Channel Nine presenter Leila McKinnon has shared the sad news of her mother-in-law's passing, paying a moving public tribute to an extraordinary woman whose life was filled with colour and celebrated achievements.
A Life Celebrated in Colour
On Saturday, the 53-year-old television star took to Instagram to honour Ann Gyngell, posting a gallery of intimate family photographs alongside a deeply personal caption. Leila, who is married to former Nine executive David Gyngell, described Ann as fundamentally 'kind, loving and supportive', while acknowledging the limitations of social media in capturing a full life.
'A post seems too small a way to mark the life and death of my mother-in-law, who died this week, but I'd like to share just a few things about her here,' Leila began in her emotional post. She revealed that Ann experienced the world uniquely, perceiving everything in vibrant colour, even assigning specific shades to different days of the week.
An Extraordinary Journey from Singapore to Sydney
This colourful perspective translated into a celebrated career that touched many Australian homes. As an acclaimed interior designer, Ann Gyngell's contributions to the industry were so significant that she was later inducted into the Design Institute of Australia Hall of Fame.
Her remarkable life story began in childhood, facing adversity from a young age. 'As a six-year-old she was evacuated from Singapore during a storm,' Leila shared, detailing how Ann 'survived a risky voyage under Japanese attack' before arriving in Sydney, a city she immediately adored.
Glamour, Art, and Lasting Legacy
Ann's elegance and charm continued into adulthood, where her life intersected with fashion and Hollywood royalty. During a trip to Sydney, the legendary couturier Pierre Balmain was so impressed by her that he invited her to model for him in Paris. She also forged a lasting friendship with Hollywood icon Marlene Dietrich, who famously bathed Leila's husband David when he was just a child in the mid-60s.
In her later years, Ann channelled her creativity into art and community service, working as a volunteer art teacher at the Wayside Chapel. The final images in Leila's Instagram tribute showed Ann embracing her grandchildren with a warm, loving smile.
'To me, she was a kind, loving, supportive mother-in-law, a dear friend, and a wonderful grandmother to my children,' Leila wrote poignantly. 'She will be dearly missed by us all. Vale beautiful Ann.'
Leila married media executive David Gyngell in 2004 in a private ceremony, and the couple have two children together: son Ted and daughter Gwendolen.
