Mark Beretta broke down live on-air on Sunrise on Friday during his last day on the breakfast show, after receiving an emotional phone call from an Aussie sporting legend.

The veteran Channel Seven star, 59, became teary-eyed as he told co-hosts Natalie Barr and Matt Shirvington that an Olympian called him up to extend her well wishes.

‘Cathy Freeman just rang, she wanted to say she will miss me! We have shared a lot together, from Atlanta in 1996 when she won the silver medal and when she hugged her mum and told her she would win gold in Sydney,’ Mark began.

His voice then broke with emotion as he reflected on all the amazing times they had shared.

‘She came through with it! That’s really special,’ he said.

Mark was then inundated with well wishes from other Australian celebrities, including Colin Fassnidge, Harry Garside and Ricky Ponting.

Mark Beretta broke down live on-air on Sunrise on Friday during his last day on the breakfast show, after receiving an emotional phone call from an Aussie sporting legend

‘This morning is just blowing my mind! Thank you team. It is unbelievably good,’ an emotional Mark said.

Last month, Mark announced his departure from Sunrise after 30 years at Channel Seven.

The sports reporter appeared emotional as he revealed the news during the program.

‘After 30 years working with the Seven Network and after a lot of long nights and thinking about it, the time is right for me to step away from Sunrise,’ he said.

‘Working in this job and in sport has been my dream; it has given me the most extraordinary experiences and memories I could ever have wished for.

‘I will treasure all the many good times and many friendships. I’m so proud to have been a part of Sunrise, and it is incredibly hard to leave behind my Sunrise family and the show we have all put so much energy into for the last 22 years.

‘If you had told me in February 1995, when I walked through the doors of Seven Melbourne for my first day, that 30 years later I would still be doing the job I love, I wouldn’t have believed you, but I would have punched the air.’

‘It has been an honour, and I have loved every day, every experience working with the amazing group of people,’ he continued.

The veteran Channel Seven star, 59, became teary-eyed as he told co-hosts Natalie Barr and Matt Shirvington that Cathy Freeman (pictured) called him up to extend her well wishes

His voice then broke he reflected on all the amazing times he and Cathy shared

He explained he is stepping away from his role to spend more time with his family.

‘Losing dad to cancer two months ago, and mum now fighting against the disease, has made me see the world a little differently,’ he said.

‘Family time has become even more important. And I want to do more to help the great work of Tour de Cure in finding treatments and cures for cancer.’

Mark said he still has many projects planned for the future.

‘It is a real privilege to have been welcomed into the start of your day and to have connected with so many wonderful people,’ he continued.

‘My passion for sport and sportspeople and telling their stories is never going to fade, so I won’t be far away. There are some big events on the horizon, and I’m absolutely thrilled to be part of it.

‘Best of all, I look forward to catching up with a lot of people and seeing more of this great country. Thank you so much for having me on Sunrise, I have loved it.’

Mark kick-started his journalism career in 1988 when he initially joined Radio 3GL in Geelong, before moving on to Triple M Melbourne as a sports reporter, where he worked alongside Eddie McGuire.

He moved into TV in 1994 when he joined Channel Ten to commentate its National Basketball League coverage, impressing Seven Melbourne executives so much that the network poached him to work as a sports reporter.

During his decades on breakfast TV, Mark has covered 13 Olympic Games for Seven Network, hosting prime-time coverage of the Sydney 2000 Games and Cathy Freeman’s iconic 400m Gold.