Veteran TV and radio personality Jeremy Mansfield left an indelible mark on South African radio and for more than a decade was a cultural icon.
Mansfield, who died this morning, was diagnosed with liver cancer in January 2022, after a previous battle with leukaemia.
Doctors confirmed he had stage 4 cancer, and he was put on treatment immediately. However, in August the media personality announced the cancer had progressed to the palliative care stage.
Jeremy was born on August 15 1963 and was 59 when he died.
Born in Makhanda (former Grahamstown) and educated at Kingswood College and then Rhodes University, Jeremy majored in speech, drama and journalism in 1985. He was awarded the AA Vita Award as the most Promising Young South African Actor in the same year.
Mansfield caught the ears and hearts of Mzansi with his shows on Radio 702, Highveld Stereo and Hot 91.9.
His Highveld Stereo breakfast show The Rude Awakening gave him cult-like status in South African radio. Soon he was hosting TV shows, making appearances on sports segments, launching albums and books, and even a cookbook with his ex-wife.
He also presented SABC2's A Word or 2 , M-Net's Front Row and on Supersport. He published the best selling Vrot Jokes book.
In 2010 Mansfield recorded the voice of Lifer the telephone in Toy Story 3 for Disney Pixar.
Amid the fame he was diagnosed with leukaemia. His larger than life personality refused to be dimmed by the disease and his “can do” attitude about his situation saw him go into remission.
As soon as he was well enough, Mansfield went back to his first love and continued with his work on the mic.
In 2017, he announced his political ambitions on social media. While it made sense for his followers who had seen and heard him complain about the state of the country, he also attracted criticism. In 2019, after having kept mum about his plans, Mansfield told Cliff Central he was making himself available to be selected by the DA to run in a ward and possibly be placed in parliament.
Mansfield said the politics stint was a “chapter” in his life through which he could “make people happy” by serving them and making a change.
However, 2020 brought the curveball that was the Covid-19 pandemic and Mansfield never got a chance to fulfil his political ambitions.
In February 2021, Mansfield left Hot 91.9 and had been presenting his Mansfield2day show on YouTube before his death.
Taking to social media to share his diagnosis with friends and fans, Mansfield displayed his characteristic upbeat and defiant nature, commenting on sport and vowing to make the most of life.
He always saw the glass as half-full and was careful not to give up on the thought that he could experience joy even in his final days.
May his soul rest in peace.
Jeremy Mansfield dominated the mic and our hearts
Image: Gallo Images/Foto24/Herman Verwey
Veteran TV and radio personality Jeremy Mansfield left an indelible mark on South African radio and for more than a decade was a cultural icon.
Mansfield, who died this morning, was diagnosed with liver cancer in January 2022, after a previous battle with leukaemia.
Doctors confirmed he had stage 4 cancer, and he was put on treatment immediately. However, in August the media personality announced the cancer had progressed to the palliative care stage.
Jeremy was born on August 15 1963 and was 59 when he died.
Born in Makhanda (former Grahamstown) and educated at Kingswood College and then Rhodes University, Jeremy majored in speech, drama and journalism in 1985. He was awarded the AA Vita Award as the most Promising Young South African Actor in the same year.
Mansfield caught the ears and hearts of Mzansi with his shows on Radio 702, Highveld Stereo and Hot 91.9.
His Highveld Stereo breakfast show The Rude Awakening gave him cult-like status in South African radio. Soon he was hosting TV shows, making appearances on sports segments, launching albums and books, and even a cookbook with his ex-wife.
He also presented SABC2's A Word or 2 , M-Net's Front Row and on Supersport. He published the best selling Vrot Jokes book.
In 2010 Mansfield recorded the voice of Lifer the telephone in Toy Story 3 for Disney Pixar.
Amid the fame he was diagnosed with leukaemia. His larger than life personality refused to be dimmed by the disease and his “can do” attitude about his situation saw him go into remission.
As soon as he was well enough, Mansfield went back to his first love and continued with his work on the mic.
In 2017, he announced his political ambitions on social media. While it made sense for his followers who had seen and heard him complain about the state of the country, he also attracted criticism. In 2019, after having kept mum about his plans, Mansfield told Cliff Central he was making himself available to be selected by the DA to run in a ward and possibly be placed in parliament.
Mansfield said the politics stint was a “chapter” in his life through which he could “make people happy” by serving them and making a change.
However, 2020 brought the curveball that was the Covid-19 pandemic and Mansfield never got a chance to fulfil his political ambitions.
In February 2021, Mansfield left Hot 91.9 and had been presenting his Mansfield2day show on YouTube before his death.
Taking to social media to share his diagnosis with friends and fans, Mansfield displayed his characteristic upbeat and defiant nature, commenting on sport and vowing to make the most of life.
He always saw the glass as half-full and was careful not to give up on the thought that he could experience joy even in his final days.
May his soul rest in peace.
READ MORE:
Radio veteran Jeremy Mansfield has died
Fans heartbroken after Jeremy Mansfield reveals terminal cancer diagnosis
Ceiling collapse interrupts radio jock Jeremy Mansfield’s coffee meeting
Jeremy Mansfield's proposed political plans: I want to fix the wrongs at the SABC
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