"The time's right": Neil Mitchell signs off
After 34 years on the air, 3AW radio veteran Neil Mitchell is signing off.
Neil Mitchell has been a staple of Australian radio for decades, growing a reputation for being fair, decent, honest and sometimes "a bit grumpy".
A Current Affair's Ally Langdon joined the 3AW veteran to reflect on a stellar career that earned him a legion of loyal listeners.
"I've always wanted to be a journalist from about age 14," he told Langdon.
"But not for a moment did I think that I would end up doing something such as I have, editing a newspaper and doing this."
His passion as a radio presenter lies in the "real people" who call in each morning, saying, "You can go from a person laughing and telling you jokes and carrying on to great stories."
"And then a couple of calls later there's somebody in tears that you need to help. It is real people."
"I regularly shed tears on air ... And if we can make a difference, I shed tears again because we've had success."
Over his decades on air, Mitchell clashed with many Aussie politicians, sharing how he took it upon himself to be a spokesperson for everyday Australians.
"They've established a system where they don't have to be accountable," he said.
"And [if] anybody attempts to make them accountable ... they resented it. Accountability is disappearing I'm afraid."
While he is stepping back from his flagship show, he has assured listeners he isn't signing off forever.
"I'll still be here. I'll be doing podcasts and all sorts of things. I'm really looking forward to it. It's going to be an interesting change."
"I'm going to miss it, stepping away. But the time's right."
Image credits: Nine