3AW star Philip Brady will be farewelled at a funeral in Kew

3AW star Philip Brady will be farewelled in Kew later this month, with some of the biggest names in Australian radio and TV preparing to pay tribute to the beloved broadcaster.

Australian radio and TV legend Phil Brady will be farewelled in Kew on February 27.

Brady’s funeral will be held at the Sacred Heart Church in Cotham Road at 11am.

It was Brady’s wish that attendees wear ‘Philip Brady’ badges and that ladies be encouraged to wear hats.

The service will be streamed via the Tobin Brothers website.

Brady passed away on February 11 after a short battle with cancer. He was diagnosed on December 5 and announced his retirement from radio on February 2. Just nine days later he died, aged 85.

His extraordinary career in entertainment in TV and radio endured unbroken for 67 years.

A special edition of Remember When, the 3AW show Brady presented for almost 35 years, will air on Sunday night celebrating his life with tributes from some of the biggest names in Australia radio and TV. The show has been put together by his longtime co-host Simon Owens and features Derryn Hinch, Daryl Somers, Steve Vizard, Peter Smith, Peter Hitchener, Patti Newton, Mick Molloy, Sam Pang, Eddie McGuire, Barry Crocker, Denise Drysdale, Rex Hunt, Jeff Kennett, Ross Stevenson, Greg Evans, Gavin Wood and Tony Martin among others.

Phil Brady will be farewelled at a funeral in Kew. Picture: David Crosling

John Blackman, Phil Brady, Simon Owens, Peter Smith and Peter Hitchener at Phil Brady's 80th birthday at the Kew RSL on Sunday, June 16, 2019. Picture: Fiona Byrne

Hinch described Brady as a true star.

“Mate nothing enhanced your life more than the way you handled your final days; so dignified, so unselfish, hiding your pain, typically thinking always of your listeners and the people around you,” Hinch said.

“You were, you still are, an Australian showbiz legend. RIP Sunshine.”

Somers paid tribute to Brady, revealing it was through Brady that he first appeared on Channel 9.

“I first met him on St Patrick’s Day 1968. Philip was hosting the gig at the Melbourne Town Hall,” Somers said.

“Our little band that we formed at school, I had just turned 16, we were playing and Philip thought ‘Hey boys, you should do New Faces’. A week later we were on New Faces and we happened to win. That was my first time going to Channel 9 – March 24, 1968 – and I can thank Philip for that because he was caring and he helped many people along his pathway.”

Phil Brady and Bruce Mansfield.

Steve Vizard said Brady was unique.

“The words faith and humility and conviction and steadfastness are not often used when talking about showbiz, but they can properly be used in relation to Philip Brady,” Vizard said.

“His was a life of absolute commitment. He was committed to his friends, to his family, to his profession as an entertainer, to his audiences and he was of course committed to his faith.”

Mick Molloy honoured Brady as one of the giants of TV and radio.

“He was on deck, he was in front of the cameras when they turned them on in this country and his contribution to radio is second to none,” Molloy said.

“Hat’s off to one of the original and the best.”

Mike McColl Jones, Philip Brady, Bert Newton and Pete Smith at Channel 9 . Picture: Supplied

Sam Pang recalled working with Brady and Bruce Mansfield as their 2006 Commonwealth Games correspondent at 3AW.

“It was amazing to work with two people who knew less about the Commonwealth Games than I did; an interesting choice there from 3AW,” Pang said.

“I had a wonderful experience. A talented, kind, generous, beautiful man who … I loved very much.”

Brady’s lifelong friend Patti Newton said she felt a great loss at his passing.

“I went to see him and he was ready,” she said.
“Because we all know that he was a very religious man, he was being called, I think. I hope Bert looks after him up there because they were always good friends. … Philip … you will be very sadly missed.”