

The radio personality recalled the first time the guest appeared on their show. Apparently, the guest accused them of imitation, saying, ‘You’re just copying me.’ The host responded with, ‘You inspire me.’

Kyle became emotional remembering a special moment with the radio icon, Laws, who had affectionately called him ‘the last of the radio cowboys’.

‘After you, who is there?’ Laws told him.

On Sunday, Kyle was one of the first celebrities to pay tribute to Laws.

‘You could never mistake him for anyone else,’ he tweeted on X.

Kyle described him as someone who was always honest, even if it upset people, but also capable of great empathy when the situation called for it.

‘I’m devastated to have lost a mentor and a mate. Radio won’t be the same without him.’

John Laws became one of Australia’s leading and highest-earning media figures, known for his influential talkback radio show.

He had been receiving end-of-life care for several months and is survived by his five children.

He was married to Caroline, his beloved wife of over forty years, who sadly passed away from cancer in 2020. He affectionately called her his ‘princess’.

Laws started his broadcasting career on AM radio in 1953 at 3BO in Bendigo. His distinctive voice quickly earned him the nickname ‘The Golden Tonsils’.

In 2003, he was recognized with induction into the Australian Radio Hall of Fame, and in 2008, he received a lifetime achievement award from the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).

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2025-11-10 07:49