Actress Jacki Weaver has broken her silence to pay an emotional tribute to her former husband Derryn Hinch, at farewelled at a state funeral on Monday.
Hinch – known as the Human Headline – died on Friday, July 10, aged 82.
Weaver, who was Hinch’s third wife between 1983 and 1998, revealed she was still in contact with her ex-husband before his death.
“He texted me the night that he died,” she said via videolink.
With tears in her eyes, the actress said she would love Hinch “forever”.
“Goodbye. I love you, I have loved you from the very start to the very end,” she said through tears.
“Good night, sweet dreams. Good night. I love you.”
The actress, who was unable to attend the funeral due to scheduling issues, read a letter from her son, Dylan.
In the letter, he said he could not recall where the actress met Hinch.
“But I do recall that mum’s first impression of Derryn was, ‘bumptious’,” she said.
“That became a running joke throughout their marriage.”
She said one of the most “humble moments Hinch spent with her son was before his transplant.
“He and I were discussing his drinking and what it had led to. Inspired by the clarity of sobriety, his epiphany to me was simply ‘I was a f**king idiot’,” she said.
An Australian flag was placed over the New Zeealand-born Hinch’s coffin, a bouquet of red roses spilling over the top of the casket.
“To Australians, (Hinch) was a leader, he asked the difficult questions, he was a relentless fighter and he was the voice for those who didn’t have one,” Mr James said.
“To his friends and family, he was extremely kind-hearted. He was funny, he was generous and simply had the best stories and enjoyed life.”
Mr James described the broadcaster as a “top man” who acted as his mentor.
“One of my best mates, my early morning companion every day and one of the greatest gifts I have been given, quite frankly,” he said.
Derryn’s goddaughter Ellie O’Connell, who the broadcaster was “extremely proud of”, performed Advance Australia Fair.
Hinch’s legacy won’t ‘fade’
Labor MP Danny Pearson said Hinch would be remembered for his charity work and being “one of the country’s most recognisable figures and voices”.
“Derryn would always stand up for what he thought was right, no matter what. He was authentic, relentless, direct and compassionate,” he said.
“He never shied away from a fight, and in so doing gave a voice to those who couldn’t speak for themselves.”
Mr Pearson said while the “headlines might fade, but his legacy will not”.
“We will remember his causes, and his courage. And the lesson to never stop trying,” he said.
“Derryn tried, but he did more than that. He challenged us. And he left his mark. His signature sign off was, ‘That’s life.’ His will be remembered.”
“Good, funny, bad, controversial”
Former broadcaster and announcer Craig Willis spoke on behalf of Hinch’s brother, Des.
“My brother had two prized possessions – a kaleidoscope and a crystal radio,” he said.
“But his happiest time was, when atmospheric conditions allowed, he could listen, totally rapt what seemed hours, to Australian radio stations.”
He encouraged attendees to “think of at least one special memory” of the late broadcaster and politician.
“If we could all gather those memories together, they would feel that bedroom – fill bedroom from our youth,” he said.
“You could look at them to a kaleidoscope and with each twist of the tube, you as the observer will see the colourful, constantly changing, multifaceted mosaic that was his life.”
Mr Wilis said in his four-decade friendship with Hinch, the pair “never had a cross word”.
Longstanding Network Ten Melbourne director Dermot O’Brien told the attendees they would all have stories about Hinch.
“Good, funny, bad, controversial,” he said.
“After all, Derryn’s life and career was a very rich and fertile source of outlandish stories and legends. A life crowded with incident.”
He said Hinch was “addicted to three things” in his life: “notoriety via the media, women and alcohol”.
Mr O’Brien said Hinch was a “fierce crusader right through his radio and television career”.
“We all know he hated child sex offenders, he hated the organisations that shielded them, and moved them around to hide them,” he said.
“He did not trust politicians, despite eventually becoming one.”
‘Never be another like him’
3AW colleague Tony Tardio, who completed 79 podcasts with Hinch, said the former broadcaster lived “quite a remarkable life”.
“Forrest Gump had nothing on Derryn Nigel Hinch,” Mr Tardio said, referring to Hinch being at many history-making moments.
“There will never be another like him.”
Mr Tardio recalled Hinch’s long and winding career, interviewing the Dalai Lama, Bob Hope, Sophia Lauren, Walter Cronkite, Jack Lemmon, John Wayne, Alfred Hitchcock and Harrison Ford.
One particular interview with Bette Midler triggered laughter from the audience.
“Derryn always said, the only thing history owes the dead is the truth. Well, here it goes,” Mr Tardio said.
“Derryn and Bette Midler engaged in a bit of horizontal rumba after that interview. And that is the truth.”
He said the broadcaster and politician was a “journalistic James Bond”.
“Drama followed him everywhere,” he said.
“It’s been a life privilege to call you a friend.”
One of Hinch’s former flames, actor and animal activist Lynda Stoner, was one of the early arrivals on Monday morning.
Among other famous mourners was singer and dancer Rhonda Burchmore, talk show host and comedian Steve Vizard, Perfect Match host Greg Evans and singer and 3AW colleague Denis Walter.
Ms Burchmore was dressed in a velvet blazer as she sang They Can’t Take That Away From Me in the former broadcaster’s memory.
“He was an absolute supporter of my career, and the arts,” she said.
“She recalled his love for musical theatre, particularly during their time on stage at the Rocky Horror Show.
“That is one of my very fond memories of Derryn.”
Singer Nikki Nicholls stood beside Hinch’s casket as she performed a rendition of You Are So Beautiful.
‘Nothing subtle about Hinch’
Another former colleague and broadcast personality Ray Martin said Hinch was “more controversial than contrarian”.
“He was born with a megaphone for a voice and his typewriter was just about as loud,” he laughed.
“There was nothing subtle about Hinch, or his endless opinions.
“He was brave and brash, with an ego that could light up a small city. But he was also very likeable, and I liked him a lot.”
Mr Martin recalled Hinch’s tenacity and love for chasing a story.
“Hinch was the best tabloid reporter I ever met,” he said.
“He had a great nose for a story. He wrote quickly, colourfully and well. He was certainly never boring.”
Mr Nartin ordered the room onto their feet as they gave the broadcaster one last standing ovation.
“Let’s give it to Hinch, as we say this last goodbye,” he said.
“Got his wish”
In a post on his Facebook page announcing his death, his executive assistant Annette wrote Hinch “got his wish and passed away in his own bed”.
“To every one of his online friends and followers he loved the interaction and looked forward to every post. As he would say, ‘That’s Life’,” she wrote.
Just two days before his death, Hinch posted a picture of himself as a young reporter.
“Going through my old files, I still think this is my best ever pic as a cocky young Police Rounds reporter on the Sydney Sun,” he posted on July 8.
After a successful career in media – including a three-decade stint on Melbourne station 3AW – Hinch turned his hand to politics.
He formed his own party, the Derryn Hinch Justice Party, and was elected to the Australian senate in 2016, which he held for three years.
Anthony Albanese led the tributes for Hinch, saying he “lived a life rich in colour and free from fear”.
“As an interviewer, investigator and presenter he was much more than ‘the Human Headline’ he had a sense of the deeper story and the courage to cover it, come what may,” the Prime Minister said.
“He held to those same instincts as a Senator and he fought illness with that same bravery.”.