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Broadcasting legend Sammy Power, who was once dubbed the “Queen of Radio”, has died aged 55.

Friends of the former radio host confirmed to The Courier-Mail she died on Monday. It’s understood she had lost a long-term battle with alcoholism and mental illness.

Radio personality Bianca Dye described Power as a “tortured genius”, while 2GB host Ben Fordham said she was a “radio star and a trailblazer”.

Another friend, who asked not to be named, told The Courier-Mail: “She had a wicked sense of humour, but she got sucked in by all these people who tried to help her, all they were after was her money.

“I think her body just gave out – she was one minute telling people she was sober, but the next was going home and drinking …”

After a 27-year radio career, which included stints on Mix 106.5 in Sydney (now known as KIIS FM) and Triple M Brisbane, Power walked away from the industry because she was “burnt out”.

“I just kept living but I was dead inside,” she told The Courier-Mail about her decision in 2014.

Ms Power was the daughter of newspaper contributor Jan Power, who also founded Queensland’s farmers markets.

When she left radio, Power went to work with her mum and became the chief executive of the farmers markets.

But she longed to return to an on-air position.

“I would love to do media work again,” Power told The Courier-Mail in 2014. “I am a funny person, I am entertaining, I can do it now, I was burnt out before but I am ready now.”

Fans and fellow radio stars around Australia have paid tribute to Power.

“Sammy and I hosted our first breakfast show together on the Gold Coast in 1989,” her former co-host Craig Bruce told news.com.au.

“She wore a hand knitted dress that was a replica of cheese Twisties packet at our first PR shoot. I knew things were going to be interesting from that moment.

“For the next two years I spent more time under the desk in the studio trying to catch my breath from laughing so hard than I did talking into a microphone. She had the most natural comedic skills of anyone I’ve ever worked with in radio.”

ABC Brisbanebreakfast radio host Loretta Ryan tweeted: “Very shocked and saddened to hear about the death of Sammy Power. I can still hear her talking about her cats and her infectious laugh.”

Former radio presenter Spencer Howson tweeted: “First Gary Ord and now Sammy Power. We’ve lost two Brisbane breakfast radio presenters within a week. Stunned.”

Fans also paid tribute to her online, with Lindsay Toledo saying: “She was a funny lady and loved her cats more than humans.

“Not sure what happened to her but I’m so sad and I hope her mum will be strong enough to go through this. RIP amazing lady.”

“She was so vibrant. Had dinner with her years ago. Such a beautiful soul. Rest in peace Sammy x,” Naomi Le Bherz wrote.

Kris Greentree called her an “amazing icon of Brisbane”.

“Sammy is well loved and will be well remembered for her humour and cheekiness. She will be very missed throughout the markets community too,” she said.

Sammy was featured on the cover of Brisbane News in 2017 revealing how she had shed half her body weight, dropping from 120kg to 60kg.

She also said she had no regrets about giving up her “glory days” for life back in Brisbane.

“Mum’s health was kind of failing and I was getting bored with radio anyway,” she said.

“Not only are you getting up at 4am, but it’s a 24-hour, seven days a week thing. You’re always looking for bits. Your whole life is out in the open. You’re not a visible person, but I would just open my mouth and people would know who I was.

“I don’t regret anything in my radio career, but I was on the downhill run and I wasn’t interested. I could do it and I was still funny, but I didn’t enjoy it.”

Power had also appeared on TV shows such as Beauty and the Beast. She famously celebrated her 50th birthday by marrying a cardboard cut out of herself in a lavish ceremony that was attended by Mike Goldman and Darren Lockyer.

“It was wild,” Ms Power told The Daily Telegraph about the wedding. “I handed out trophies to people who have played an important role in my life.

“I had gorgeous men at my table. It wasn’t because I was single and desperate that I married myself, it was about accepting myself and just loving yourself.”

Just a day after marrying herself, Ms Power threw herself a “Divorce Party”, saying at the time, “I could only spend one night with myself”.

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