Hirschfeld and Campbell sign off with a laugh

Seven years of reading the nation's news on TV3 ended with a collage of highlights, taking in Carol Hirschfeld's big hair and John Campbell's tendency to shout at the monitor and get the giggles.

There was the flippant - Campbell's fit of the giggles during a segment on statues of Queen's corgis. And the serious - New York after the September 11 attacks, and the end of the Corngate interview, with Campbell thanking Prime Minister Helen Clark for her time and Clark replying with "well, I'm not thanking you".

Then the flowers and wine were rolled out and it was thanks to the viewers from Campbell.

"We want to thank you for watching - yes you, you spunks. We appreciate you had more than one airline to choose from and we thank you for flying with Three."

But they will be back on the same channel an hour later, when Campbell Live begins, to take on Paul Holmes and Susan Wood in the current-affairs game.

It came as a surprise to Campbell to hear that TVNZ head of news and current affairs Bill Ralston had a shortlived show called Ralston Live on TV One in 1999.

Campbell would hope for a bit more longevity than Ralston's effort, which lasted just three months. But he likes the name, nevertheless, he told the Herald this week.

"We were quite keen on Kevin at Seven, but there was no Kevin on the show."

Campbell Live has been a long time coming - it was first discussed in 1998 before Campbell "fell by accident" into news presenting.

And although he at last has his new toy, he is remarkably reticent to talk about it.

"I don't really want it to have a big fanfare. I just want it to suddenly be there."

The show will have a bit more of a Ralston taste than the name.

Just as Ralston was nearly banned from Jim Bolger's press conferences for his irreverent reports on Nightline, Campbell has won his own badges of curmudgeonly honour.

Mr Bolger has called him a "dork" and Helen Clark labelled him a "little creep".

And just like Ralston, who has declared he did not like politicians and would never trust one, Campbell has no intention of giving politicians an easy ride.

He does have strong views on politics, and it is no real secret he quite likes the left.

He admits to "playing quite a bit of television karaoke" in the studio while a news segment is playing.

"I'm in the studio and I yell at the politicians on screen while stories are on."

But he thinks he hides his views well when working.

"Anyway, I'm going to reinvent myself this year. I'm a floating voter for the first time. Anyone is in with a chance, and I thoroughly look forward to being seduced."