On Monday night, almost one million Australians watched the second part Australian Story on former prime minister Bob Hawke, making it the second most popular show of the night.

Even in a non-ratings period, the million viewer mark for a TV show is a golden number. But while ratings come and go, Australia’s love affair with Hawke and his laconic ways continues.

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Now 84, Mr Hawke has been the focus of three primetime TV shows in the past month.

The first part of an Australian Story special on the former PM was watched by 965,000 viewers last week. Monday night’s episode was watched by 995,000 Australians.

Additionally Annabelle Crabb opened her second season of Kitchen Cabinet with a visit to the Sydney home Hawke shares with his wife of 19 years Blanche d’Alpulget, marking another Hawke-related ratings success for ABC TV.

Watch any of these shows and his appeal is instantaneous. He still has a glint in his eye and his candour about his mistakes, passions and personal history is charming.

I’ve seen his pulling power at work – and it’s more than his old blue eyes.

Bob Hawke holding court, with Labor candidate Cath Bowtell, at the University Cafe. That’s me in the green. Photo: AAP

While on the political beat at a newspaper in 2010, I was asked to go to Lygon Street in Carlton – the Italian and student union heartland of Melbourne – to see Hawke spruiking the goods of caretaker Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Labor’s Melbourne candidate Cath Bowtell.

While Hawke casually drank coffee outside the famous University Cafe, he was mobbed.

The media pack was literally pushed to one side as shoppers scrambled to shake the great man’s hand, and Hawke obliged, talking to each and every person as though they were potentially going to vote him in as Prime Minister, or as if they were his oldest friends.

As I waited to catch a taxi back to the office, I spied Kevin Rudd walking into the Readings bookstore just down the road.

Rudd’s daughter, Jessica, had recently released her first novel and I assumed Rudd was going into the store to grab a copy, but, when I followed him in, he stood in front of the shelves with two minders close by aimlessly browsing the non-fiction new releases.

Everyone in the store noticed him, not a single person went and spoke to him. He was persona non grata, a failed prince. The vibe he was giving off screamed “leave me alone”.

This was in stark, but memorable contrast to Hawke who, as an elderly man, was still reaching out to his constituents. He still clearly believed in his beloved Labor Party.

The juxtaposition has stayed with me until this day, and last night I saw another reason why Australians are still mesmerised by Hawke.