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Broadcaster and saxophonist James Valentine has died three months after retiring from ABC radio, after 25 years of hosting Sydney’s Afternoons program.

Valentine, 64, had been a fixture on the public broadcaster since he joined as host of the Afternoon Show for kids on ABC TV in 1987 after a decade of playing in bands including the Models.

Valentine became a radio presenter in 1999. He held the role for more than two decades, with a brief detour presenting ABC Radio Breakfast in 2022 and 2023.

In 2024 he revealed live on ABC radio that he had oesophageal cancer and was taking time off to undergo surgery, saying he was “equal parts hopeful and terrified”.

He returned after treatment only to leave again last June when new tumours were discovered.

The Valentine family, including wife Joanne and their two children, Ruby and Roy, said the broadcaster made the choice to use voluntary assisted dying.

“James passed peacefully at home surrounded by his family, who adored him,” Valentine’s family said in a statement.

“Throughout his illness, James did it his way, which lasted all the way until the end when he made the choice to do voluntary assisted dying.”

“Both he and his family are grateful he was given the option to go out on his own terms. He was calm, dignified as always and somehow still making us laugh.”

Valentine’s children, Ruby and Roy, spoke with ABC Radio Sydney, paying tribute to their late father.

“Everyone knows he was such a kind man and so generous and compassionate but he was just such a great dad as well… that kindness and compassion came through,” Ruby said. “He was such a great guy.”

“It has been the most beautiful thing listening to all of your wishes out on the balcony all together, listening to the program and just taking it all in,” Roy said.

“But the thing that sticks out for me is that this period has been one of pure joy with him and love.”

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, told ABC Radio Sydney Valentine had been “part of our lives” and recalled shared conversations about music.

“He was such a voice and therefore a figure in Sydney,” Albanese said. “He was someone who was always worth listening to, he was interesting, and he was so full of life, but he had a very difficult recent period.

“We would often, both on air and off air, have a chat about music, indeed. Music can be very uplifting at times like this, we certainly need uplifting.

“I think amongst the sadness today there will be joy as well about a life very well lived.”

The governor-general, Sam Mostyn, told ABC Radio that she had spoken with Valentine “a lot” in recent months and years seeking “advice as to how, in my role, we can bring better conversations [and] about how we bring people together”.

She attended Valentine’s living wake in February and praised his “lightness of touch… bringing that jazz improvisation to big, big topics”.

Mostyn also revealed that just a week ago Valentine was recommended by the Council of the Australian honours to receive an AM, a Member of the Order of Australia award.

“We were able to get the medal struck, engraved with his name … so that it could be presented to James with his family quietly and privately.”

Valentine said in February he had pondered for some time how to tell his audience he was leaving again after he had twice gone on the radio to reveal details of his disease.

“It’s sad news, it’s definitely sad news for me,” Valentine told listeners.

Valentine was beloved for his creativity and offbeat humour. Listeners loved his unique segments including “rant”, “petty crimes”, “this is what I live with” and conversations with comedian HG Nelson.

The ABC managing director, Hugh Marks, said Valentine had been a “trusted companion” for generations of Sydney listeners.

“James brought warmth, wit, and humanity to radio as an exemplar of radio craft,” Marks said.

“His style was never about confrontation or noise – it was always about connection. James turned his patch of the Sydney airwaves into a place of companionship, and his daily presence will be deeply missed by his significant audience, and all of his colleagues at the ABC.”

Former Drive presenter and friend Richard Glover said he could not think of anybody else who “lifted the mood of a city over such a long time as James did”.

“It was a daily effort to get people to concentrate on life, ordinary life, and how important and beautiful it is, and he did that every day for 25 years,” Glover said on Thursday.

“So you end up sitting, listening to radio, thinking, ‘Gee, Sydneysiders are funny and lively and witty and gorgeous.’

“He brought that out in people.”

On social media, former Triple J and ABC Radio Sydney presenter Robbie Buck wrote: “Vale to one of the greatest. The joyous, irrepressible & unbelievably sharp James Valentine has left us. What a wonderful human to have worked with. Thanks for all the laughs James. Godspeed.X.”

Another ex-colleague, Wendy Harmer, wrote: “Lovely, clever man. You will be so missed!”

Radio National host Jonathan Green said: “I never met anyone in radio with James’s sharpness and skill. Curiosity … and listening. You have no idea how few people in broadcasting actually listen. Talking with James was a charged game of ping pong. Loved that man.”

Valentine was a renowned saxophonist who recorded and toured with Joe Camilleri, Kate Ceberano and Wendy Matthews.

He featured on the Models’ two No 1 hits and toured with them across the US and Europe. He was also a member of Jo Jo Zep and Absent Friends.

Valentine performed regularly around Sydney and at music festivals across Australia and was also a movie reviewer on Foxtel’s Showtime and a commentator on commercial TV.

Memorial arrangements and opportunities to honour James will be shared in the coming days.