Deborah James's on-air goodbye named radio moment of the year at Aria Awards
James's last appearance on BBC Radio 5 Live was last May, alongside friend and presenter Tony Livesey.
Deborah James's final goodbye on BBC Radio 5 Live has been named the Radio Times Moment of the Year at this year's Aria Awards, which took place on Tuesday 2nd May.
The emotional on-air conversation was the final time James appeared on the radio station shortly before her death last May. In her goodbye, she appeared alongside her friend and BBC presenter Tony Livesey.
The annual UK radio industry's awards honour the rising stars of radio and celebrate the biggest moment of the year, as chosen by the public.
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The 2022 award was won by Adele Roberts, who returned to Radio 1 after receiving treatment for bowel cancer and used her platform to encourage listeners to get themselves checked.
This year's awards had the likes of the Today Programme's coverage of Boris Johnson's resignation, Kate Moss on Desert Island Discs, and Brenda Edwards singing to her late son Jamal on his birthday on BBC Three Counties Radio.
The 2023 moment of the year was named as James's, which saw Livesey refuse to say goodbye to his friend and instead thank her. He added: "And there's a big warm hug if we could all get together."
James then said in the emotional farewell: "I think it goes without saying in reverse but, you know, thank you for all that 5 Live did for me. They, you know, welcomed me, a total and utter stranger five years ago onto the airwaves through our podcast."
James then went on to thank the listeners, saying: "Thank you for coming on this crazy journey with us."
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The You, Me and the Big C podcaster also set up the Bowelbabe cancer research fund but passed away last year aged 40. As of today, her fund has raised more than £11 million for research into the disease.
Ahead of the release of BBC documentary Deborah James: Bowelbabe in Her Own Words, Livesey told Radio Times magazine last month that ending that call was one of the hardest things he had ever had to do.
"I couldn't put the phone down as I knew it would be the last time I would speak to her," he said. "We were like young kids on a date - 'You put it down,' 'No you put it down.'
"In the end she put the phone down. And that was the last time I ever spoke to her."
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Authors
Morgan Cormack is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering everything drama-related on TV and streaming. She previously worked at Stylist as an Entertainment Writer. Alongside her past work in content marketing and as a freelancer, she possesses a BA in English Literature.
