Legendary veteran radio host John Laws announces retirement

After calling the airwaves home for more than seven decades, radio icon John Laws will put down his golden microphone, retiring — again — just short of notching up 71 years on air.

Legendary radio host John Laws says it was a last-minute decision to announce his retirement from the airwaves.

The veteran talkback host – known as “the Golden Tonsils” – made the announcement live on his 2SM radio show this morning, with his last day to fall on November 8.

That will be just short of his 71st anniversary on air.

“Why now? I am buggered if I know actually,” Laws, 89, said after revealing his plans to listeners while broadcasting live.

“I haven’t got any plans other than I want to travel more. I love travel, I love seeing how people live in other parts of the world — and not necessarily the rich parts. I like to see how people live, generally. I just love that feeling of getting away.”

Laws will step down in November. Picture: Richard Dobson

Laws broadcasting form the 2SM radio studio at Pyrmont. Picture: Richard Dobson

He said his decision was made “this morning” although he had previously indicated the time would come “soon”.

“This morning I thought, ‘Today is the day’,” he said.

Australian singer Judy Cannon with John Laws on a TV show in the late 1950s or early 1960s. Picture: Supplied

It is the second time Laws has officially retired.

He previously stepped away from radio for four years from 2007, before returning to his job at 2SM and the Super Radio Network.

Laws scored his first on-air gig in 1953 at Bendigo station, 3BO. Four years later, he joined metro broadcaster, 2UE.

There, he became one of the first DJs to play rock ‘n’ roll music, and rose to become one of the country’s most powerful talkback radio hosts, and one of Australia’s highest paid radio personalities.

“I still feel healthy and when I call it a day, it will be a day, I am not going to go away and then come back again and say it was all a mistake,” he said.

“It may well be a mistake but there will be no return.”

Asked his legacy, Laws said: “I don’t know, to remind people that no matter who they are or where they are or what they are, they can do it.”

From Sir Bob Geldof to Prime Ministers, Laws has interviewed major entertainment, sporting and political figures over the decades.

He initially said he had interviewed nine former Prime Ministers before being reminded of the actual figure of 16.

“I must have been asleep for a few,” he joked.

“The best from my point of view because he was always available and he’s got a sense of humour like a steel trap is Paul Keating. Apart from that I am very fond of Paul and that does not mean that I am fond of his politics, I may or not be. And I will tell you want, Bob Hawke was just a thoroughly good bloke.”

While having denied their long-running feud in the past, Laws commented on his often frosty relationship with fellow talkback host, Alan Jones.

Old “sparring partners”, the pair often disagreed on various issues.

“I don’t dislike Alan,” Laws said.

“I’ve never disliked him, he was an annoyance for a while.”

A trip to Italy is on the horizon for Laws when he finishes his final shift next month.

There’s no lunches or farewell parties though.

“I don’t think I am that important,” he said. “There’s nothing organised … I’ve got nothing planned.”

Originally published as Legendary veteran radio host John Laws announces retirement