The ‘human headline’ Derryn Hinch has died aged 82.
A giant of television and current affairs, Derryn first established himself on 3AW becoming a well known voice and presence in Melbourne.
A statement from the station said:
“Derryn Hinch’s connection to 3AW was both foundational and multifaceted. He arrived at the station in 1979, establishing his reputation as a formidable presence during his eight-year morning program. After a decade of high-profile television and current affairs work, his return to 3AW in 2000 to host Nightline, followed by his move to the Drive program in 2003, cemented his status as a permanent fixture in the Melbourne media landscape.
Throughout his tenure, Hinch was never a broadcaster to stand still. Whether championing a cause, challenging authority, or navigating the intense controversies that occasionally marked his career, Hinch remained steadfast in his commitment to his craft.
His impact was recognised widely within the industry, culminating in his 2010 induction into the Australian Commercial Radio Hall of Fame. Listeners, even those who did not always agree with his stance, held a deep respect for his unwavering dedication and the palpable passion he brought to every issue.
As we reflect on his life, Derryn Hinch’s time at 3AW serves as a testament to the power of talkback radio to provoke, engage, and connect a city. He leaves behind a legacy of uncompromising, compelling broadcasting that fundamentally shaped the station he called home for so many years.”
Born in New Zealand in 1944, Derryn started his media career in print, coming to Australia in 1963 to join The Sun, in Sydney. Working his way up to become a foreign correspondent, he moved to the US with Fairfax and became bureau chief, living in New York for 11 years. In 1976 he returned to Australia to become editor of the Sun.
1978 Derryn shifted to radio on 3XY and the following year to 3AW before turning to TV in 1987. He would work at talk stations across the next decades including 5DN and 3AK before returning to 3AW, on Drive, in 2003.
In 1987, 2011 and 2014 he was imprisoned or placed on house arrest for contempt of court or breaching suppression orders around the identities of alleged paedophiles and sex offenders. In 2016 he became the oldest new person elected to the Senate with his Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party. He served as a senator for three years.
Derryn underwent a liver transplant in 2011. He had been given less than a year to live without it. He was posting on social media up until yesterday.
Longtime friend and colleague Nicky Elliott said of Derryn:
“What I’ll miss about Derryn is that every day he was like a kid in a toy shop. He’d charge out of the gates. He would just charge at the world! New day. New stuff. New knowledge.”
“Just that joy for life. We’ve lost one of the great old school journalists.”
He told Tony Tardio on 3AW earlier this year that his affairs were in order, saying:
“I’ve had a hell of a life. I’ve had an aisle seat on the world for 80 years.”
And as his signature Frank Sinatra tune fills the room at his funeral, Hinch himself will be heard to say “I’m Derryn Hinch. That’s Life. Goodbye.”
Derryn Hinch pictured with his official Senate portrait – from Facebook
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