Derryn Hinch, the former journalist and senator, has died aged 82.
Hinch had reportedly been in poor health since a recent fall.
He was a newspaper reporter before moving into television and radio, perhaps most prominently as a presenter on Melbourne radio station 3AW, which on Friday reported that Hinch died at home overnight.
Hinch was the face of Nine’s Midday Show for 13 years, and hosted multiple current affairs programs, including the eponymous Hinch from 1988 to 1994.
In a statement, 3AW described him as “a titan of Australian broadcasting and a figure inextricably linked to the heartbeat of Melbourne radio”.
“His impact was recognised widely within the industry, culminating in his 2010 induction into the Australian Commercial Radio Hall of Fame,” the station said.
“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.”
One of Hinch’s friends, 3AW host Darren James, told the network on Friday that he was “yet to process” the death.
“He messages me every morning … I didn’t get the messages this morning,” James said.
Outside of his media career, Hinch served as a senator for Victoria in his eponymous Justice party between 2016 and 2019.
He was also well-known for campaigning against paedophiles, and was repeatedly found in contempt for breaching court orders.
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