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Jono Coleman

Jonathan Harry Coleman OAM (born 29 February 1956) was an Australian television presenter, radio announcer, writer, performer of comedy and advertorial spokesperson. He passed away from cancer in 2021.

Jono started his media career in Australia in the late 1970s, but had also worked in his native United Kingdom. Coleman’s broadcasting career started in the late 1970s in Australia when he was chosen a member of the reporting team for the popular afternoon children’s TV magazine show “Simon Townsend’s Wonder World”, created and hosted by journalist Simon Townsend. This was followed by several years as a DJ and presenter on the ABC’s youth radio network Triple J, including a stint as co-host (with Ian Rogerson) on the popular Sunday afternoon comedy program Off The Record, a program that featured the talents of comedy group The J-Team, which included comedians Lance Curtis, Adam Bowen and Angela Webber.

Coleman’s UK radio career began at BBC GLR in 1990, before moving to Virgin Radio in May 1993, presenting the Sunday – Thursday evening show from 7–10pm. In July 1993, he co-presented the breakfast show alongside Russ Williams, where he remained until October 1997, moving to the drivetime show upon Chris Evans’ arrival at the station. Coleman was fired from Virgin Radio in early 1998 and moved to London’s Heart 106.2, presenting the breakfast show. He co-hosted the show with Harriet Scott from mid-2002.

In early 2005, despite his breakfast show contributing to Heart 106.2 becoming the most listened to commercial radio station in London, he was axed, moving to sister station LBC 97.3, where for a short time he took over the weekend mid-morning show from 10 am – 1 pm. On 25 July 2005 Coleman took over the 3–5pm Afternoon show on BBC London 94.9 and from 17 October 2005, he took over the breakfast show from Danny Baker, co-presenting with JoAnne Good. In late 2006, he had left BBC London and the UK to be near his 81-year-old mother Sylvia, in Sydney, Australia.

Since returning to Australia, Coleman hosted the drive time radio slot 4–7pm across Australia on the “Classic Hits’ network (part of Australian Radio Network) and regional stations from 2007 to 2011. The show was initially known as “The Jonathan Coleman Experience”, a show he hosted with “RocKwiz” presenter, Julia Zemiro. Then in 2009, he reunited with Rogerson and presented “The Jono & Dano Show” taking the show to the number 2 drive time slot on FM radio in Sydney and Melbourne.

Coleman also became a regular reporter for Channel Seven’s morning news program Sunrise, for which he had previously appeared presenting entertainment news from London. His regular segment was reviewing movies. He has also presented entertainment news for Mornings with Kerri-Anne on the Nine Network. Coleman appears regularly for many international television crossovers from the United Kingdom for Australian television. Coleman also wrote for Punch magazine titled Coleman’s Bowls, the national newspaper Daily Star, OK Magazine and The Evening Standard.

Coleman has also provided many voice-overs and narrations for many products both in Australia and internationally for companies such as Tooheys, Foster’s, Qantas, the Australian Tourist Commission, and BBC TV, as well as in-flight programs for Qantas, Air New Zealand and Britannia. Jonathan Coleman was also the voice of the award-winning Australian 70s and 80s music radio program “My Generation” from 2004 to 2010, heard on the Australian Radio Network stations Gold 104 (Melbourne), WS-FM (Sydney), 4KQ (Brisbane), Mix 102.3 FM (Adelaide), Mix 106.3 FM (Canberra), and more than 100 other radio stations throughout Australia.

In 2007, he filmed a cameo for long-running Australian soap opera Neighbours, which he was one of the witnesses at Karl and Susan Kennedy’s wedding. Coleman has worked at Network Ten onscreen presenting news and entertainment reports. He also presented advertorials on Network Ten morning TV program Studio 10, and was the voice-over for the program.

He will be sadly missed, and remembered for the myriad of impacts he had on the industry.

Jono Coleman is a Blue Pie Records USA artist. Jono is published by Blue Pie Publishing USA (ASCAP)

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