In a May 2025 interview with PEOPLE, David Muir talked about the parts of his life viewers rarely see: evenings outdoors in upstate New York with his dog Axel, the childhood interest that led him to journalism, and his bemused response to fans calling him “Daddy.” His answer to the nickname was playful, not a comment about his family or romantic life.
What David Muir said about being called “Daddy”
Muir told PEOPLE that coworkers had been forwarding him TikTok edits and teasing him about fans using the label. He said he would take it as a compliment, then added: “So maybe it’s lost on me, but I guess Daddy’s better than the alternative.” The exchange was a joke about online fan culture; the interview did not present it as a statement about his private relationships or family.
What Muir described doing off camera
Muir said he feels most comfortable outdoors in upstate New York, where the lake and familiar surroundings bring him back to childhood. He described sitting by the dock one evening with Axel, his German short-haired pointer. The dog was watching for a beaver near the boathouse.
Those are personal details Muir shared in this interview, rather than a comprehensive account of his home life. The profile focused on time outdoors and his dog, not on unreported aspects of his private life.
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How David Muir got into journalism
Muir said his interest started when he was a child watching news anchors, including Peter Jennings. At age 12, he began writing to local reporters. Their replies led to internship opportunities, where he carried equipment and rode along with reporters.
He graduated from Ithaca College with a journalism degree, then worked at local television stations in Syracuse and Boston. He joined ABC News in 2003 and became anchor of World News Tonight in September 2014, succeeding Diane Sawyer. Muir described Sawyer as a friend and colleague rather than a mentor, recalling her words: “I’m not your mentor. I’m your friend. I’m your colleague. We’re both reporters.”
What he said about the job and journalism
Muir said he loves the work and the people he interviews. “I love this job. I love the people that I interview and get to meet, and I think that journalism is more important than ever.”
The PEOPLE profile also credited his climate reporting from South Sudan and Madagascar with helping raise a record $9 million in donations for the World Food Program. That is the profile’s reported claim, not an independently audited figure presented in the interview. It also noted that Muir was named to the 2025 TIME100 list.
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Small details from the anchor’s on-air routine
Muir said that below the camera frame, he wears jeans and boots during broadcasts. Before going live, he checks in with floor director Michelle to find out how the day is going. The details offer a glimpse of the practical routine behind a polished studio broadcast.
These comments come from Joelle Goldstein’s PEOPLE interview, published May 30, 2025, after Muir spent Memorial Day weekend in his upstate New York hometown. They describe what he shared at that time, not a verified update on every part of his life today.
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