Dubai: Dubai radio broadcaster Jason Lumber, 68, passed away on Monday at City Hospital Dubai, after battling pancreatic cancer for ten months.
The Dubai Eye 103.8 broadcaster from Bristol, UK, known as Mr. Voice, most recently presented shows alongside his close friend and colleague Mark Lloyd on Entertainment Today and Now, That’s Entertainment.
Lumber was known to cover all entertainment news to do with music, theatre, film and festivals in Dubai, and has interviewed A-list celebrities including George Clooney, Morgan Freeman, Collin Firth and Kim Kardashian.
Gulf News talked to Lumber’s colleague and best friend Mark Lloyd, who described him as “a kind person, who instantly drew people in”.
“He was my best friend, an incredible person with a warm personality and the ability to make people laugh. He was made for radio,” said Lloyd.
Lumber, who had lived in Dubai for over 20 years, worked in Radio 92 FM for eight years, before continuing to pursue his passion at Dubai Eye for the following 11 years. Before moving to Dubai, Lumber was a nightclub DJ in the UK.
Dubai Eye has released a statement on its website about the loss of one of its veteran broadcasters. “It is with great sadness that the Arabian Radio Network and Dubai Eye 103.8 announce the passing of our great friend and colleague Jason Lumber. Tributes are flowing in from across the UAE and the world for Jason, a veteran broadcaster who graced Dubai’s airwaves for over 20 years. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife and two children.”
With condolences flooding social media channels, the Dubai resident was also remembered by his colleagues, friends and fans on air.
William Mullally, film critic from Dubai eye, tweeted “We lost Jason Lumber last night. He was a wonderful friend, and I’m going to miss him greatly.”
Meanwhile, presenter and colleague Eddie from Virgin Radio Dubai shared his condolences by tweeting, “We lost a great man and a legend at work today, Jason Lumber, you will be missed terribly. I’ll miss the stories you had and the jokes you shared in passing in the hallways.”
Lumber is survived by his wife and two children, who live in Australia.
