Ron Casey remembered
HHE was a l legendaryd bbroadcaster d but the controversial star was also a loving father and husband
When Ron Casey did one of his last-ever interviews, he told Woman’s Day he’d be nothing without his beautiful wife of 52 years by his side – and Renate remained his biggest fan until he died in hospital last week at age 89.
“What most people don’t know is that Ron is the most caring man,” Renate said during the interview three years ago at their home on Sydney’s North Shore. “He’s so generous and so kind, and he never expects anything in return.”
After gaining a huge following as a renowned sports reporter on Nine’s Wide World Of Sports with Frank Hyde, Ron became one the most famous talkback radio hosts in Australia in the 1980s and ’90s. And with his heated discussions on air, the feisty father-of-four became known as the “controversy king”.
He famously clashed with host Jana Wendt on A Current Affair over his opposition to Asian immigration to Australia in 1988, before he gained even more notoriety when he came to blows with iconic singer Normie Rowe on The Midday Show in 1991.
TV star Ray Martin Martin, who was the show’s host when the fight broke out live on air, says Ron will be “remembered as a character – a highly opinionated character – but also a professional” and that his passing was an “absolute loss”.
And Normie forgave Ron long ago, telling Woman’s Day they buried the hatchet and rebuilt their friendship, while Ron admitted that he wished “that it hadn’t happened”.
“I think what we need to do is push all those negative things aside and think about the things Ron did that were worthwhile,” Normie said last week.
Ron is survived by Renate, his three daughters and a son.
‘People don’t know that Ron is the most caring man’