“Brave & brash, but likeable.” Fond farewell for Derryn Hinch

Derryn Hinch has been farewelled in grand style, with a who’s who of high-profile media identities gathering at his state funeral in Port Melbourne today to pay tribute to one of the titans of Australian TV and radio.

Hinch passed away this month at the age of 82.

Fellow broadcasting legend Ray Martin was among those to deliver eulogies, saying Hinch was the best tabloid reporter he’d ever met – describing him as “brave and brash, but likeable.”

Former 3AW newsreader Tony Tardio – who recently interviewed Hinch for his podcast – also paid tribute.

Tardio said Hinch was the reason he got into radio. He recalled working at Prahran Market in the 1980s and how he always made sure he finished cleaning the floors in time to get into his car and listen to Hinch’s radio show.

Hinch’s former wife Jacki Weaver delivered a moving video tribute, whilst ex-TV colleague Dermot O’Brien described Hinch as a shameless optimist and a stirrer.

To close the service, country artist Bob Valentine performed a special rendition of That’s Life, the classic Frank Sinatra song – and Hinch’s well-known sign off.

One-time radio colleague Simon Owens said he always appreciated the self-deprecating humour of the man widely known as The Human Headline.

On social media, Owens said “Derryn.  You were the biggest of them all.  It has been well reported in the media that on his headstone he wants the inscription to read He Tried.”

“Derryn, you succeeded.”

Images: ABC and Facebook.