'Young Talent Time' Creator & Australian Music Legend Johnny Young Dies Aged 79

Mary Varvaris

Australian entertainment icon Johnny Young has passed away aged 79 following a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Johnny Young at a Young Talent Time event in Sydney
Johnny Young at a Young Talent Time event in Sydney(Credit: Eva Rinaldi, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Johnny Young, the creator and host of the beloved talent show Young Talent Time, has passed away. He was 79.

The sad news was confirmed in a statement shared by his family today (14 August), who said he died after a short battle with pancreatic cancer.

“Johnny was the creator, host and producer of the much-loved television show Young Talent Time. He wrote and produced many iconic hit songs including The Real Thing and Smily [sic],” the statement reads, per Nine News.

It continues, “Johnny leaves behind his wife Marisha, sister Cornelia, daughters Anna and Fleur, son Craig (dec.), seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

“The family respectfully asks for privacy during this difficult time. Details of a memorial service will be announced soon.”

With Young Talent Time – which he hosted during its original run from 1971 to 1988 – Johnny Young launched the careers of numerous emerging Australian singers, including Tina Arena and Dannii Minogue. The series had a brief reboot in 2012, with Young again returning as the host.

As The Guardian notes, each episode of Young Talent Time concluded with the host and the cast performing the same closing song: All My Loving by The Beatles, a signature song for Young.

Young was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands, in 1947. His family immigrated to Australia during his early childhood.

In the mid-1960s, Young’s career in the entertainment business found success as the frontman of the Perth pop group Johnny Young & Kompany. He then gained visibility upon hosting the TV series, The Go!! Show and shared the stage with The Rolling Stones and Roy Orbison.

In 1968, Young’s life changed again. Ian “Molly” Meldrum overheard him rehearsing the song, The Real Thing, and insisted that he record a demo for Russell Morris. The track became a huge hit for Morris and kickstarted a songwriting partnership, with Young writing songs for and with Morris, including The Girl That I Love and Part Three into Paper Walls.

After Young Talent Time concluded its original run, Young continued his career on the radio. His contributions to Australian music, entertainment and broadcasting saw him honoured on multiple occasions.

He was inducted into the TV Week Logie Hall of Fame in 1990, followed by the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2010. Young was the first entertainer to be inducted into both institutions.