Radio host gets ‘second chance’, replaces Deaker

Staff Writer

After the recent decision by NZ radio legend Murray Deaker to retire after 27 years, the person to take over from him on Newstalk ZB and Radio Sport will be Tony Veitch (right).

Dallas Gurney, GM Talk Programming says,

"Tony's sporting knowledge is incredible; he is well respected as a sports journalist particularly by athletes, players and coaches.

"He will continue to host his Saturday programme which will be called Veitch On Sport and pick up Murray's highly successful Sunday show as well."

Veitch says, "TRN has supported me immensely and I am very excited about this opportunity. It is an honour to follow in Murray Deaker's footsteps, he is a legend."

"I have learnt so much from him and I have nothing but respect for him."

Talking about his replacement, Deaker says, "I wish Tony the best of luck and hope he gets just as much enjoyment and satisfaction out of the programmes as I have."

Veitch has told the NZ Herald that it's a "second chance" for him after it was revealed he had physically abused a partner back in 2006.

"It has been quite a remarkable four or five years for me," says Veitch. "… a lot of people have asked me why I didn't run away, and why I didn't take off to Australia where I grew up."

"My mum used to get really upset. She lives in Australia, and she would ring me quite often and say, 'Tony, I don't think you should stay in the media, it's not good for your mental health', and all of that."

"But at the end of it, it's all I know. So I wouldn't have been able to do anything else, I love it too much … I love sport, I love being a journalist, I love interviewing people."

"I'm absolutely stoked for my family, because they've obviously been through an incredibly rough ride with everything that has happened."

"When I told them about this being confirmed, both my mum and my dad were really emotional about it. I've always wanted to get back, and I couldn't let go of my job."

Talking about the workload and pressure of the gig, he said, "people who know me through the industry will know my biggest asset, probably my stepfather gave it to me, is I have a work ethic that I think nobody else has, in my humble opinion."

"… given the fact that I've had a second chance here, I'm even more realistic about the fact that I have to make every second of this count, which I'm doing.

Read more in the NZ Herald.

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