The milestone Mitchell thought he’d never meet

Peter Mitchell’s daughter Maisie was born just a few months after he started his role as Channel 7’s weekend newsreader.

Peter Mitchell has a heartwarming reminder of his lengthy TV news career when he thinks of daughter Maisie.

She was born just four months after he started as a newsreader on the Channel 7 weekend news in November 2000 and the pair graced the cover of the Herald Sun.

Now Mitchell is celebrating becoming the longest serving newsreader at the network as Maisie prepares to turn 21.

“It’s been a while since someone said to me — ‘happy 21st’,’’ Mitchell said.

“It’s an interesting milestone, something I never thought I’d get to and to be the longest serving news presenter at Seven is something I’m very proud of.

“I started there in November 2000 and Maisie was born in March so just after the Sydney Olympics they made the change and David Johnston and Anne Fulwood were moved aside and I had the senior position. It’s been a wild ride, no doubt about it, never a dull moment.”

Channel 7 newsreader Peter Mitchell with his daughter Maisie who is almost 21. Picture : Nicki Connolly

Mitchell presented the weekend news on Seven for 12 years before landing the main daily gig.

Born in Frankston, he still resides on the Mornington Peninsula with wife Philippa and the couple have five children and four grandchildren.

Mitchell said he wanted to be a journalist when he started with a cadetship at Channel 9, but the door soon opened to news presenting at rival Seven.

“It wasn’t something I harboured,’’ Mitchell, 61, said.

“I’ve only worked in two newsrooms, it’s quite bizarre, you say that to people that you’ve only had two bosses and been in the business for 44 years now — I pinch myself all the time to think how did this unfold and I just love it.”

Mitchell’s career started with the war on terror and the September 11 attacks, and it is now book-ended by the pandemic which he says is the biggest news story he’s covered.

“It’s the day to day 24/7 news cycle that keeps you interested, it’s always evolving, there’s something breaking all the time,’’ he said.

Maisie was born just a few months after Mitchell started reading the news. Picture: Nicki Connolly

“That adrenaline and things constantly happening. You never expect something like the pandemic to come along which has knocked everything out the way. I became an essential worker and I was getting through road blocks to get to the office because people were hanging on every word.

“If you told me that when I started this would happen you’d never believe it. That’s the business of news, expect the unexpected is what we were told early doors.”

He added: “We’ve been told it is a young person’s business especially for the reporters, they’re the ones who have got to have the energy and have got to be up early and go all day long.

“I take great pride in having to present their work, I just have to put the icing on the cake when presenting stories.”

Mitchell said he’ll toast the milestone in typically understated style.

“I might just have a tipple with my wife and clink our glasses and wait to see what’s around the corner,’’ he said.