John Bennett hailed as ‘one of greatest broadcasters ever to grace our airwaves’

A final round of applause was given for the life of veteran BBC Northern Ireland presenter John Bennett, described as “one of the greatest broadcasters ever to grace our airwaves”.

Media personalities Ralph McLean, Hugo Duncan, Connor Phillips, Rose Neill and Paul Clark, as well as former broadcaster-turned-UUP MLA Mike Nesbitt, were among those present at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Ballygowan, Co Down, for a thanksgiving service for Bennett’s life.

Born in east Belfast, Bennett worked as a primary school teacher before first joining the BBC in 1965 for a long career presenting music, entertainment, sports and current affairs programmes.

He co-launched BBC Radio Ulster with Gloria Hunniford on New Year’s Eve in 1974, and later became best known as “The President” of the weekend music programme The Sunday Club, which he presented for more than 44 years.

Bennett presented his own weekday morning show on Radio Ulster throughout the 1990s and also presented a range of documentaries and special programmes on BBC Radio Ulster, including two series about railways.

In January 2023, he was made an MBE for services to television and radio broadcasting.

He died last week at the age of 82 following an illness.

Bennett is survived by his daughter Siobhan and son Mark.

His late wife Joan, who he was married to for 53 years, died in 2020.

His long-term colleague Mike Edgar delivered a tribute to Bennett on behalf of his family during the service on Friday.

He said Bennett’s family have been “heartened and uplifted” by all the messages of support they have received over the last week.

Mr Edgar described Bennett as “the patriarch of Radio Ulster” and recalled him broadcasting from Concorde at 35,000ft.

“John was a professional. In fact beyond the very meaning of the word. He also had a great gift at making people feel welcome,” he said.

“John genuinely cared about the people he invited on to the show and his empathy and honesty were always picked up on by the guests.

“The reaction to John leaving us has been incredible but not surprising as he gave us all so much joy and companionship and entertainment.

“John was universally loved, a broadcaster who really knew his audience and really cared about his audience.

“He was an inspiration, a mentor, a friend and companion to many.

“He was a man who could write a brilliant script and also have the most beautiful handwriting I have ever seen.

“He was Northern Ireland’s Terry Wogan of radio, a fact which was recognised with his induction to the Radio Awards Hall of Fame and an MBE for broadcasting from King Charles.

“He was without doubt one of the greatest broadcasters ever to grace our airwaves, the likes of which will be hard to follow.

“Without doubt, he was also a great husband, dad, father-in-law, grandfather, brother and brother-in-law.”

Mr Edgar added: “Our president may have left the building but not our hearts and minds”, before leading what he described as one final round of applause for “one of our most loved entertainers and broadcasters, Mr John Bennett MBE”.