James Whale’s will is revealed after broadcaster’s death aged 74 following cancer battle

James Whale‘s will has been revealed after the Talk TV presenter died at the age of 74 following a battle with kidney cancer. 

His wife Nadine previously confirmed the news on August 4, telling the world he had ‘slipped away very gently’, and had ‘left with a smile on his face’.

It has since been revealed the broadcaster has left nearly all of his £715,00 estate to his much loved wife, also known as ‘Lady Whale’. 

The High Court signed off the TV show host’s estate last week, 25 days after he passed away.  

According to The Sun, the former Big Brother contestant was worth £715,000, which after debts, fees and taxes came to £517,200. 

His children James and Peter, from his first marriage with Melinda Maxted, inherited £75,000 tax-free. 

Mr Whale also asked to be buried in his will, which was signed in April 2024.

The broadcaster was first diagnosed with cancer in 2000, when he had one of his kidneys removed.  

Following this, he founded the charity, Kidney Cancer UK.

James Whale’s will has been revealed after the Talk TV presenter died at the age of 74 following a battle with kidney cancer [pictured in 2023]

The radio presenter passed away on August 4 at the age of 74 following a battle with kidney cancer 

His wife Nadine confirmed the news, saying: ‘James slipped away very gently this morning. It was a beautiful passing and he left with a smile on his face’ (pictured 2022) 

The beloved radio presenter was first diagnosed with cancer in 2000, and doctors predicted he had three months to live before he underwent surgery to remove one of his kidneys. 

The operation proved to be successful and six years later he launched the James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer, to fund research and raise awareness of the disease.

Tragically, his cancer returned in 2020 and it was revealed it had also spread to his spine, brain and lungs. 

 In 2021, James remarried – tying the knot with tax advisor Nadine Lamont Brown in a romantic ceremony at Tenterden Town Hall in Kent. 

He later credited his new wife with giving him the strength to continue fighting cancer. 

Speaking in a joint interview with Nadine, he shared: ‘The reason I wanted to go to Dignitas was because I was thinking of others, not me.

‘I’m not scared of dying. I want to be buried in the churchyard at the top of the hill. It’s a great view.’

But James revealed he was ‘glad’ he didn’t make the decision to go because it has given him ‘two great years’ with his wife Nadine.

In a posthumous column for the Express, written in the weeks before his death, James shared a departing message for his fans as he reflected on his life and cancer battle.

In a posthumous column for the Daily Express, written in the weeks before his death, James shared a departing message for his fans as he reflected on his life and cancer battle (pictured in 2023) 

The broadcaster, speaking from what he called ‘the great radio studio in the sky’, told how he felt it ‘necessary’ to express his final thoughts before his passing, joking that he ‘couldn’t be silenced in life’.

In his bittersweet message, he accepted his fate though admitted he didn’t want to die, going on to share his sorrow that he wouldn’t be able to enjoy once last festive season with his loved ones.

He penned: ‘It’s safe to say though that I won’t be around to celebrate Christmas and, while that makes me sadder than I can say – there have been plenty of tears – it’s the hand I’ve been dealt.’

Touching on the decline of his health, he went on: ‘The past few months have been hard. Up until earlier this year I was able to get to the Talk studios to do my weekly shows with almost no bother.’

James went on to say that while he had been juggling work with his various medical appointments, things eventually began to get more difficult, with the shock jock quipping: ‘It’s worn me out’.

He added that he’s made it this far with not only the help of the NHS, but also his wife of four years Nadine and his loved ones, while also noting that his interactions with listeners and readers have ‘kept me going’.

In his column, James also shared his curiosity about the future of politics including whether Reform UK wins the next general election, whether Keir Starmer will still be in office or if the Ukraine will finally be free from Russian warmongering.

Reflecting on his decades-long career, James said ‘It’s been a total blast. I’ve been lucky enough to work pretty solidly for more than 50 years in an industry I love – entertaining and outraging listeners and readers and viewers in equal measure and, hopefully, cutting through some of the cr*p!’

The opinionated star noted that he’d made a career of ‘cutting people off’, before sardonically adding that now the ‘plug’s been pulled on me’ amid the end of his life [pictured in June] 

James received an MBE for services to broadcasting and charity in April 2024. He began his career with Metro Radio in 1974 where he pioneered the late-night radio phone-in

James rose to fame with his frank style, dry wit and no-nonsense approach on late-night programme The James Whale Radio Show, gaining a legion of loyal listeners (pictured in 1988)

The opinionated star noted that he’d made a career of ‘cutting people off’, before sarcastically adding that now the ‘plug’s been pulled on me’ amid the end of his life.

In his last departing words, James urged his fans to hold their loved ones close before sharing his love of the country as he noted Britain was the ‘best country in the world’.

James’s wife Nadine confirmed the news of his death earlier this month, telling the Express: ‘James slipped away very gently this morning. It was a beautiful passing and he left with a smile on his face.’

James’s Talk TV producer also paid tribute, sharing: ‘My friend James Whale has died, and the world’s a lot quieter without him.

‘He faced the end with courage and wit. Broadcasting has lot a giant. I’ve lost a mate. Au revoir Whaley, I’ll miss you.’

Mere hours before James’s death was announced, the broadcaster’s final column was published in which he revealed he was ‘happy to go now and feels at peace’ after moving into a hospice.

Writing for the Daily Express, James revealed he was in a ‘positive’ headspace as he praised the doctors and nurses at The Heart of Kent Hospice.

In his bittersweet message, he accepted his fate though admitted he didn’t want to die, going on to share his sorrow that he wouldn’t be able to enjoy once last festive season with his loved ones [pictured on his wedding day in 2021] 

He explained: ‘What’s surprised me most is how much better in myself I feel since finally moving into a hospice near my home in Kent a week or so back.

‘I began to feel better immediately. More positive. I feel at peace here, even though I’m not a religious person.

‘I know I’ve reached the end of my life but I’m quite sanguine about it. Despite everything, I’m happy to go now and a lot of that is due to the people who work here, because they make dying as peaceful and pain-free as possible.’

While urging people to ‘take death seriously’, James said it’s important to discuss your wishes with our loved ones before it’s too late or becoming seriously ill.