RNZ newsreader Hewitt Humphrey will present his last-ever news bulletin today.
Hewitt Humphrey Photo: RNZ
Humphrey is retiring after more than half a century in the broadcasting industry.
He read the first news bulletin on Morning Report when the programme started 40 years ago.
His bulletins have covered world-changing events, from the Vietnam War to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States.
They have also been interrupted by the unexpected but Humphrey almost always kept his cool.
When a cleaner began hoovering the radio studio part-way through a sports bulletin, Humphrey continued to read but later told listeners: "Sorry about the noise during the sports news, the studio was suddenly attacked by a vacuum cleaner."
Comedian Spike Milligan, however, managed to rattle Humphrey. Sitting in the studio during a news bulletin, Milligan cried in a faux-distressed voice "Let me out"! Humphrey initially continued reading but then couldn't help himself and laughed.
In his 51 years as a broadcaster, Humphrey said his last role - as RNZ's presentations standards manager - was his favourite.
"I get to meet a lot of the new young reporters who come in from the tertiary institutions and I have to say they are very talented young people, a lot of them. And I'm quite impressed with the standard of speech," he said.
He will read his last bulletin at 6pm and last headlines at 6.30pm today.
* Archival audio supplied by Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
