Derryn Hinch Revealed the Two Words He Wanted on His Tombstone Before His Death

Australian broadcasting legend and former senator Derryn Hinch had already imagined how his final farewell would unfold.

In an emotional interview recorded just months before his death at the age of 82, Hinch revealed the message he had prepared for his own funeral — and the two simple words he wanted engraved on his tombstone.

A Final Message Recorded in His Own Voice

Hinch sat down with former 3AW presenter Tony Tardio at his Melbourne home for a deeply personal conversation about his extraordinary career, declining health and thoughts about death.

The veteran broadcaster said he hoped his funeral would be held at Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre, with his friend Darren James acting as master of ceremonies.

As mourners watched his coffin leave the service, Hinch wanted Frank Sinatra’s That’s Life to play.

He had also planned to record one final message in his unmistakable voice:

“I’m Derryn Hinch. That’s life. Goodbye.”

For a man who spent decades speaking directly to Australian audiences, it would have been a characteristically bold and carefully planned final sign-off.

The Two Words He Wanted to Leave Behind

When asked whether he feared death, Hinch responded without hesitation.

He said he had experienced an extraordinary life, describing himself as having enjoyed “an aisle seat on the world” for eight decades.

His career placed him close to some of the biggest moments and personalities of the modern era. He met presidents, reported on assassinations and witnessed the period in which humans first walked on the moon.

Hinch also spoke candidly about his personal failings, admitting that he had struggled with money and consumed too much alcohol during his life.

But when asked how he ultimately wanted to be remembered, he did not choose words celebrating fame, power or success.

“There’s only two words I want on my tombstone,” he said.

Those words were:

“He Tried.”

The understated message offered a revealing insight into how Hinch viewed his own life — not as perfect or without controversy, but as one defined by persistence, conviction and a determination to make an impact.

Facing Death With His Trademark Dark Humour

Hinch expressed similar thoughts during what became his final televised interview with A Current Affair reporter Marty King.

Looking out from the balcony of his Melbourne apartment, he joked that it would be an appropriate place for his life to end — sitting peacefully while watching the clouds.

His comments reflected the dark humour and bluntness that had defined much of his public persona.

However, behind the jokes was the reality of increasingly serious health problems.

Hinch revealed that he had fallen around 30 times during the previous year, sometimes even while using his walker.

One particularly serious fall left him trapped on the floor of his apartment for approximately 12 hours. He later discovered that he had broken two ribs and spent three weeks in hospital recovering.

He described feeling completely helpless because he was unable to move properly or reach another room for warmth and assistance.

A Career Defined by Headlines and Controversy

Hinch became one of Australia’s most recognisable media personalities during a career spanning radio, television, journalism and politics.

He worked in talkback radio across Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide and held prominent roles at stations including 3AW.

On television, he appeared on Beauty and the Beast, hosted Nine’s The Midday Show and fronted current affairs programs bearing his own name on both Seven and Ten.

His aggressive interviewing style, outspoken opinions and willingness to challenge authority earned him loyal supporters as well as fierce critics.

Hinch was also repeatedly involved in legal disputes over his campaigns concerning convicted sex offenders.

He served jail time in 1987 after identifying a priest while criminal proceedings were still underway. In later years, he received home detention and another prison sentence after publishing information covered by court suppression orders.

Supporters viewed those decisions as evidence of his commitment to public accountability. Critics argued that he had ignored essential legal protections and risked interfering with the justice system.

From Broadcaster to Federal Senator

At the age of 72, Hinch entered federal politics and successfully won a Victorian Senate seat in 2016.

He became the oldest first-time senator in Australia at that point and used his position to continue campaigning for stronger laws involving serious offenders.

During his three years in the Senate, he supported restrictions preventing some convicted child-sex offenders from travelling overseas and continued pushing for a national public register.

He later established the Derryn Hinch Justice Party, which secured three seats at the 2018 Victorian state election.

The party focused heavily on tougher sentencing and justice reform but was dissolved in 2022 after failing to win representation at that year’s election.

Personal Battles Behind the Public Persona

Hinch’s private life was almost as widely discussed as his professional career.

He was married five times, including to acclaimed Australian actress Jacki Weaver. The pair famously appeared together in the music video for John Farnham’s You’re the Voice.

His later years were marked by serious health challenges, including liver disease, a liver transplant, falls, a brain injury and a cancer diagnosis shortly after his 80th birthday.

His continued drinking following the transplant also led to criticism and public disputes with former colleagues.

Hinch acknowledged many of these contradictions himself. He rarely attempted to present his life as flawless and often spoke openly about his mistakes, excesses and regrets.

Remembered as a Giant of Australian Media

Hinch was inducted into the Australian Media Hall of Fame in 2018, with veteran journalist Ray Martin paying tribute to his determination and influence.

Martin described him as a groundbreaking and relentless journalist who pursued stories with extraordinary ambition.

Following news of Hinch’s death, tributes poured in from across Australia’s media and political communities.

Entertainment reporter Peter Ford remembered him as fearless and provocative, while others reflected on a career that repeatedly challenged public opinion and conventional boundaries.

Born in New Plymouth, New Zealand, Hinch rose to become one of the most recognisable voices in Australian broadcasting.

His life contained success, scandal, courage, contradiction and regret. Yet his preferred epitaph avoided grand claims about any of them.

In the end, Derryn Hinch wanted to be remembered with just two words:

He tried.