Legendary Australian Radio Presenter Passes Away at 72

Australian radio presenter Ron E Sparks has passed away at the age of 72. The sad news was shared by his former colleagues at WSFM on Saturday, July 13th.

“We are devastated to announce the heartbreaking news of the passing of former WSFM announcer Ron E Sparks,” wrote Amanda Keller and Brendan Jones. Their post included a picture of Sparks in the radio booth.

Amanda Keller wrote a heartfelt tribute to her former colleague and friend, stating, “Heartbroken to hear the news of Ron E’s passing. Always a gentleman, his old-school professionalism was remarkable. He put everything into every ‘back announce’ or ‘forward sell’. Funny, droll, and modest. I admired how he rolled with the whims of the changing tides of radio. He loved his family and my heart goes out to them today.”

Ron E Sparks was born in 1952 and raised in Brisbane, Australia. He later moved to Cammeray, a suburb of Sydney, with his wife and two sons. Interestingly, the “E” in his name does not stand for anything; it was added by a former boss who thought his then-radio name, “Ronnie Sparx,” sounded too immature.

Sparks began his radio career on 2SM in the 1970s, quickly rising to become one of the nation’s most respected broadcasters. He was also a distinguished voiceover artist, having presented shows like Wheel of Fortune and Hot Streak. His unique voice also led him to present a special edition of ABC’s Countdown.

Throughout his illustrious career, Sparks had the opportunity to interview numerous prominent figures, including Muhammad Ali. Fans of the broadcaster shared their memories and expressed their sorrow, remembering him as “the voice of my youth.”

One listener reminisced, “My fondest memory of him was when he had ‘Mona’ the mannequin in his passenger seat so he could drive in the T2 lane.”

Another shared, “I remember being a radio-obsessed teenager catching the train out to Bondi and just hanging in reception and looking through into the studio. Then the door opened and Ron E invited my mate and me into the studio and let us fire off the next song. Years later, I got to work with him at 2DayFM, and he was always so encouraging and fun—a true professional who loved the craft of radio. Thanks for the memories. Vale Ron E.”

Another fan simply described him as, “a lovely quirky man.”

The cause of Ron E Sparks’ death has not been confirmed.