Pretty sad. But you know, 50 years is amazing! All best for hitch

I remember coming to Australia for the first time and first thing I watched was his news. Thanks Pete, you're a legend!

50 years in one job, let alone 50 years with one network (especially in the television industry), 25 of them as our voice behind the news desk is unheard of these days. No matter what you think of mainstream media and mainstream news these days, this man has read a landscape of news that has been etched into Australians' memory. Good on you Hitchy, enjoy the two-day (or night) work week, and all the best!

When "Hitch" was trained, you had to use Cultivated Australian English/Received Pronunciation ("The King's/Queens English") if you wanted a job on radio or TV. Anyone who remembers John Royle or James Dibble knows that they didn't speak in Standard Australian English accents/pronunciation -- let alone Steve Urwin and Paul Hogan type Broad Australian English.

Did anyone notice his accent was more "British" in the early years?