'Uncle Doug' Mulray: Iconic radio host dead at 71
The radio aficionado, TV presenter and comedian is being fondly remembered by all.
Australia's iconic radio veteran Doug Mulray has died at 71, leaving behind a memorable career.
The Sydney man affectionately known as 'Uncle Doug' passed away on Thursday. He was a pioneer for commercial radio, first touching down on the airwaves in regional NSW and then moving to ABC's Double J in the late 70's. But it was Triple M in the 80's where he gained his cult following and dominated Sydney radio.
In 2019, he was inducted into the Commercial Radio Hall of Fame as part of the Australian Commercial Radio Awards.
Outside of radio, he also hosted several TV shows including Beauty and the Beast, Star Struck and his very own Doug Mulray Show.
His famous stint as host at Australia's Naughtiest Home Videos is especially remembered after putting on a clip of a boy pulling a kangaroo's testicles, leading to boss Kerry Packer running out on set and firing him. Uncle Doug was just 33 minutes into hosting the new show, and was banned from Channel 9, until being brought back years later.
Friends and fans pay tribute to radio legend
It's unclear how Mulray died however he was reportedly hospitalised last year in December for a chronic illness.
Appearing at a Sydney Triple M reunion just weeks before being hospitalised, Uncle Doug reportedly shared how much of a "joy" it was to work there.
“We were the right thing, at the right time, in the right place, with the right attitude. It was just an astounding thing to be part of. We were blessed to have that thing," he said, according to the Daily Telegraph.
I listen to him every morning in peak hour traffic going to work in the 1980’s & 1990’s. Uncle Doug was amazingly talented and unbelievably funny, had me in fits of laughter that I didn’t want to turn off the car radio. #dougmulray #rip #uncledoug #thankyou pic.twitter.com/KtAPBOZ46D
— Mel Jelfs (@MelJelfs) March 30, 2023
Many have payed tribute to the father of radio online, including media personality Peter Fitzsimons who he worked with, calling his passing "an enormous loss," on Twitter.
#RIp Uncle Doug Mulray dead at the age of 71.
A giant of radio. pic.twitter.com/Ulw09uU1E8— Geoff Field 🎤📻 (@GeoffField) March 30, 2023
"Sad news. RIP Dougie, and deepest condolences to his North Star, "Miss Lizzie," he said, also referring to the man's long term partner, Liz Muir.
"His particular ability was to be wildly hilarious while right on the edge and never blinked. Privileged to co-host with him for a couple of years," Fitzsimons also told the ABC.
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