Hey Hey, It’s Saturday! stars among guests at John Blackman private funeral

Hey Hey, It’s Saturday! star John Blackman has been remembered as a “loving” man with “razor sharp wit” at a private funeral attended by members of the entertainment industry.

Hey Hey, It’s Saturday! star John Blackman has been remembered as a “loving” man with “razor sharp wit” by family and long-time friends.

Blackman, 76, died on June 4 of a suspected heart attack after undergoing surgery amid a long battle with ill health.

Mourners gathered to farewell the television and radio great at a private ceremony on Sunday afternoon.

Among them was a raft of Australian show business luminaries, including actor and comedian Glenn Robbins, actor Rhonda Burchmore, television presenter Eddie McGuire, television industry veteran Pam Barnes and Channel 9 personality Livinia Nixon.

John Blackman’s daughter gave a touching tribute to her father.

Daryl Somers arriving at the funeral to pay his respects. Picture: Ian Currie

John Blackman’s daughter Tiffany (right) said her father was ‘kind’. Picture: Ian Currie

Livinia Nixon had a close friendship with John Blackman. Picture: Ian Currie

Musician and presenter Wilbur Wilde, who worked with Blackman on Hey Hey, It’s Saturday!, led a packed service filled with affectionate laughter over fond memories of the media legend.

Blackman’s daughter, Tiffany Blackman, who has been blind since birth, said her father had been one of her biggest supporters.

“As well as his unique sense of humour, he was also my father with a very kind and incredibly abundant and generous heart who always encouraged me and backed me up,” she said.

He always said how brave I was … and always encouraged me with music.”

For Hey Hey co-star Red Symons and his partner arrive. Picture: Ian Currie

Rhonda Burchmore was also in attendance. Picture: Ian Currie

Hey Hey, It’s Saturday co-creator Daryl Somers said Blackman connected with Aussies around the country through his clever comedy and kind nature.

“John was such a loving and loveable person,” Somers said.

“He had the most razor sharp wit.”

Somers said he was still struggling to come to terms with his friend’s death, revealing that they last spoke on the day before Blackman’s operation.

“We were able to chat, it wasn’t a long chat,” Somers said.

“We didn’t know it was going to be the last time we’d speak together.

“I’m finding all of this still extremely raw.

“It’s hard to believe that he’s not here.

“Now, we need to laugh more than ever.

“John was an optimist and we loved him so much.”

Blackman, whose media career began in radio working across Goulburn, Canberra and Melbourne, had also appeared on popular television shows such as Blankety Blanks, The Paul Hogan Show and Family Feud.

But he was best known for his voice work on the hit variety show Hey Hey, It’s Saturday, which included voicing characters such as Dickie Knee.

Somers fondly recalled how the renowned character was born; after he knocked his knee on a desk inside the studio while filming.

Reflecting on how much fun the pair had while working on the show, Somers said they would often unwind together after hours-long filming sessions in the 1970s and 80s by hitting various pubs and hotels across Melbourne.

Addressing Blackman’s wife Cecile, daughter Tiffany and sister Chrissie, Somers said: “He loved you so much”.

Mourners became emotional when Cecile briefly addressed the service to present Somers with Dickie Knee’s trademark blue cap and long black locks, saying the character could not be buried with her husband because it still had much life left in it.

Blackman’s nephew Stuart Hayley said his uncle, who loved his family, had helped steer him on the right path when he ran into trouble as a teenager.

“He’s been in my life for all my life, all of my memories have my uncle John in them,” Mr Hayley said.

“He was the most amazing family man.”

Close family friend Bob Talbot said footy was a “weekend ritual” for his kind and clever friend “Blackers”, who remained loyal to the Brisbane Lions’ predecessors, Fitzroy.

“He loved people and they loved him back. They gravitate to him because they thought he was just like them,” he said.

“He made comedy look really easy, like it just came … but he worked hard at it.

“He was courageous and an inspiration to all of us.”

In 2007, Blackman suffered a seizure caused by a benign tumour on his brain and in 2017, he underwent a string of major surgeries to reconstruct his lower jaw following the discovery of malignant skin cancer on his chin.

On June 3, he had another procedure done to remove some skin cancer that had returned.

The next day, Blackman became unwell, experiencing chest pains, before passing away at home with Cecile and Tiffany by his side.

Blackman grew up in Syndal in Melbourne’s east and worked as a customs clerk before beginning his wide-ranging media career.