Derryn Hinch state funeral live updates: Legendary journalist farewelled at The Timber Yard

Key PostsFarewelling Derryn Hinch, a larger than life figureBy Karl QuinnHello and welcome to our rolling coverage of the state funeral of Derryn Hinch.The event will be live-streamed on this blog, and 9Now and broadcast on Nine.For decades, Hinch was one of the biggest names in media in this country, a newspaper man who became a radio man and then a television man. He published books, he fought for the rights of survivors of sexual abuse, he outed paedophiles and went to jail for doing so. He lunched long and hard, he had a liver transplant, he married and divorced a string of beautiful women. He even became a senator.Little wonder he was known, both affectionately and derisively, as The Human Headline.The stage at Derryn Hinch’s state funeral.Eddie JimIn his last months, he was unsentimental about the death he knew was imminent – he had been in serious ill health following a series of falls – but he’d love the fact he is being remembered in such a public way. He’d no doubt love the fact he’s generated one last tranche of headlines as he’s leaving the building forever, too.Latest Posts11.34amWhen HInch met Hunch: Steve Vizard remembers the man he taunted, mercilessly and fondlyBy Karl QuinnThere was a time in the early 1990s when it was hard to know who was more famous: Derryn Hinch, or Steve Vizard’s parody of him, Darren Hunch.In a bad wig and false beard, Vizard trotted out his fuming, fulminating current affairs presenter to great comedic effect on the sketch show Fast Forward (though the character in fact originated a few years earlier on the short-lived show The 11th Hour, where sketches were shot in the afternoon and broadcast that night).Derryn Hinch and Steve Vizard, dressed as his satirical character Hunch. As a target for parody, Hinch told me recently, “He was about as easy as it could be”. All a would-be impersonator needed, said Vizard, was ” a notepad and a pair of ears and a memory. In fact, I don’t even think I did a particularly good impression of him. We just doubled down on what he said, and probably added another 10 per cent.”Even the character’s famous catchphrase, “shame, shame, shame”, was mostly Hinch’s work.11.27amRhonda Burchmore teases tribute songBy Kerrie O'BrienSpeaking on arrival Rhonda Burchmore says she and Hinch go back 46 years, the pair having met in her first show when she performed with Jacki Weaver in They’re playing our song.“That’s when I first met Derryn and he’s remained a dear friend and an incredible support all my life, so it’s very special and very sad,” Burchmore tells this masthead.She says she has chosen something to sing at the service “that I think he might have a bit of a giggle up there at”.Rhonda Burchmore arrives at her friend Derryn Hinch’s state funeral – she says her service song choice would have had Hinch giggling.Eddie JIm11.27amNot quite the Comedy Theatre, but it’s goodbye on Hinch’s terms By Karl QuinnToday’s service is being held at the Timber Yard in Port Melbourne, a large events venue in what was – you guessed it – a timber yard. Not quite the venue he’d wished for himself – four months before his death he told former 3AW colleague Tony Tardio that he wanted his funeral to tale place at the Comedy Theatre – but he’ll get his wish on other elements of his planned service.Derryn Hinch and Ray Martin at the Channel 9 studio in 1994.Barry Chapman/Fairfax MediaAnother radio colleague, Darren James, will be MC. Ray Martin – whom Hinch replaced as host of The Midday Show in 1994 – will deliver a special tribute. And they will, no doubt, play Frank Sinatra singing That’s Life, the song and catchphrase Hinch made his own by sheer force of will (and repetition).There will no doubt be plenty of political and media industry figures, as well as a wide circle of friends, family and the general public in attendance today. Farewelling Derryn Hinch, a larger than life figureBy Karl QuinnHello and welcome to our rolling coverage of the state funeral of Derryn Hinch.The event will be live-streamed on this blog, and 9Now and broadcast on Nine.For decades, Hinch was one of the biggest names in media in this country, a newspaper man who became a radio man and then a television man. He published books, he fought for the rights of survivors of sexual abuse, he outed paedophiles and went to jail for doing so. He lunched long and hard, he had a liver transplant, he married and divorced a string of beautiful women. He even became a senator.Little wonder he was known, both affectionately and derisively, as The Human Headline.The stage at Derryn Hinch’s state funeral.Eddie JimIn his last months, he was unsentimental about the death he knew was imminent – he had been in serious ill health following a series of falls – but he’d love the fact he is being remembered in such a public way. He’d no doubt love the fact he’s generated one last tranche of headlines as he’s leaving the building forever, too.1 of 1