‘Lucky Phil’ retiring from Nine

GTV’s longest-serving staff member, Phil Lambert, has announced his retirement from Nine.

Lambert joined GTV just a few months before man first walked on the moon, in July 1969.

During his time at Nine, he worked with some of the biggest names in television, including Graham Kennedy, Bert Newton, Don Lane, Ernie Sigley, Denise Drysdale, Pete Smith, Eddie McGuire, Peter Hitchener and, of course, Daryl Somers.

Lambert spent most of his career in the camera department, but also spent time working in staging and as a floor manager.

On Hey Hey it’s Saturday he became known to a generation of viewers as ‘Lucky Phil’ a nickname borrowed from a Victorian drink-driving campaign, which the show parodied.

Now, after 50 years he will farewell the network with staff drinks next week.