Australian radio legend John Laws bid goodbye to his loyal listeners in an emotional final show after his 71-year career.

The 89-year-old called time on his decades-long career in radio as he signed off for the final time on Thursday, just weeks after he announced he would be retiring. In his last-ever show on 2SM Radio, John was upset as he thanked his fans for their support over the years. “I will really miss you,” he confessed, as he explained while he was sad he was leaving, he was now happily retired.

“And I will miss all of the memories that have gone before me in all of these years, it has been a long time. I have no reason to complain. It is obviously sad to say goodbye, and I am obviously sad to have to say goodbye,” John said. He began his radio career in 1953, and his unique voice earned him the nickname Golden Tonsils. The radio presenter, who sadly lost his wife Caroline to cancer in 2020, also suffered with ill health in 2022, as he was hospitalised with a string of respiratory infections.

He refused to retire, but just last month, he announced he would be stepping down from his illustrious career, and said it was a “bittersweet” farewell. Speaking to Confidential after his final show on Thursday, John confessed: “’I feel a bit sad but I feel okay. It will probably catch up with me in the next day or two but I’ve got no right to complain at all. I’ve had a terrific life and I’ve had a terrific career and I’ve got a terrific family, so, I am okay but it is the end.”

He joked he would miss being the centre of attention, and suggested his listeners could arrange a monthly get-together. “I will miss the attention because I am very much a spoilt child and I like a bit of attention so maybe we could organise to, once a month, maybe send a bunch of people in just to talk to me, can we do that,” he laughed.

He had dodged rumours of retirement for years, but in October, he confirmed he would be signing off for the final time on November 8, and made the surprise announcement while reading a letter sent to him by a listener, who thanked him for being a source of entertainment for many years. “You’re not going to be hearing it for long, mate, I think it’s time for a rest, is what I think. I’ve done it for a very, very, very, very long time. 70 years, is it long enough? It’s long enough,” John said at the time.

“I would have done it for 71 years. The first week of November will be 71 years since I started on radio. I don’t want to be greedy, I had a fantastic 71 years. Loved almost every minute of it,” he explained. “I still feel young, I still feel healthy. When I call it a day, it will be a day. I’m not going to go away and come back again and say it was all a mistake.”