For Peter Hitchener reading the evening news live to more than a quarter of a million people doesn’t get his pulse racing nearly as much as the prospect of giving it up.

Speaking on Ryman Healthcare’s Pod of the 3^rd Age podcast, the veteran Channel 9 newsreader said transitioning from presenting the weeknight news – a role he held for the past 25 years – to semi-retirement has been a big adjustment.

“I think for anyone who has moved to the third chapter in their life, they’ve probably found it took a little bit of getting used to,” Hitchener told Pod of the 3^rd Age host Jo Stanley.

“I admire people who think ‘that’s it, I’ve had enough, I’m retiring, see ya later’. I’m just a little different, I need to continue to have challenges.”

It’s no wonder Hitchener is “a little different” having started his career at the ABC in 1966 before joining the Nine Network in 1973.

He recalls crossing to Cape Canaveral for the 1969 moon landing, the tragic death of Princess Diana, and working with broadcasting legends Sir Brian Henderson and Sir Eric Pearce.

Peter Hitchener early in his career.

The importance of his role, something which had given him purpose for so long, was most evident during times of distress and uncertainty.

“Something that I feel about the job is being of service to the audience,” he said.

“You get to realise how important what we do is at a time of crisis, if there is a bushfire happening it effects a lot of people or COVID for instance, that was a time you realise people actually appreciated what we were doing, they needed information.”

But reading the news took a toll.

“When you’re talking about some of life’s unhappy stories and confronting stories it has a cumulative effect…” he said.

“Most broadcast organisations now have counselling available, which is sometimes necessary.

“I won’t go through the kind of stories where I have needed it in the past, but I have actually sometimes just needed to talk to somebody.”

The change of pace from the hustle and bustle of Melbourne’s most popular television newsroom to days off during the week enabled a rediscovery of past passions.

“When I first came to Melbourne in the seventies, there was a long-distance running club that was based at Melbourne High School, so we’d meet there at six in the morning and we’d go run round the streets of Melbourne…” he said.

“I’ve just been thinking lately, now it probably isn’t a bad idea if the knees will let me, to actually go back and do a bit of that.”

While semi-retirement had not spurred a total reinvention of the man loved by so many, it had encouraged him to reconsider his “purpose”.

“I’ve been thinking about where to volunteer,” he said.

“I still think it is important to be able to donate your time and do something.”

There was much to look forward to in the next phase of life.

“Being as usual, glass half full-ish, I think, well, things are going to be good and there will be plenty of opportunities along the way,” he said.

“Don’t give up, stay strong, stay resilient.”