Ben Fordham denies withholding news of John Laws’ death until announcement on own 2GB show
2GB host Ben Fordham has hit back at claims he and his brother tried to keep the death of John Laws secret, saying he was respecting the wishes of the radio king’s family, while also mourning a mate.
Breakfast radio host Ben Fordham has fired back at claims he and his brother Nick tried to delay announcing the death of Australian radio icon John Laws so it could be revealed exclusively on his 2GB breakfast program.
Laws, 90, died on Sunday morning, and Fordham previously denied any suggestion he attempted to suppress the news to boost his program’s ratings as “horses..t”.
On his breakfast show on Tuesday morning, Fordham addressed the controversy directly.
In an emotional response live on air he said: “What? The greatest broadcaster in the history of Australian radio dies, a man loved by millions around the country, and you’ve got your knickers in a knot about not being able to announce it fast enough?”
He said he was informed of Laws’ death on Sunday but had been asked not to share the news publicly until all of the talkback king’s family members had been notified.
“Otherwise I would have phoned it into 2GB, like I always do,” he said.
“I did it the day before, when Graham Richardson died, but with John Laws, I was asked not to report anything.”
Fordham said after visiting Laws at home a week and a half earlier, Laws’ assistant, Jodee Borgo, had phoned him to pass on a request from Laws himself, that Fordham announce his death when the time came.
“For those who don’t know, the relationship between our families goes back more than 25 years,” Fordham told listeners.
“My dad, John, was Lawsie's only manager, and when my dad died, Lawsie was there for the Fordham family in a big way. He used to say to me, ‘Boy, I miss your dad.’”
Fordham told listeners he would “not betray John or his family’s wishes,” explaining the delay in 2GB reporting his death, was out of respect for them.
“I was focusing on mourning the death of a mate,” he said.
“Quite frankly, I’d lost two of them in 48 hours, Graham Richardson, the first, John Laws, the second, and when one of them makes a request on their deathbed, I’m going to do my best to honour it,” Fordham said.
When rumours of Laws’ passing began spreading across Sydney on Sunday, media outlets sought confirmation from Laws’ agent, Ben’s brother Nick Fordham. But, uncharacteristically, he did not answer any calls including those from The Daily Telegraph.
Kyle Sandilands manager Bruno Bouchet eventually broke the news with a post on X at 5.33pm.
The Telegraph was able to confirm the sad news independently of the Fordhams and published the story in time to make the first edition of the paper.
The Sydney Morning Herald missed it completely.
Nick Fordham eventually sent out confirmation at 8.25pm on Sunday night.
At the time, Ben Fordham said Laws’ manager, Jodee Borgo, had placed a strict embargo on announcing the death until all of his extended family, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren had been informed.
Fordham on Monday told the Daily Telegraph he visited Laws at home 11 days before he died and was subsequently contacted by Borgo who told him: “When the time is right John would like you to announce his death on your show.”
He was not on air on Sunday and said he could not follow his usual practice of calling in with news because of the strict embargo.
“When I have a story I ring in straight away,” he said to the Daily Telegraph.
“As I did only the day before with the news of the death of Graham Richardson.”
Ms Borgo declined to comment.
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Originally published as Ben Fordham denies withholding news of John Laws’ death until announcement on own 2GB show
