An incredible radio talent: RIP Graham Simpson

Radio has lost another industry giant in Graham Simpson, following his death at the age of 69.

As co-host of the Morning show on Melbourne’s 3XY for seven years, Graham was known and loved by a generation of radio listeners as the fictional character Lester Parsons.

Throughout the 1980s, Graham also co-hosted the popular 3XY programs Off The Record and The Infomaniacs alongside Kevin Hillier.

“I was lucky to work for Graham as a contributor to Juke Magazine and with Lester on my 3XY shows,” says Hillier.

“Graham was an incredible editor and writer while Lester was an unbelievable and unpredictable radio talent. Graham was meticulous with fact checking and dotting his i’s and crossing his t’s, not to mention his inbuilt spellcheck and grammar unit. Lester was equally fastidious in his quest for the most shocking, cutting and hilarious observations about the stars of the day. I shared many a bottle of wine and a lifetime of laughs with Graham and his very talented wife Jacqui Johnson. This may be the only time Graham or Lester doesn’t get the last word. Vale.”      

Former 3XY and EON FM presenter Andy McLean remembers “When I arrived to work with Graham Simpson as Lester Parsons, on 3XY mornings in 1986, I had to break years of bad habits installed by previous successful morning show hosts. If he hadn’t pushed the point so hard that ‘I am Lester on air, don’t call me Graham on air,’ maybe I wouldn’t have done it.”

“We shared a similar love for awkward inappropriateness and wrong comedy. We lasted a short while on the radio and maintained a brother like firm friendship ever since, as have our families.”

“Graham Simpson was a very kind man, although he may feign a resistance to compliments, whilst saying ‘What was that you were saying?’”

“We spoke of all matters, always. He was my friend, over those nearly 40 years, laughter was a constant. With love and respect. Vale, Graham Thomas Unwin Simpson.”

As a program writer with radio syndication company MCM Entertainment for 19 years, Graham interviewed international celebrities when they visited Australia.

He also wrote weekly scripts for many of the company’s award-winning syndicated radio programs including My Generation, Take 40 Australia, Planet Rock, The Hot Hits and Australian Rock ‘n Roll: The Early Years.

Graham had many more strings to his bow. He was a sketch writer for the Seven Network’s Fast Forward series and corporate speech writer for Mark Mitchell’s memorable Con the Fruiterer character.

He was the author of best-selling books, including 2003’s The Judith Durham Story – Colours of My Life and script consultant for the state production Georgy Girl – The Seekers Musical.

A husband to Jacqui and father to daughter Mahlia, colleagues remember Graham as a lovely man with a very dry sense of humour.

In a 2009 interview with his former school Caulfield Grammar, Graham fondly said of his MCM days “Every star on tour or with a record to push came and did ‘media’ with MCM, because we could give them an audience of millions across every major radio network in Australia and more often than not I did the interviews.”

“Strange though it may sound, I got to the stage where if I had to interview Jon Bon Jovi or Britney one more time, I’d scream!”

*Main photo: Supplied. L to R: David Sterry, Kevin Hillier, Graham Simpson, Wilbur Wilde and Iva Davies.