Billy J. Smith

William John Smith (4 January 1946 – 27 February 2019) was an Australian television and radio presenter.

He is best known for hosting the national locailzed version of British game show It's a Knockout as well as for his rugby league commentary.

Radio

At 4BK, Smith would commentate on rugby league games at Lang Park while on top of a cherry picker on the other side of the boundary fence, in violation of the exclusive rights deal struck between Queensland Rugby League and an opposing radio station. This caused friction between Smith and the QRL's Ron McAuliffe, a dispute which would resurface during preliminary discussions about a potential State of Origin series between Queensland and New South Wales.

Television Smith's television career began in the 1960s on TVQ hosting a game show called The Numbers Game. In 1973, he hosted Sportscene on BTQ for five years from 1973.

In the late 1970s, Smith took a break from radio and television and went to work for International Sports Management, owned by Barry Maranta. It was there where Smith helped Maranta instigate a State of Origin series for rugby league after studying an Australian rules football state of origin match in Perth in 1978. It is this role he is arguably most remembered for. A 2011 revival offered "The Billy J. Smith Cup" as its grand prize.

Smith was the host of the first local Queensland edition of The Footy Show which went to air on QTQ on 17 March 1994. Smith was later replaced by Chris Bombolas before the program was later axed in favour of the station taking the Sydney version of The Footy Show.

He didn't regain consciousness and died at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital on 27 February 2019 when his family turned off his life support machine.

His funeral was held on 8 March 2019 at Holy Spirit Church in New Farm, attended by an array of notable sportspeople and media personalities. The theme song from It's a Knockout played at the conclusion of the service.

After his death, he was posthumously inducted into Lang Park's Media Hall of Fame by Queensland sports minister Mick de Brenni.