Philadelphia's most legendary television anchor Jim Gardner has announced his plans to retire. He's expected to share the news during Wednesday's Action News broadcast at 6 pm.

The station posted the news on its website Wednesday afternoon that he start to dial "will dial back his schedule" with the station as he leads up to retirement at the end of 2022.

The station says that Jim will stop anchoring the 11 pm broadcasts in "early January," with a replacement to be announced soon.

He will continue to anchor the station's 6 pm broadcasts for a period of time as he transitions towards retirement. But the exact date for his final broadcast was not announced.

Gardner has been at the station since 1977.

"It's hard to imagine that I have had the opportunity to spend a professional lifetime with colleagues so committed, resourceful and wonderful," Jim said on Wednesday. "They have taught me so much about television journalism and about myself. I am profoundly grateful."

"For many of us, Jim is the last news voice we hear before ending our day," the station's president and general manager Bernie Prazenica said online today. "Thankfully, we have another year with him during the 6 p.m. newscast, and we look forward to his continued presence and leadership."

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