Brian Hayes, the trailblazing radio presenter whose sharp wit and relentless curiosity helped redefine British broadcasting, has died at the age of 87. The Australian-born broadcaster, who became a household name on both LBC and the BBC, passed away peacefully in his sleep in the early hours of Saturday morning, after several years of declining health. News of his death was announced publicly on December 1, 2025, prompting an outpouring of tributes from colleagues, listeners, and the wider broadcasting community.
Born in Perth, Australia, in 1937, Hayes began his career in newspapers and broadcasting before making the move to the UK in the early 1970s. His journey from the newsrooms of Australia to the nerve centers of British radio was marked by a restless drive to do things differently. When Capital Radio launched in 1973, Hayes was there, initially working behind the scenes as a producer. But it wasn’t long before he stepped up to the microphone, ready to shake things up.
It was at LBC, starting in 1976, that Hayes truly made his mark. As the host of the morning interview and phone-in show, he brought a new energy to the airwaves—one that was both conversational and, at times, confrontational. Hayes believed that callers should be treated as “real people with something to say” and that the phone-in should be “like a conversation that matters.” This philosophy was a radical departure from the more passive, “have your say” approach that had dominated UK radio up to that point.
James O’Brien, a current LBC presenter, paid tribute to Hayes on air, telling listeners, “If he didn’t invent the genre of radio that we all attempt to provide you with every day, then he certainly revolutionised it.” O’Brien recalled his first encounter with Hayes in a BBC studio: “I had no idea you could do this kind of thing for a living. I just didn’t know that you could adopt this approach—curiosity and interest in the news.”
Hayes’s style was direct—sometimes blunt—but always rooted in a desire for clarity and understanding. Clive Bull, another LBC presenter, remembered how Hayes “shocked people really by daring to actually ask them difficult questions like, ‘What do you mean?’ and questioning the logic and the facts. And he had great attention to detail. I should say he was not a shock jock. It was very much about analysing people’s arguments and questioning. But that really did revolutionise phone-ins, because before that, it was just, ‘Have your say’.”
Known for not suffering fools gladly, Hayes could be uncompromising with his callers, treating them with the same rigorous scrutiny he would apply to politicians and public figures. His approach forced listeners to explain themselves and defend their views—sometimes to the point of being “argued into a corner,” as he once put it in an interview with The Guardian in 2003. “In my years at the station I interviewed many heroes and villains, including political, trade union and business movers and shakers, the greatest writers, musicians, performers and, of course, the informed, loveable and infuriating Londoners who flooded the phone lines ready to tell the rest of us how the world should be organised. And they were even prepared for me to argue them into a corner. Sometimes there was a lot of heat in my kitchen and I loved it.”
His reputation for sharp questioning and intellectual rigor earned him the nickname “the piranha of the airwaves.” Yet, as TalkTV broadcaster Mark Dolan noted, “Ruthlessly impatient with his callers, he treated them as equals to the prime minister.” Dance DJ Dave Pearce remembered that Hayes’s LBC show “back in the day was must-listen radio.”
Hayes’s influence extended far beyond LBC. In the early 1990s, he took on the role of breakfast show host at BBC Radio 2, albeit for just a year before being replaced by Terry Wogan. He then moved on to present the Sony Award-winning weekly phone-in Hayes Over Britain, and in the 2000s, he could be heard on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Friday night programming as well as on Radio 4’s Not Today, Thank You. Later in his career, he returned to LBC for Sunday night shows, bringing his signature style to new generations of listeners.
Throughout his career, Hayes interviewed an astonishing array of figures, from celebrities like Jack Nicholson and Dustin Hoffman to political leaders such as Margaret Thatcher. His shows were a staple for those seeking robust debate and unfiltered conversation. The satirical magazine Private Eye even took note, lampooning his sometimes combative on-air persona.
The tributes that poured in after his passing reflect the deep respect and affection he inspired. Steve Allen, a former LBC colleague, broke the news of Hayes’s death on social media, writing: “Brian Hayes has passed away, what a legend RIP.” Jonathan Perry, another colleague, shared, “Very sad to hear the news that my friend and former LBC radio colleague Brian Hayes passed away in his sleep in the early hours of Saturday morning. Brian had been battling with increasing frailty for several years now, but up until this year was still able to get out and about with a bit of help and a taxi. RIP Brian.”
Helen Thomas, head of Radio 2, also paid tribute: “We were saddened to hear of the passing of the former Radio 2 presenter Brian Hayes. He was much loved by our listeners. We send our condolences to his family at this sad time.”
For many in the industry, Hayes was more than just a colleague—he was a mentor and an inspiration. BBC Scotland news correspondent Jamie McIvor shared his own memories: “Brian was the presenter of the programme at the time and I saw a lot of him that week. It was incredible to watch him at work up close and learn from him—so supportive, encouraging and kind. An absolute legend and it was a privilege to see him at work. He’s one of the people I credit with my career. Years later, when I started broadcasting professionally I always thought of his encouragement.”
Paul Rowley, a broadcaster and journalist who worked alongside Hayes at both LBC and the BBC, described him as “the best phone-in presenter on British radio.” He added, “Blunt and forthright on air, but knowledgeable, fair and balanced whether talking to Cabinet Ministers or George from Hampstead. Modern day broadcasters take note.”
Brian Hayes leaves behind a legacy that is hard to overstate. He didn’t just host radio shows; he transformed the very nature of public discourse on the airwaves, insisting that every conversation—no matter how heated or mundane—deserved to be taken seriously. For those who tuned in, and for those who followed in his footsteps, the world of radio is richer for his presence, and a little quieter now in his absence.
