One of Channel Nine’s most loved sons, Sydney newsreader Brian Henderson died yesterday morning at 89yo. He was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 and had previously battled through bowel, prostate and skin cancer scares. ‘Hendo’ was at the forefront of Aussie TV via Channel 9 for the second half of the last century. He was the host of popular music show Bandstand from 1958 to 1972, and he was Sydney’s Monday-to-Friday 6pm bulletin newsreader from 1964 until 2002. When he retired, network owner Kerry Packer said “I know we all hoped that Hendo would go on forever. After all, he’s only been with us for 46 years, so why couldn’t he score his half-century?” He was the trusted face of news during that time – so much so that Nine’s ‘Brian told me so’ campaign still rings in the ears of Sydneysiders. Veteran radio figure John Laws said his friend was “the best newsreader this country has ever seen and the best newsreader for my money in the whole wide world”.

Image source: AAP