- Doolan, from Sydney, had worked for BBC radsio since September 1982
- He was awarded MBE for services to radio and won a Sony Gold Award
- Doolan was also inducted into Radio Academy's original Hall of Fame
Veteran BBC broadcaster Ed Doolan has died aged 76 following a battle with vascular dementia.
Doolan, from Sydney, had been fighting the devastating illness since his diagnosis in 2012.
He passed away in his sleep at home, in the early hours of Tuesday, with his wife Christine by his side, his agent Paul Vaughan said.
Mr Vaughan, who represented Doolan since January 1978, said: 'We have lost a great champion and a truly skilled and popular broadcaster and newspaper columnist.'
Doolan worked for BBC West Midlands since September 1982 and enjoyed a long career interviewing figures from Nelson Mandela to Spike Milligan.
During his career he presented 9,000 radio shows and interviewed every Prime Minister since Harold Wilson.
He was awarded an MBE for services to radio and was the first local presenter to be inducted into the Radio Academy Hall of Fame, in 2004.
Doolan won a Sony Gold Award and was the first person to be awarded honorary doctorates by the University of Birmingham, the University of Aston and Birmingham City University.
BBC WM 95.6 radio station for Birmingham and the Black Country, posted on Twitter: 'It is with great sadness that we have to announce the passing of our friend and broadcaster Ed Doolan.
'Our thoughts are with his wife Chrissy and his family. Rest in Peace Ed.'
David Jennings, the head of local and regional programmes for BBC West Midlands, described Doolan as a 'broadcasting giant loved by generations of radio listeners in the West Midlands.'
'On his daily show, he was the people's champion - tireless in his pursuit of truth and fairness for all', he added.
'Ed faced dementia with indomitable spirit and bravery, raising awareness of the condition and continuing to broadcast on BBC WM every week.'