Broadcaster James Whale was buried with a volley of arrows over his grave on Monday in a funeral service at the medieval church of St. Nicolas in Sandway, Kent, attended by friends, family and public figures including Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, television presenter Eamonn Holmes and singer Matt Goss.

The 74-year-old, whose broadcasting career spanned more than six decades, died last month after a long battle with cancer. The service was followed by a reception at his local pub, where mourners were invited to honour his wish for an upbeat farewell.

The funeral was held at the picturesque village church near Maidstone and was so well attended that outdoor seating was provided for a live video relay of the service. Whale's woven wool coffin, covered in pink, white and red roses, entered the church to the strains of Bros' 1980s hit "When Will I Be Famous?" His widow, Nadine Lamont Brown, followed the hearse into the church.

Son James Junior paid tribute in a speech that recounted his father's long fight with cancer. "Dad had a kidney removed when he was first diagnosed and I visited him in hospital, and he only had strength to hold my hand, and I remember that moment like it was yesterday," he said. He described Whale's positive energy as he recovered and later devoted himself to charity work.

Nadine Lamont Brown, whom Whale married in 2021, spoke of the couple's late-found relationship and the support she provided during his illness. "I first met James seven years ago and although our time together was short it was truly wonderful despite his illness," she said, adding that Whale could be "annoying at times" but was also her best friend. She said Whale would be buried wearing the suit he wore to receive his MBE, with headphones and an arrow placed in the coffin.

Singer Matt Goss performed a version of Frank Sinatra's "In the Wee Small Hours," altering the final lyric to include Whale's name, and George Michael’s former backing singer Shirley Lewis performed "Hallelujah." A reading was given by James Como. The service was briefly delayed when musicians were held up in traffic and attendees mingled inside and outside the church while the coffin was parked nearby.

Keith Whale, James's brother, delivered the sermon after being asked by his sibling to lead the service. He recalled James's dedication to broadcasting and said work "energised him" even as his health declined, praising the opportunity Whale had to continue broadcasting at Talk Radio until late in his life.

Whale first underwent surgery to remove a kidney after a 2000 diagnosis, when doctors gave him three months to live. The operation was successful and in 2006 he launched the James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer to raise awareness and fund research. His cancer returned in 2020 and later spread to his spine, brain and lungs.

In the weeks before his death Whale wrote a posthumous column for the Daily Express in which he reflected on his life and illness. Writing from what he called "the great radio studio in the sky," he said he was "happy to go now and feels at peace" after moving into the Heart of Kent Hospice and praised the staff there for making his final days "peaceful and pain-free." He urged readers to discuss their end-of-life wishes with loved ones.

During his career Whale worked for the BBC, LBC and Talk Radio and made television appearances including Celebrity Big Brother. He was appointed an MBE for services to radio. Public figures who attended Monday's service included Lizzie Cundy, comedian Bobby Davro, soul singer Leee John of Imagination and actor Christopher Biggins.

Family members and speakers asked mourners to remember Whale as he would have wanted. "Remember James in the way he wanted us to," the family said during the service, noting his request for a celebration rather than a sombre wake. Whale's broadcaster colleagues and producers have publicly paid tribute to his mixing of entertainment and provocation and to his campaigning work on kidney cancer, which became a significant part of his later life after his initial recovery.

His widow said the relationship they shared in his final years gave both of them strength and comfort. "There will never be a day when I don't miss him," she said, adding that she looked forward to "the day when we see each other again."