Longtime Tampa Anchor Gayle Sierens announced that she is going to retire from WFLA in 2015.

This is the third veteran Tampa Anchor to announce their retirement in the past two weeks. 

WTVT's John Wilson announced he would be leaving the TV business after 50 years. Then just a couple of days later, Ann Dwyer also at WTVT said she was leaving the station after 28 years.

Now, the retirement bug has jumped across the street to WFLA and Sierens.

Sierens says that plans to walk away in May 2015 after 38 years with the station. Her last day anchoring the 11 p.m. news will be at the end of this year and her last day of anchoring the 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. news will be Wednesday, May 20, 2015.

“I am so grateful to live out my career in the town where I grew up. Who gets to do that?” says Sierens. “I am truly excited for this next phase of my life. I have worked the night shift for more than three decades. I’m eager to go to bed at a normal time, and have time to travel with my husband and children. I’m even hoping to improve on my golf game, and looking forward to more time to volunteer in our community.”

“Gayle is a Tampa Bay icon and if we had a jersey to retire we would be hanging it in our newsroom,” said Brad Moses, president and general manager of WFLA-TV/News Channel 8. “We're all very happy for her well-earned retirement and we're proud to have worked with her. However, we'll miss her insights, daily news judgment and passion for keeping Tampa Bay viewers informed. We'll rely on her input during this transition and look forward to one more year of strong 8 On Your Side reporting from her.”