Johnny Young, the singer-songwriter and television producer best known for creating and hosting Young Talent Time, passed away at age 79 following a brief illness related to pancreatic cancer, according to a statement released by his family on Friday.
Young was born in the Netherlands in 1947 and migrated to Perth during the 1950s. He began his entertainment career as a disc jockey and became a teen idol, hosting pop music programming on Perth television by age 18. Throughout the 1960s, he achieved commercial success as a recording artist with hits including Step Back, described as one of Australia’s biggest-selling singles of that era. During a period in London, Young began composing music and co-wrote The Real Thing and other songs recorded by artist Russell Morris, which achieved chart success in Australia.
In 1971, Young created and began hosting Young Talent Time, a children’s talent competition show he developed after being inspired by The Mickey Mouse Club. The program became highly popular and remained on air until 1989. The show served as a launching platform for several Australian performers, among them Tina Arena, Debra Byrne, and Dannii Minogue. Each episode concluded with Young and cast members performing a rendition of the Beatles’ All My Loving, which became one of his signature songs.
Following the cancellation of Young Talent Time, Young worked as a radio disc jockey. He received induction into the Australian Recording Industry Association Hall of Fame in 2010, with the honor presented by former cast member Tina Arena. A brief revival of Young Talent Time occurred in 2012, with Young participating as a judge. Young is survived by his wife Marisha, two daughters, a sister, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
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