Page 13: How 3AW’s Neil Mitchell broke golden rule of radio after 35 years

He’s about to hang up his headset after more than three decades on the air but 3AW Mornings host Neil Mitchell just broke the golden rule of radio for the first time.

Neil Mitchell nearly got there without breaking the golden rule of radio.

For 35 years he has strictly adhered to the edict that when the red light is on the microphones are live ... until Friday morning.

The 3AW Mornings host, who is hanging up the microphone at the end of the year, mistakenly walked into the Breakfast Show studio to talk to Russell Howcroft, not realising they were still on air.

“Sorry but the point is, I just need to make this,” Mitchell was heard saying on air to Howcroft.

“Now?” Howcroft said before his co-host Jimmy Bartel added: “We’re on air now.”

Neil Mitchell was left red-faced after barging in on Russell Howcroft while he was on the air. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

An embarrassed Mitchell then realised his mistake, chuckling on his way out the door: “I’m new to this job”.

Later on his own program Mitchell revealed what was behind the uncharacteristic blooper.

“Russell and I have been debating matters of The Voice off air,” Mitchell said. “He texted me during the recipe segment because he can multi-task. I heard them throw to an ad break but they didn’t quite go to an ad.

“I didn’t check the microphone lights, which went on, and I started to tell Russell my views on The Voice so, yes, a stupid mistake.

“It took me 35 years to make a mistake. It’s the only time I have done it in my whole radio career.”