Jeremy Mansfield was a South African radio and television personality who entertained millions of listeners and viewers with his humour, wit and charisma.
He was also an author, philanthropist and political activist who made a difference in his country and beyond. He passed away in 2022 after a long battle with liver cancer.
Profile
- Full name: Robert Jeremy Clayton Mansfield
- Date of birth: August 15, 1963
- Date of death: October 31, 2022
- Age: 59 years old (time of death)
- Gender: Male
- Place of birth: Grahamstown, Cape Province, South Africa
- Nationality: South African
- Profession: Radio presenter, television presenter, journalist, author
- Height: 1.85 m
- Parents: Peter and Veron Mansfield
- Siblings: None
- Spouse: Cornelia Agnes Schulz (1988-1997), Jacqui Thompson (2003-2019)
- Partner: Karen Corbett (2019-2022)
- Children: Gabriella Mansfield
- Relationship status: N/A
- Net worth: $5 million
Early Life & Education
Jeremy Mansfield, who was 59 years old at the time of his death, was born on August 15, 1963, in Grahamstown, a town in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.
He was the only child of Peter and Veron Mansfield, both teachers. He grew up in a loving, supportive family that encouraged his creativity and curiosity.
He attended Kingswood College, a prestigious boarding school in Grahamstown, where he excelled academically and participated in various extracurricular activities, such as drama, music and sports.
He developed a passion for radio and broadcasting from an early age and often listened to his favourite radio shows and imitated the presenters’ voices. He also enjoyed reading, writing and performing comedy sketches.
After matriculating from Kingswood College, Mansfield enrolled at Rhodes University in Grahamstown to study speech, drama, and journalism.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1985. While at university, he started working for the Durban-based radio station Capital Radio 604, where he gained valuable experience and exposure in the radio industry.
He also won the AA Vita Award as the most promising young South African actor in 1985 for his performance in a play called The Real Inspector Hound.
Personal Life
Jeremy Mansfield had two marriages and one long-term relationship in his life. His first wife was Cornelia Agnes Schulz, whom he married in 1988.
They had a daughter named Gabriella, who was born in 1990. The couple divorced in 1997 but remained on good terms and co-parented their daughter. Mansfield’s second wife was Jacqui Thompson, a former game ranger and author, whom he married in 2003.
They had a lavish wedding at the Kruger National Park, attended by many celebrities and friends. They co-authored two cookbooks, Zhoozsh! and Zhoozsh! Faking It, which were both bestsellers.
They also collaborated on radio and television projects like Laugh Out Loud and Mansfield’s Moneysense. However, their marriage ended in 2019 when Thompson filed for divorce. They did not officially divorce before Mansfield’s death.
Mansfield’s last partner was Karen Corbett, whom he met in 2019. They fell in love and supported each other through Mansfield’s terminal illness.
Corbett was by his side until his last breath. She had two children from a previous relationship, Cameron and Maddi, whom Mansfield adored and treated as his own.
Mansfield and Corbett enjoyed travelling together and spending quality time with their family and friends. Mansfield often posted pictures of them on his social media accounts and called her his “true love” and “beautiful Karen”.
Career
Jeremy Mansfield had a remarkable career that spanned over three decades. He worked on numerous radio stations as a presenter and presented numerous television shows and inserts for popular television magazine programs.
He was known for his distinctive voice, sharp wit, hilarious jokes, creative characters, insightful interviews, and engaging style.
He was also a talented writer who authored several books, mostly in humour. He was a philanthropist who initiated and supported various charitable causes, such as the Christmas Wish List, the Blanket Drive, and the Smile Foundation.
He was a political activist who joined the Democratic Alliance in 2017 and expressed his views on various social and political issues.
Some of the highlights of his career include:
- In 1990, he left Capital Radio and joined M-Net, where he worked as a sports presenter for SuperSport. He also did sport on the John Berks show on 702 Talk Radio, where he became a popular feature.
- In 1993, he became a regular presenter of 702’s Saturday Afternoon magazine program, where he showcased his versatility and charisma.
- In 1995, he took over hosting the afternoon show on 702, where he attracted a large and loyal audience.
- 1997 he moved to 94.7 Highveld Stereo, where he created. He hosted the hugely successful weekday breakfast show, The Rude Awakening, the most commercially successful show in southern Africa at its peak.
He worked with co-hosts Samantha Cowen and Darren “Whackhead” Simpson and entertained millions of listeners with his humour, music, pranks, interviews, and social commentary.
He also released five CDs containing characters he created on-air, humorous stories and songs, which were also bestsellers. He hosted the show for 13 years until he left in 2010.
- In 1998, he started presenting A Word or 2, a word-based game show on SABC 2, which ran for 10 seasons. He also presented several other television shows, such as Laugh Out Loud, a comedy show on M-Net, Toy Story 3, a local release of the Disney movie, where he voiced the character of Lifer, Mansfield’s Moneysense, a finance show on CNBC Africa, and Mansfield2day, a YouTube channel where he shared his opinions and experiences.
- In 2009, he was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and underwent nine months of treatment. He survived the disease and became an advocate for cancer awareness and research.
- In 2017, he announced that he would run for the Democratic Alliance in the 2019 elections after being persuaded by his friend and DA member of the Eastern Cape provincial legislature, Ross Purdon.
He faced much criticism and backlash from some of his fans and the public, who accused him of various things, such as being a wife-beater, a money-grabber, and a sell-out.
He defended himself and his decision and said he wanted to contribute positively to his country.
- In 2018, he returned to radio as the host of Mansfield in the Morning breakfast show on community radio station Hot 91.9 FM. He continued to host the show until his health deteriorated in 2022.
- In 2022, he revealed that his liver cancer was terminal and that he was receiving palliative care. He said he wanted to have as much fun as possible in the time he had left and fulfil his bucket list. He also thanked his fans and friends for their support and kindness.
Net Worth
Jeremy Mansfield had an estimated net worth of $5 million, which he earned from his successful career as a radio and television personality, an author, and a businessman.
He also invested his money wisely and supported various charitable causes.
Death
Jeremy Mansfield died on October 31 2022, at the age of 59, after a long battle with liver cancer. He died peacefully at his home, surrounded by his family and friends and boundless love.
His death was announced on social media by his friend and former colleague, Samantha Cowen. She wrote: “It is with a broken heart that I have to tell you that Jeremy Mansfield passed away this morning.
He was surrounded by his family and friends and boundless love. He fought so hard and for so long. He was brave and funny and kind and generous. I will miss him daily because he was my friend for 25 years. Rest in peace, Jem. You were one of a kind.”
His death was met with an outpouring of grief and tributes from his fans, colleagues, celebrities, politicians, and the public. Many people shared their memories and condolences and celebrated his life and legacy.
Controversy
Jeremy Mansfield was no stranger to controversy, as he often expressed his opinions and jokes on various topics, sometimes offending or upsetting some people. Some of the controversies he was involved in include:
- In 2000, he was rapped by the Broadcasting Complaints Commission for using derogatory language against black women on his radio show. He apologized and said he did not intend to hurt anyone.
- In 2006, he was accused of plagiarism by comedian John Vlismas, who claimed that Mansfield stole his jokes and used them on his radio show and CDs. Mansfield denied the allegations and said he was unaware of Vlismas’ material. He also said he had a team of writers who helped him with his content and that he always gave credit to the sources.
- In 2008, he was sued by former Springbok rugby player James Dalton, who alleged that Mansfield defamed him on his radio show by calling him a “wife-beater” and a “thug”. Mansfield said he was merely reporting on the news and had evidence to support his claims. The case was settled out of court, with Mansfield apologizing and paying an undisclosed amount to Dalton.
- In 2017, he faced a lot of criticism and backlash from some of his fans and the public, who accused him of various things, such as being a wife-beater, a money-grabber, and a sell-out, after he announced that he would run for the Democratic Alliance in the 2019 elections. He defended himself and his decision and said he wanted to contribute positively to his country.
Social Media
Jeremy Mansfield was active on social media and had a large and loyal following. Some of his social media handles were:-
- -Instagram handle: @jeremymansfield
- Twitter handle: @jeremy_mansfield
- YouTube channel: Mansfield2day
Filmography
- • A Word or 2
- • Laugh Out Loud
- • Toy Story 3
- • Mansfield’s Moneysense
- • The Rude Awakening
- • The Rude Awakening: The Sequel
- • The Rude Awakening: The Final Chapter
- • The Rude Awakening: The Reunion
- • The Rude Awakening: The Legacy
Books
- • Jeremy Mansfield’s Vrotter Jokes
- • Jeremy Mansfield’s Vrot Jokes
- • Zhoozsh!
- • Faking It
- • The Rude Awakening: The Best of Jeremy Mansfield
- • The Rude Awakening: The Worst of Jeremy Mansfield
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