Gentleman broadcaster PHILIP'S FINAL BULLETIN

His old-school delivery and expressive eyebrows were the Sherry on top for Kiwi news viewers

During his decades-long reign as “Mr. Credibility” on the airwaves, Philip Sherry was lauded for his calm and authoritative delivery of the television news. But behind the scenes, the respected broadcaster was also loved for his wit that was “as dry as the desert”.

“Not everyone talks about Philip’s humor,” says fellow newsreader Eric Young. “And you knew a good line was coming when he started a sentence with, ‘my dear boy…’”

Philip, who died at his home in Papamoa on July 18, aged 87, became a mainstay of New Zealand broadcasting from the moment he landed his first job as a radio continuity announcer for the New Zealand Broadcasting Service in 1960.

But with the television era about to flourish in Aotearoa, it wasn’t long before he made the jump from radio to the small screen.

Between 1967 and 1990, the born-and-bred Wellingtonian – known for his clipped BBC-style vowels and “spectacular” bushy eyebrows – was a household name, presenting everything from the evening news to the long-running current affairs show Eye Witness.

But even with his television career in full flight, Philip didn’t turn his back on the radio. He was among the start-up crew for National Radio’s Morning Report when it launched in 1975, recalling, “I started work at 5 am for radio and would be reading the television news at 9 pm. It was a longish day, but very disciplined.”