Friends and family bid farewell to radio icon Doug Mulray in moving ceremony

Following the passing of radio icon Doug Mulray, friends and family have gathered to bid farewell and remember the man known affectionately as “Uncle Doug”.

Following a private ceremony on Tuesday, April 18 in which Mulray’s wife Liz and children James, Rosie, and Tom said their goodbyes, 150 guests gathered at Doltone House in Sydney to share their favourite memories of the radio veteran.

Those in attendance included television producer and comedian Andrew Denton, former media commentator and radio host Mike Carlton, media personality Mikey Robbins, and television presenter and journalist Lisa Wilkinson who delivered a moving tribute to Mulray on social media.

“Throwback to the early 2000’s and my days working with this beautiful man, Doug Mulray – comic genius, Sydney FM breakfast radio icon, host of TV’s Beauty & The Beast, and one of the kindest, most generous, gentle souls I’ve ever been lucky enough to work with,” Wilkinson wrote.

“Today we said our goodbyes. Far too soon. All our thoughts and love are with you Miss Lizzie, James, Tom and Rosie.

“Vale Uncle Doug. And Godspeed. There will truly never be another like you.”

 

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During the ceremony, Denton spoke of Mulray’s “marvellously dangerous warmth” while Mulray’s wife closed proceeding with a moving speech in which she shared how lucky she was to “fit 10 lives into one” alongside her late husband.

While close friends and family continue to mourn Mulray’s loss, the Australian public was left reeling from the passing of the radio identity on Thursday, March 30.

Mulray, or “Uncle Doug” as he was known by his loyal fanbase, passed away at the age of 71 in a Sydney hospital, and although no cause of death has been revealed it is believed he was suffering from poor health for some time.

Born December 1, 1951, Mulray first took to the airwaves at 2AD in Armidale, after completing a broadcasting course.

From there he secured a role with Central Coast station 2GO Gosford and in the 1970s joined 3AW Melbourne with a program called Mulray & The Man where he gained popularity.

In the late 1970s, he took on a permanent position in Sydney with the ABC’s alternative rock station 2JJ, which later became Triple J. Mulray built a considerable fanbase while with the station.

In 1982 he began work with the newly formed Triple M, where he spent the majority of his radio career.

Following his success at Triple M, Mulray worked in the PM drive slot on 2SM alongside Peter Fitzsimmons and Sydney radio station 2WS before hanging up his microphone in 1999.

In addition to his successful career in radio, Mulray enjoyed a degree of fame on Australian television with hosting duties for shows such as the self-titled program Mulray in the early 1990s and Beauty and the Beast for Network Ten in 2002.

In 1992, Mulray hosted the short-lived Australia’s Naughtiest Home Videos which went down in infamy after it was pulled from the air 34 minutes into broadcast after Kerry Packer was appalled by the show’s content.

Mulray was inducted into the Commercial Radio Hall of Fame at the Australian Commercial Radio Awards in 2019.