Longtime 2GB presenter Brian Wilshire has died, aged 81, marking the end of one of commercial radio’s most durable and influential careers.
News of Wilshire’s passing was announced on air on Wednesday afternoon during Afternoons with Michael McLaren, with the host delivering the update to listeners.
“Unfortunately, I’ve got to start today with some very sad news,” McLaren began.
“Yesterday, I learnt of the passing of a man who wasn’t just a great in the world of radio broadcasting. But he was, for many years, a friend and a colleague, and to me he was a mentor.”
Wilshire died after quietly battling an illness, something McLaren revealed had been known to very few.
“I’m ashamed to say I didn’t even know he had been unwell,” McLaren continued. “In fact, I don’t think too many people did.”
Brian Wilshire
A defining voice of night radio
Wilshire joined 2GB in 1979 and went on to dominate Sydney’s night-time airwaves for decades. He hosted the station’s Weeknights program from its earliest years, remaining in the slot for 36 years and retiring just over a decade ago.
During that run, Wilshire was consistently number one rated, an almost unheard-of streak that cemented his status as one of Australian radio’s most reliable performers.
He also spent many years hosting Australia Overnight, taking listeners through the midnight-to-3.30am shift with the calm authority and curiosity that defined his style.
His longevity wasn’t just about ratings. Wilshire helped shape what night radio could be – intimate, experimental and occasionally a little strange.
In 1981, he pioneered the Midnight Matchmaker, a segment that became appointment listening, and later created Instant Drama, a format where callers improvised dramatic scenes live on air.
The concept would eventually evolve into Theatre Sports, influencing performance radio and comedy formats well beyond 2GB.
‘A true broadcaster’
Tributes from colleagues have highlighted both Wilshire’s on-air authority and his off-air humility.
Former 2GB newsreader Joel Labi described Wilshire as “whip-smart, eccentric and a gentle soul,” recalling their early years working together.
“I had the tremendous honour of working with Brian as his newsreader in the early days of my career at 2GB,” Labi said.
“It was a pinch yourself experience for any budding journalist who wants a front row seat to the best in the business.
“Brian was a true broadcaster. Unorthodox, absolutely – he’d open his show by shouting ‘hello folks’ from the back of the studio – but like Stan Zemanek and the other great entertainers, he knew exactly how to captivate an audience.
“Brian’s popularity was unmatched. His ratings dwarfed industry heavyweights, yet you’d struggle to find a more humble man behind the microphone,” Labi said.
From regional radio to Sydney mainstay
Wilshire’s career began in 1969 at 2NZ Inverell, before moves through 2TM Tamworth and 2CA Canberra. In 1974, he relocated to Sydney as a newsreader at 2UE, later stepping into weekend open-line programs while maintaining weekday news duties.
On June 13, 1979, he took over 2GB’s weeknight program from the late John Pearce – a handover that would quietly redefine the station’s night-time identity for a generation of listeners.
Outside the studio, Wilshire’s interests ranged widely. He played drums in the band Stringybark, loved travel, skiing, car racing, writing (publishing four books), and time with family and pets.