Vale: Roger Cardwell

Adelaide veteran Roger Cardwell, a pioneer of country music television, has died aged 85.

The former television and radio presenter passed away at a nursing home on Saturday morning succumbing to cancer. He had survived two heart attacks. He was diagnosed with blood cancer two months ago and during scans doctors also discovered he had lung cancer.

Cardwell became a household name in a five-decade media career which saw him front news bulletins for all major Adelaide commercial television networks.

In the 60s he was host and performer for Nine’s national show Country and Western Hour and Channel 7’s Country Style. He was inducted into the Australian Country Music Hall of Fame in 1996 as a pioneer of country music television.

The former journalist was also a newsreader for 5AD-FM and 5DN from 1985 to 1998. After his newsreading career, Cardwell was a sought-after voiceover man for radio and TV commercials.

His ex-wife and former Channel 9 weather & Here’s Humphrey presenter, Sue Cardwell, said on Facebook, “We were all blessed to be here in time to say goodbye and to laugh and cry together as we shared our memories as a family.

“We sang and hummed together in harmony in his final hours.”

Source: adelaidenow.com.au