James Whale was buried with a volley of arrows over his grave in a ceremony attended by Reform leader Nigel Farage on Monday.
James, who made a name for himself with his irreverent radio banter, died last month aged 74 following a long battle with cancer.
The legendary broadcaster’s career spanned six decades and Farage – dressed in a dark suit and black tie – was accompanied into the service by Lizzie Cundy.
Other celebrities at the sendoff at the beautiful medieval church of St Nicolas in the picturesque Kent village of Sandway near Maidstone included TV host Eammon Holmes, singer Matt Goss and comedian Bobby Davro.
Other mourners included soul legend Leee John from the band Imagination and legendary actor Christopher Biggins with guests invited to honour James following the service at his local pub.
It was said during the service: ‘Remember James in the way he wanted us to, family said. He said “I don’t want a sombre wake, I want an after party”‘.
James Whale was buried with a volley of arrows over his grave in a ceremony attended by Reform leader Nigel Farage on Monday (pictured with Lizzie Cundy)
James, who made a name for himself with his irreverent radio banter, died last month aged 74 following a long battle with cancer (Eamonn Holmes pictured)
The legendary broadcaster’s career spanned six decades and Farage – dressed in a dark suit and black tie – was accompanied into the service by Lizzie Cundy
James’ heartbroken widow Nadine Lamon Brown (L) was helped by relatives to take her seat for the service
The funeral was so well attended outdoor seating with white wooden chairs was provided so mourners could watch proceedings on a live relay.
In his speech, son James Junior said: ‘Dad had a kidney removed when he was first diagnosed and I visited him in hospital, and he only had strength to hold my hand, and I remember that moment like it was yesterday’.
‘Sitting with him as he recovered, I was amazed by his positive energy, and he later devoted himself to charity work. ‘he second time he was diagnosed I drove him up and down to London for appointments and we had only just lost my mother to cancer and here we were facing it again.’
He ended his tribute by saying:’I love you dad, thank you for all the good times. I will kiss you so much.’
His widow Nadine also paid tribute and said:’I first met James seven years ago and although our time together was short it was truly wonderful despite his illness and it is testament to the fact it is possible to find true deep love late in life.
‘We laughed together a lot, cried, shared our hopes and fears and he instantly became my best friend – even though he could be annoying at times.’
‘James was a man who stirred emotions, controversial diplomatic but authentic, he said what he felt. He never made a fuss even towards the end. I am so proud to be us wife.’
She added: ‘James didn’t want a traditional wooden one, we discussed maybe a whicker one and in the end its a woven wool one.’
The funeral was so well attended outdoor seating with white wooden chairs was provided so mourners could watch proceedings on a live relay
The beautiful medieval church of St Nicolas in the picturesque Kent village of Sandway near Maidstone
Matt Goss cut a sombre figure alongside partner Chantal Brown
Then to laughter from the congregation she added:’I hope he isn’t cross with me as it’s environmentally friendly one.’
Nadine added that he would be ‘buried in the suit worn when he collected his MBE, head phones and an arrow’.
Breaking down she closed her tribute saying:’ There will never be a day when I don’t miss him I but look forward to the day when we see each other again.’
Bros singer Matt Goss then sang the Frank Sinatra hit In the Wee Small hours also known as Unforgettable changing the final lyric to add James name.
In his sermon Keith told mourners how his brother had asked him to lead the funeral and burial service for him.
Keith said: ‘You do realise that if you want all that then I will have to give a sermon. To which he replied ‘Well, I won’t be there,’ to laugher from these gathered.
Keith added:’He lived to broadcast , it energised him and when he went on the air , he looked so much better but the days afterwards he was drained.
‘He was so pleased that Talk Radio gave him the opportunity to work up until the end.’
Keith told the congregation that he had left school with just one CSE but despite that his ‘professional impact was enormous’ as he was later awarded an MBE for his work in radio.
Whale’s career included stints at the BBC, LBC and Talk Radio and he also appeared on Celebrity Big Brother and he was first diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2000 and it returned in 2020.
Proceedings were delayed by 15 minutes after musicians were held up in traffic and guests mingled inside the church and outside in the warm sunshine while the hearse carrying the coffin parked nearby.
As his woven wood coffin entered the church covered in pink, white and red roses Bros 1980s hit When Will I be Famous played out while his wife Nadine Lamont Brown followed behind.
Former GOT star James Como gave a reading while George Michael’s ex backing singer Shirley Lewis also performed Hallelujah!.
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 wife Nadine 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.
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 sarcastically adding that now the ‘plug’s been pulled on me’ amid the end of his life.
The 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 (pictured 2023)
Tragically, his cancer returned in 2020 and it was revealed it had also spread to his spine, brain and lungs (pictured 2023)
He credited his wife Nadine with giving him the strength to continue fighting cancer (pictured 2022)
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.
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.
