Downtown Radio's legendary DJ Candy Devine dies aged 85

Part of the radio station’s launch line-up in 1976, she spent decades on the airwaves in Northern Ireland, becoming one of the province’s best-known voices for generations of people.

She hosted shows on Downtown for almost 40 years, and in 2014 was awarded an MBE for services to broadcasting and the community in Northern Ireland.

Famed for her enjoyment of a busy social life, Candy was also a familiar face from her frequent personal appearances across the province.

Born Faye Guivarra in North Queensland, she was renowned as the first Indigenous star of Australian television before moving to Europe in the late 1960s.

A singer as well as a broadcaster, she hosted a long-running cabaret slot at Belfast’s Talk Of The Town club.

In fact, it was her music career that first brought her to Northern Ireland, when she was booked to perform by promoter Donald McLeod.

The two fell in love, and she moved over from her then base in England to be with him – marrying in 1970, after which they lived in Dublin for five years before heading north.

But after 42 happy years together, Donald sadly passed from cancer in 2012.

In the aftermath, Candy retired from Downtown and decided to return to Australia, where two of her four children already lived.

Tributes flowed in from former colleagues devastated by the news of her death, with veteran former Downtown DJ John Rosborough stating he is ‘so very sorry to hear that Candy Devine has passed away’.

“A wonderful colleague and outstanding broadcaster, she was loved by the local audience and much missed after she returned to Australia to be with her family,” he said.

“To them I send my deep condolences at this saddest of times.”

DJ on u105, Johnny Hero, described her as ‘a great broadcaster, a true professional and a very talented lady’.

“She was a great friend to many of us in the industry and will be greatly missed,” he said. “RIP Can.”

The man who first brought her into broadcasting, Downtown’s original programme controller Don Anderson, said the secret of Candy’s success on the airwaves was her inimitable personality.

“She was first and foremost a performer, a cabaret singer in Belfast - a very good one,” he said.

“Broadcasters need an attractive voice, but personality is what raises some broadcasters above others.

“Candy had a warm, outgoing and vivacious personality, which connected immediately with her audience. Her status as one of the best loved Ulster broadcasters was thus assured.

“As one of the first wave of broadcasters in a self-operated studio, she was also a pioneer. Quite some lady.”

Sky News Ireland correspondent, David Blevins, used to be a Downtown newsreader. He described Candy as ‘a saint of a woman’, adding: “The term ‘dulcet tones’ was invented for her.

"I’ll cherish the memories of the banter we shared when I read the news on her radio show. Safe home sister.”

Downtown content director Stuart Robinson said: “Candy was a great broadcaster and communicator and was an inspiration to many aspiring broadcasters coming up through the radio industry.

“Having grown up listening to Candy, it was a great honour to work with her at Downtown.”