Paul Henry has signed off from his TV3 breakfast show for the last time.
The often polarising host told viewers it was the right time to end his career.
“This week I lost my most important audience member which has probably confirmed to me that this is the perfect time to end my career.”
Sadly, Henry’s beloved mum Olive Hopes passed away on Monday. He returned to screens on Wednesday for his final three days on air.
When asked earlier by viewers what was next for him, Henry said: “I’m calling it quits. I’m semi-retiring with emphasis on the ‘semi’.”
During his last show, Henry was seen off by the entire staff of the show. Between sips of red wine, he spoke about the launch of the show almost two years ago – which was the first of it’s kind in the world, appearing on TV, radio and digital.
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The journalist got choked up as his long time producer Sarah Bristow spoke about their time working together.
“We’ve worked together many, many years and despite all your complaining, it has been a wonderful life,” she sad.
Henry’s co-hosts Ingrid Hipkiss, Jim Kayes and Verity Johnson also fought back tears as he cheekily thanked the important people in their lives.
“The people who stay in our houses and we have sex with, because you have to put up with the fact that we literally get up before Jesus was born every morning.”
Fans were quick to heap praise on the departing newsman.
“People are writing in to say they don’t know what they’re going to do in the future. I’m so pleased about that. We cover serious stuff but at the end of the day we’ve actually living,” Henry said.
“If you can find room to put a smile in the day it’s probably better than actually not.”
