Redlands Bay FM 100.3 station manager Ted Seymour loses battle with cancer

Australian radio legend Ted Seymour whose legacy will be “unsurpassed” is being farewelled by family, friends, fans and industry identities.

Southeast Queensland radio waves are the poorer for the tragic passing of a legend.

Family, friends, colleagues and throngs of fans are mourning well known radio manager Ted Seymour who will be laid to rest today.

Seymour passed away at 75 years of age, on March 3, in Redland Hospital surrounded by family after a long battle with cancer.

Best known for his time as station manager at FM 104, Seymour worked his magic towards the end at Bay FM 100.3 in Redland City.

Bay FM 100.3 station manager Ted Seymour with friend and colleague Tony Edwards. Picture: Bay FM 100.3.

After a 20-year absence from the industry Seymour spent his five last years re-establishing a struggling Bay FM 100.3 as one of the most successful community broadcasters in Australia.

The beloved man leaves an incredible legacy which industry stalwarts say will be unsurpassed.

Colleague Tony Edwards said his friend in 1988 commandeered exceptional ratings and 39.4 per cent of the audience, when today’s best is 14 per cent.

A figure that will never be beaten or equalled again, according to Bay FM 100.3 station president Dave Westray.

Among the mourners was famed singer Mirusia, who remembered Mr Seymour as a “wonderful, caring, smart and clever man” on Facebook.

“In 2020, Ted Seymour and Sharyn Doolan gave me the opportunity to partake in a radio announcer’s course,” she said.

“I was feeling lost and lonely due to the pandemic and I landed in a new family of wonderful people.

“Ted was at the helm and he can almost be described as The Godfather of Bay FM.

“He took me under his wing and would often play me songs and say ‘You should sing this!’.

“He was always so interested in my music and I would often play him sneak peeks of my upcoming releases and he would close his eyes and listen and then give his positive feedback.

“On my first solo shift I was shaking like a leaf.

“More nervous than any live show I have ever performed. I requested Ted sit in with me because there was no way I was doing it on my own.

“He was like a calming safety blanket and after half an hour he slipped out of the room and left me to it.

“Ted’s sign-off at the end of his programs always was:

“May you live as long as you want to,

“May you want to as long as you live.”

And that’s exactly what he did.