Shane Warne state funeral LIVE: Jackson, Simone Callahan, Keith tributes as Who’s Who gather

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Shane Warne’s father has choked up at the state memorial service for his cricket legend son – as stars including Elton John, Kylie Minogue and Hugh Jackman pay tribute to the King of Spin.

A Who’s Who of Australian society from Prime Minister Scott Morrison to former cricket captain Michael Clarke and singer Dannii Minogue joined more than 50,000 fans in saying goodbye to Warne, who died aged 52 on March 4, during a boy’s trip to Thailand.   

Elton John dedicated a recorded version of ‘Don’t Let The Sun Go Down on Me’ to his three children Brooke, 24, Jackson, 22, and Summer, 20, while Kylie Minogue and Hugh Jackman also paid tributes to their friend.  

The kids arrived at the MCG to cheers, closely followed by their mother, Shane’s ex-wife, Simone Callahan, who was dressed in a black suit and pillbox hat.  

Giving the eulogy, Warne’s father Keith said he will remember the spin-bowler for his ‘unconditional love’ and said their family will never be the same without him.

‘Shane said of himself, ‘I smoked, I drank, and I played a little cricket.’ Mate, your mother and I can’t imagine a life without you,’ he said through tears.

‘You have been taken too soon and our hearts are broken. Thank you for all you did for us. And for being such a loving and caring son. Rest in peace, mate. Love you, Mum and Dad.’

Hollywood star Eric Bana provided the first voice for the memorial, looking back at Warne’s famous life, describing the ‘rockstar cricketer’s’ rise to becoming the King of Spin.  

Warne’s father Keith then offered the first euology, thanking officials for organising the event and helping bring his body home, before he revealed the family’s heartbreak at his devastating loss.

‘Our family loss of a loved son, a loving brother to Jason and a devoted father to Brooke, Jackson and Summer. And the world lost a much-loved cricketing legend whose feats on and off the cricket field will go down in history for all time,’ he said through tears.

‘Looking forward to a future without Shane is inconceivable. We do take comfort in knowing that Shane packed more in his life of 52 years, five months and 19 days than most people would in two lifetimes.’

Keith said he was a ‘special person’ who deeply cared for children, particularly sick children, and wanted to help as many as he could through his foundation.    

‘I remember I picked Shane up at Melbourne Airport when he arrived home after an extensive overseas test series. He asked me, ‘What’s been happening, Dad?’ As soon as I mentioned a little boy who had terminal canc had been hanging on, hoping to meet Shane, he had me contact the father and see if it was OK for him to pop in and say hello,’ Keith said.

‘We got the OK and went directly to the boy’s home. Shane stayed until the lad was starting to fall asleep which was a good two hours later. Then I drove Shane home to see his own children. 

‘This is who he was. This summed up Shane’s character as a man who took great responsibility in using his profile and privilege to bring good into the lives of people less fortunate than himself.’    

The heartfelt speech by Shane’s dad reduced many fans to tears, especially whehn the heartbroken dad stumbled himself during the touching eulogy. 

‘Keith Warne farewelling his son broke me,’ tweeted one user. ‘So the first speaker at the Shame Warne Memorial is his dad, and he has me in tears,’ added another.

Aaron Bailey added: ‘What a magnificent speech by Keith Warne. No father should have to bury his son. What immense courage and dignity.’ 

Elton John then performed a pre-recorded performance of ‘Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me’, with Warne’s family and friends overcome by emotion during the song.

The iconic singer dedicated it to Warne’s children, saying he wished he’d been able to perform in person.

 ‘This song is in memory of Shane, probably one of the greatest sportsman ever. One of the most amazing Australian cricketers of all time,’ John said. 

‘It’s a sad day today but it’s not in some ways because his legacy lives on and he will live on through future generations because he was mesmerising, brilliant and loved to play cricket and loved life.

I want to dedicate this song to Brooke, to Summer and Jackson and to all the people that came out today. God bless you, Shane. God bless the family.’  

Warne’s former Fox Sports co-commentator Mark Howard then hosted a Q&A with a series of cricket legends – Alan Border, Mark Taylor, Brian Lara, Nasser Hussain and Merv Hughes.

The group shared stories of Warne’s larrikin nature, cheeky pranks and honest heart, with Hughes saying: ‘as good as he was on the cricket field, he was five times better off it’. 

 Hussein revealed how Warne would torment his English sides with both his bowling and sledging, as they played a famous moment of the King of Spin taking the former England captain’s wicket during an ODI match in the early 2000s.

Howard then asked the participants what they would say to the 52-year-old if he were still there, cracking even the tough Border who spoke through tears of how Warne ‘revitalised’ his career.

Hussain thanked him for being a ‘friend’ and called him the ‘greatest bowler ever’, while Lara said he was always ‘honoured to be in your presence’. 

Chris Martin then performed an acoustic version of Yellow for Warne from a jungle in Central America

‘It’s true, we are going to miss you. Oh, yeah, it’s true. We are going to miss you,’ the Coldplay lead singer said.

Sports stars Greg Norman and Kelly Slater then offered video tributes for Warne from their homes in America, with the golf legend saying he was ‘one of the best human beings I have ever met’.

‘You are a wonderful, wonderful human being. It delivered so much to your friends, your family and to your country,’ Norman said.

Slater revealed him and Warne had become friends playing golf together, saying they’d joke about hair transplants, had fun ‘gulping’ together and described the King of Spin as a ‘classic guy’.

‘Thank you for letting me say a few words and Warnie, we will miss you and love you. You are a good man,’ the 11-time world champion surfer said.       

Dannii Minogue also recorded a video for Warne, saying she would miss his smiling face.

‘You are absolutely Mr Sunshine, you have always been so incredible to my family as so much love to you and your family from all of us and I miss you,’ the Aussie singer said. 

Flying proudly around the MCG were the flags of all the cricket clubs the Spin King played for, from the East Sandringham Junior Club where it all started, to the St Kilda Cricket Club, the Melbourne Stars and Victoria.

At the other end of the hallowed MCG were the international teams he graced with his legendary skill – the Rajasthan Royals, London Spirit, Hampshire and Australia.

Warne’s parents and children shed tears as the memorial started, with host Eddie McGuire introducing Sir Donald Bradman’s granddaughter to sing the national anthem.

 

 

Kellie Carter-Bell had a portrait of Warne tattooed on her leg last week. Standing beside Warne’s statue, the mother of five said Warne had given her strength to leave an abusive relationship.

‘I suffered 23 years of domestic violence and Shane Warne taught me to love myself again,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.

She met the cricketer 17 years ago in a cafe in leafy Kew, when Warne provided her some life changing advice.

‘I had a chat with him and we were friends ever since,’ Ms Carter-Bell said.

‘The charisma of the man. The intelligence and not just to do with cricket. The legacy of him teaching me to love myself has made a difference in 10 lives already.’

Famous faces have started rolling into the MCG, with AFL legends Garry Lyon and Sam Newman, former cricketers David Boon, Andrew Symonds and Chris O’Donnell and music icon Molly Meldrum all in attendance.

Colourful Melbourne figure Mick Gatto, ex-footy stars Nick Riewoldt and Leigh Montagna and ex-cricketer Darren Berry are also in attendance.

Politicians including Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Labor leader Anthony Albanese, former PM John Howard and Victorian Premier Dan Andrews are among the 50,000+ packing the ground.

Melbourne’s pubs began firing up while the sun was still high in tribute to Warne. Iconic pub Young & Jackson was brimming with Warne fans in the general bar from lunchtime.

Many would not make it the short walk along the Yarra River to the MCG to watch the memorial in person.

‘We’ll be having a beer for the great man right here,’ one punter told Daily Mail Australia. 

Entering the MCG, AFL great Garry Lyon said the atmosphere entering the ground had a completely different feeling.

‘Given what we’ve been through for two years, of course we’d much rather be doing it under different circumstances, but if this was happening a year ago we wouldn’t of had the opportunity. So it’s great and people are here for the right reasons,’ he said.

Lyon said it was fitting the memorial was held under the freshly named Shane Warne stand.

‘It’s just another standing ovation for Warney,’ Lyon said. 

A stone’s throw away, at popular MCG meeting point under Flinders Street Station, Clocks was offering $5 beers to Warney fans.

Further up Flinders Street, closer to the hallowed ground where Warne will be honoured, the Duke of Wellington was equally brimming with those sharing a beer and yarn about the great man.

Dressed in a $620 Nicola Finetti dress, Versace shoes and a Bulgari handbag, reality star Arabella Del Busso was spotted entering the pub for drinks honouring Warne.

‘He was a good friend of mine,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.

‘I knew him for at least six years. We met through the boxing world, Jeff Fenech and those boys. He was a beautiful man.’

Across the road, outside the MCG, crowds had gathered outside the members section in anticipation of the gates opening.

Streams of people continue to flow into the ground hours before the celebration is expected to commence. 

Jackson was spotted outside the family’s Melbourne home earlier in the afternoon with vodka cruisers and -196 Suntori lemon and vodka mixers ahead of the 7pm service.

The 22-year-old was dressed in ACB cricket shorts from the early 2000s, possibly belonging to his late father. 

Jackson said there was ‘no better place in the whole world’ to say goodbye to his father than the place where the King of Spin took his 700th test wicket. 

‘It’s very special for a lot of us, especially our family,’ he said.

‘We’ve been lucky enough to come here (to the MCG) our whole lives and watch him play and put lots of hard work in on this very ground.

‘Dad always loved a crowd, putting on a performance … I think, sad day as it is, with more people here it won’t be as sad.’   

His mother Simone Callahan also made an appearance on Wednesday afternoon, parading the family’s Insta-famous dog, Mason, in front of the cameras as she took out the bins.  

It’s expected Warne’s three children will sit in the newly-named 45,000-seat Shane Warne Stand – replacing the Great Southern Stand. 

Jackson told Jam TV – owned by family friend Eddie McGuire – the MCG is the perfect place to farewell his father because he had so many great moments on the ground. 

‘I think there’s no other better place in the whole world for Melburnians, Victorians, Australians and people from around the world that loved him as a cricketer and a mate – to come and say goodbye,’ he said.

‘He’s got a statue out the front, and to have a grandstand named after him now is just unbelievable.

‘As sad as it is for all of us, to come and sit down at this ground for the rest of our lives and be able to say we’re sitting in Dad’s stand forever is pretty special, and I couldn’t think of a better place around the world to have a send-off for him because this is what he deserves.

‘I think Dad always loved a crowd, he always loved putting on a performance.’ 

Eddie McGuire, who will MC the event as he did Warne’s private funeral, confirmed his immediately family will break their public silence at the event on Wednesday night.

‘The family and children haven’t spoken in public, they will tonight. The outpouring of emotion is going to be quite significant,’ he said.

‘Chris Martin has written a piece called the Eulogy, then there’s Elton and Ed Sheeran. Let’s not kid ourselves, this was the world champion of scallywag.

‘Somebody described it as Glastonbury meets the biggest sports night ever. Warnie sprinkled his gold dust everywhere.’ 

Don Bradman’s granddaughter Greta Bradman has been confirmed as singing the national anthem as the families of Australia’s two greatest ever players come together.

McGuire said the event would be Australia’s biggest broadcast event with star-studded tributes but would remain true to Warne’s character.

‘He was somebody who gave all of himself in so many ways … he was a scallywag,’ McGuire told reporters on Tuesday. 

‘There’ll be tears tomorrow night, there’ll be a lot of laughs as well, and a lot of reminiscing, and that’s what’s going to make this a special night.

Australian test captain Pat Cummins read an emotional poem for his ‘idol’ on Wednesday morning, sharing the words written by journalist Adam Burnett. 

‘He was just a bloke – extraordinary – but fallible and flawed,’ Cummins read.

‘It meant he felt like one of us, made him all the more adored

‘Which is why he’s left us grappling, left the cricket world defeated,

‘From Launceston to the Long Room, we’ve all been left depleted

‘But flip that thought and think instead how enriched we are by Warne,

‘Let’s salute a pure entertainer – the greatest bowler ever born.’   

‘Elton John, Chris Martin, Robbie Williams, and Ed Sheeran will be singing dedicated songs to Shane Warne in his memory.

‘I mean, this is something when you look at it from a concert point of view, that is almost unprecedented here in Australia.’  

McGuire said Warne’s three children Brooke, 24, Jackson and Summer Warne, 20, as well as his father Keith Warne, would all speak his service.  

On Tuesday an additional 15,000 tickets were released for the event, adding to the already 50,000 reserved seats. 

All major free-to-air channels and Foxtel will broadcast the memorial across Australia from 7pm.

India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the United Kingdom will receive a livestream of the event. 

The MCG gates are set to open at 5.30pm and guests must be seated by 6.45pm for a 7pm start. 

It will be an alcohol-free event.