The Radio Dunedin announcer won the best regional music nonbreakfast host award for the first time in his half-century career.
‘‘I've been a bridesmaid a few times, so it was nice to win. I think they took pity on me,'' he joked on Friday.
Mr Collins started at Radio 4XD as a 16-year-old and within a year was hosting the Saturday-night hit parade for 4ZB.
‘‘I was the youngest broadcaster in the country at the time. Now, I'm one of the oldest,'' he said. ‘‘When I was starting, Buddy Holly and Johnny Cash were just coming out.''
Mr Collins was awarded a Queen's Service Medal in 1990 and made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2009 for his services to broadcasting, local government and the community. He was also presented with a special recognition award by his broadcasting peers in 2009.
The long-serving announcer and Dunedin City councillor said he would be signing off from radio at the end of this year.
Down the corridor at Mediaworks, More FM was also celebrating after winning two New Zealand Radio Awards.
The More FM breakfast team of Damian Newell and Nicky Rennie won the best individual radio promotion award for the ‘‘Damian's World Cup Tattoo'' promotion, and the station also won the outstanding campaign - contribution to the community award.
Radio Dunedin programme director Grant Millman was a finalist in the best programmer of the year category and Classic Hits Dunedin show Callum and P, hosted by Callum Procter and Patrina Roche, was a finalist in the best regional music breakfast-show category.
