World’s most durable Radio DJ passes away

Two years after retiring from Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) Radio 3 following a 70-year career, the world’s longest-working presenter “Uncle” Ray Cordeiro has died. He was 98.

He passed away in a hospital on Friday, January 13. No cause of death was given.

Born in Hong Kong in 1924, Uncle Ray devoted his life to the development of radio broadcasting and the local music scene. He hosted his first show “Progressive Jazz” at the former radio station, Rediffusion, in 1949. Ray joined RTHK in 1960 as Head of Light Music.

The audience followed me, grew up with me, and they’re all over the world now,” Cordeiro told The Associated Press in 2021 after his retirement. “They still listened to me on the internet.”

For his contributions to the broadcasting industry, Uncle Ray was awarded with an MBE in 1987, the RTHK Life Time Achievement in Broadcasting Award in 1997, the HKSAR’s Bronze Bauhinia Star in 2008, and was made an Honorary Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in 2012.

He was recognised by Guinness World Records in 2000 as the World’s Most Durable Radio DJ.

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