Australian news anchor Peter Harvey dies

Australian news anchor and award winning journalist Peter Harvey has died aged 68. He worked for the Nine Network on several programmes for almost 40 years.

Nine Network’s CEO David Gyngell in a message to the channel’s staff noted, ‘‘This is the saddest of days for the Nine Network. Peter Harvey – Harves as he is known to everyone – is and will remain an indelible part of Nine.  Like Tony Greig who we also lost so sadly recently, Peter was a huge chunk of the DNA of this place.’’

David, the son of Australian television pioneer Bruce Gyngell, who became a well known executive in the UK working for ATV, TV-am and Yorkshire Television, added: ‘‘It was the mark of the man that Peter insisted on coming to work and fronting the cameras right to the end – always grateful for ours and the literally thousands of well wishes from the public, but actually embarrassed about being the centre of so much ‘fuss’.  As usual thinking little of himself and much more of others, principally his beloved family.’’

Peter began at the Nine Network in 1975 fronting their main news programming as well as appearances on other series such as breakfast programme Today and magazine show 60 Minutes. He began his career in print, first with Sydney based Telegraph newspaper in 1964. Later he relocated to London working for The Guardian and in America with Newsweek magazine.

Harvey had been battling pancreatic cancer since October last year.

He is survived by his wife, two children and a grandson. He died with his family by his side in hospital on March 2nd.

Below is the Nine Network’s report on Harvey’s death:

Peter Harvey, 1944-2013