BBC Northern Ireland TV announcer in the late-1970s/early 1980s.
…Donna Traynor resigns from BBC Northern Ireland with immediate effect
One of BBC Northern Ireland’s longest-serving TV presenters, Donna Traynor, has announced on social media that she has resigned from the corporation, with immediate effect.
…Simpson, Mark
Mark spent a few years as a newsreader with Cool FM/Downtown Radio before moving to BBC Northern Ireland as a TV continuity announcer/director in 1997. In 2004, he spent six months working for BBC Broadcast as a network director at Television Centre in London. In 2009, Mark was appointed head of presentation, BBC Northern Ireland.
…Cowan, Barry
Barry Cowan was one of the leading faces of BBC Northern Ireland news and current affairs during the worst of The Troubles in the 1970s and 1980s.
…Bryans, Lynda
Lynda’s first foray into the world of broadcasting came in 1981, when she took up a role as a copy typist for Ulster Television. In the early days of her television career, Lynda spent a brief period as a television announcer with BBC Northern Ireland (c. 1987). She went on to become one of the regular presenters of the BBC’s local news programme in Northern Ireland, Inside Ulster (1986 – 1994).
…Speake, Michael
Michael was born in Shrewsbury. His first broadcasting experience was with pirate radio and later, BBC Radio including being the Midland link for Family Favourites.
…Clugston, Kathy
Born in Belfast in 1970, Kathy attended Methodist College and studied French and Russian at Queen’s University Belfast. The degree course included periods in France and Russia.
…Baguley, Michael
Michael was a BBC Northern Ireland news and current affairs presenter in the 1960s and 1970s. He presented the main regional news programme in the 1960s.
…Reid, Paul
Paul was born in July 1974. Before finishing university, he started working for Downtown Radio/Cool FM as a holiday relief newsreader and occasional reporter in 1997, becoming full-time by 1998 when he graduated from Bournemouth University.
…Olver, David
David was educated at Royal Belfast Academical Institution and Belfast College of Business Studies. He joined the BBC Northern Ireland presentation team at the age of 18, in January 1978 and took up duties which included television and radio newsreading, as well as television and radio continuity.
…Willighan, Roy
Roy joined the BBC Northern Ireland TV announcing staff in August 2002, having worked previously with BBC Radio Ulster’s Traffic and Travel Unit. Before joining the BBC, Roy was a newsreader at Belfast Citybeat. In 1997, he spent three months working for Radio France Loire-Atlantic in Nantes.
Higgins, Michael
Michael worked in BBC Radio Ulster continuity before moving to the same role on BBC Northern Ireland television in 2000. After a short break, he returned to the TV continuity job in late-2001.
Maguire, Maurice
Maurice was a TV and radio continuity announcer/director with BBC Northern Ireland in the late-1970s and early 1980s. He then moved into television news where he was a programme director. Later he was chief producer (entertainment) in Belfast and producer/director on Songs of Praise.
…Martin, Edgar
Edgar had a brief stint as a continuity announcer with Ulster Television in the early 1970s before heading around the corner to the BBC and taking on a similar TV role there.
…Austin, Wendy
Wendy joined BBC Northern Ireland in November 1976, fresh from her presenting duties on Downtown Radio. She joined the commercial radio station earlier in 1976, following four years as a newspaper journalist: initially with the East Antrim Times (1972 – 1974) and then the Belfast Telegraph (1974 – 1976). Wendy’s BBC career began as a TV reporter but by the 1980s, she was also presenting on Scene Around Six and later, Inside Ulster. She co-presented the BBC NI opt-outs during Children in Need and was also the face of a local supermarket chain’s advertising campaign in the 1980s.
As well as appearing on screen, Wendy was also involved with BBC Radio Ulster’s breakfast programme Good Morning Ulster, from the early 1980s. Since the late-1980s, Wendy has mostly stayed with radio. She has been one of the main presenters on BBC Radio Ulster’s Good Morning Ulster and between 1988 and 1998, she presented nationally on BBC Radio 4, on programmes such as PM, Pick of the Week and Woman’s Hour. However, she did pop up on TV screens occasionally – she took over from former colleague Sean Rafferty as presenter of The DIY Show.
…Montgomery, Stephen
Stephen began his announcing career in the 1970s. He became the senior BBC Northern Ireland announcer in the late-1980s and was heard less and less during peak time, having moved to cover early morning and lunchtime regional news opts, which weren’t part of the rota for his staff until the late-1990s.
…Ayre, Elaine
Elaine’s broadcasting career began with BBC Northern Ireland in the early 1990s, as a continuity announcer on BBC Radio Ulster. In 1994, she moved to television, as a continuity announcer/director. She moved to BBC Radio Ulster briefly c. 1996 before returning to her television continuity role.
Gamble, David
David was a BBC Northern Ireland TV continuity announcer in the 1970s and 1980s. Easily one of the standout voices in local broadcasting during that time.
…Nunan, Michael
Michael was a BBC Northern Ireland TV continuity announcer in the 1970s and 1980s. He also announced and read the news on BBC Radio 4 Northern Ireland and BBC Radio Ulster. He retired from broadcasting c. 1988.
McLean, Kerry
Formerly Kerry Turner. Kerry joined the BBC in 1993, and during her first six years there, she worked on some of the corporation’s flagship news and current affairs radio programmes: Good Morning Ulster on BBC Radio Ulster; Good Morning Scotland on BBC Radio Scotland; and the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. That was followed by stints in various sections of the BBC World Service, before returning home to Northern Ireland and to BBC Radio Ulster, where she worked on the John Bennett programme.
She had a brief foray into television – six months as a BBC Northern Ireland TV continuity announcer/director, starting in late-September 2003. Beyond that, she occasionally provided voiceovers for local programme trails. Back on BBC Radio Ulster, she presented Weekend Extra. In 2014, she was given her own afternoon slot (Monday to Thursday), 3pm – 5pm.
Kerry is married to BBC Northern Ireland presenter Ralph McLean. They have three children.
Rebbeck, Judith
Judith was a newsreader on BBC Northern Ireland TV and radio in the 1980s. In the early 1990s, she joined the TV continuity team. She remained in that role until 1995, when she retired from broadcasting.
Rafferty, Sean
A familiar face on BBC Northern Ireland in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Sean was one of the main presenter on the local news programmes Scene Around Six and later, Inside Ulster.
Other TV work for BBC Northern Ireland in the 1980s/90s included arts magazines Prospect and 29 Bedford Street. He co-presented thirty editions of The DIY Show with Denise Waterman. In 1995, Sean left BBC Northern Ireland to become the presenter of BBC Radio 3’s In Tune programme, where he remains today.
Selby, Michael
Michael joined BBC Northern Ireland c. 1997. He worked initially in the Traffic and Travel Unit, presenting reports for BBC Radio Ulster. In 1998 he moved to television continuity. Michael also worked as an in-vision announcer on BBC Choice Northern Ireland from 1998 until 2001.
McKee, Seamus
Seamus has presented current affairs programming on BBC Radio Ulster since c. the mid-1980s, with occasional stints on television on the Spotlight programme. In 1992 he took on a more regular TV role when he became one of the lead presenters on the local news programme Inside Ulster. He continued with presenting on BBC Radio Ulster. Seamus departed Inside Ulster ahead of the relaunch of the programme in spring 1996.
Seamus continued as a regular presenter on BBC Radio Ulster’s Good Morning Ulster and Evening Extra. He still makes occasional appearances on television; he presented a local schools quiz series in 2001 – School Challenge. Seamus has also presented the BBC Radio 2 Arts Programme.
LeFevre, Steve
Steve was born in Larne, Northern Ireland. His broadcasting career began with BBC Northern Ireland in the early 1980s. He started off as a TV continuity announcer and also read the news on TV and on BBC Radio Ulster. He later fronted many sports programmes for BBC Northern Ireland, such as Grandstand and Sportsnight. He also produced and presented for BBC Radio Ulster.
In the late-1980s, Steve moved to Yorkshire to present a radio talk show on BBC Radio Leeds (for which he won a Sony Gold). Over the years, he has presented on various radio stations, including: BBC Radio Newcastle; BBC Radio Three Counties; BBC Radio WM. He also worked at BBC Radio 5 Live, where he wrote and hosted The Media Show and presented on Late Night Live, and Breakfast.
In the early 1990s, Steve started work with Yorkshire TV as a reporter and presenter. Among the programmes he presented: Calendar, Scoreline, Tonight and Live Lunch.
…Ashe, John
John was a TV newsreader with BBC Northern Ireland in the 1980s, presenting short bulletins mainly, including news summaries within Scene Around Six. He switched to a continuity announcer/director role in the early 1990s.
John retired from the BBC in November 2006. His last on air announcement was on BBC Two Northern Ireland at 12.20am on 1st November 2006.
Fieldhouse, Michael
Michael was a television continuity announcer with BBC Northern Ireland in the 1960s.
Osborough, Ann
A regular voice in the BBC Northern Ireland TV continuity booth in the 1980s. During the 1990s and for much of the 2000s, she worked on a freelance basis and could be heard covering portions of the daytime programme schedule. Ann’s final shift in continuity was in 2009.
Browne, Jennie
Jennie has been a continuity announcer/director with BBC Northern Ireland since 1997. She was one of a team of three announcers who worked in-vision on BBC Choice Northern Ireland (1998 – 2001).
…Godfray, Jacqui
Jacqui was a television continuity announcer/director with BBC Northern Ireland (1989 – c. 1999). She then moved to BBC Radio Ulster, as a newsreader. Jacqui read her final news bulletin there just before midnight on Friday 22nd November 2019.
…Porter, Gillian
Gillian spent a brief spell on the BBC Northern Ireland TV announcing staff in 1992. She then moved to UTV, to take up a similar role there.
…Hutton, Alasdair
Alasdair was born in London, during the bombing which destroyed his home. His mother gathered up what was left, including him, and returned to Scotland.
…Healey, Gavin
The ex-Cool FM and Citybeat DJ joined the BBC Northern Ireland TV continuity announcing rota in 1999.
…Larmour, Roy
Roy worked at BBC Northern Ireland (1978 – 1988) as a newsreader on TV and radio. He also spent a while working in TV continuity (early to mid-1980s). In 1988, he moved to the BBC World Service as a newsreader. He left the BBC in 2018.
Nesbitt, Mike
Mike’s journalistic career began within the BBC’s sports department in the mid-1980s. In 1986, he became one of the regular presenters on BBC Radio Ulster’s breakfast news and current affairs offering, Good Morning Ulster.
In 1990, he moved to PR company Anderson Kenny. By 1992 he had shifted back into regular TV presenting, becoming one of the main anchors on UTV’s regional news programme, Six Tonight. He quickly established himself as one of the key figures within the station’s news department.
However, in February 2006 came the shock announcement that Mike was not renewing his contract with UTV. Speaking at the time, he said: “I have decided to leave because I just feel very strongly that the time has come to move on.
“I believe it is time for a new challenge and I have several projects in the pipeline.
“I will be sorry to leave behind a very fine bunch of journalists, and above all, will miss working with my wife Lynda, who is a key factor in UTV’s success story.”
Other TV credits: Sunday Morning (ITV, 1999 2001), a religious affairs programme, co-presented with his wife Lynda Bryans; Counterpoint, and its successor Insight (UTV, 1992 – early 2000s), a current affairs programme; Home Sweet Home (UTV, 2004 – 2006), a home and garden series, co-presented with wife Lynda.
When he stepped away from on-screen roles, Nesbitt and his wife set up their own independent media services company.
In January 2008, Mike was confirmed as the Victims Commissioners for Northern Ireland – a role established by the Northern Ireland Assembly to highlight the interests of victims of The Troubles. He left that post in February 2010 to stand as a candidate for the Ulster Conservatives and Unionists in the Strangford constituency in the 2010 General Election. He lost out to the Democratic Unionist Party’s Jim Shannon. A year later, Nesbitt stood in the 2011 Northern Ireland Assembly election, again in Strangford. He was elected, along with 5 other MLAs in that constituency. On 31st March 2012, he was elected leader of the Ulster Unionist Party. He remained in that role until 2017.
Wray, Linda
Linda was born in Bangor, Co Down, and attended the Bangor Central Primary School and Glenlola Collegiate School, Bangor. She started out as an actress, before taking up a news presenting role at BBC Northern Ireland in the 1970s. Although the majority of her time with the BBC was in radio, she did also present the news on screen in the 1970s and 1980s. She was also a TV continuity announcer in the 1970s and early 1980s.
Linda retired from broadcasting in 2010. She read her final news bulletin on BBC Radio Ulster on Saturday 13th March 2010.
At the time of her retirement, colleagues paid tribute. Kathleen Carragher, editor radio news, BBC Radio Ulster, said: “Linda has one of the best voices in broadcasting. She has been a wonderful person to work with over the years and has always been a valued member of the BBC Radio Ulster news team.
“She has worked on some of the busiest news days in Northern Ireland covering the Troubles, the peace process and the return of devolution.
“Throughout this she has delivered her bulletins with an unwavering warmth and clarity. She has become a very familiar voice to our listeners over the years and I’m sure they will miss Linda every bit as much as we will. We wish her every success and happiness in the future.”
Peter Johnston, controller BBC Northern Ireland, commented: “For many, Linda’s voice has been one of the most enduring and familiar on BBC Radio Ulster. She has been on air for many of the pivotal events in Northern Ireland and has always kept her calm and her professionalism. She has played a key role in BBC Radio Ulster’s history and I wish her all the best for the future.”
Hearle, Duncan
Duncan’s broadcasting career began in Singapore just before World War II. When the colony fell, he was imprisoned and made to work on the notorious Burma railway. In 1946 he applied to the BBC for an announcing job. He got it and was posted to Belfast in January, where he remained for the next thirty years.
Duncan worked mainly on radio during his time with BBC Northern Ireland, becoming known as the ‘Voice of Radio Ulster’. He presented over 20,000 local news bulletins. He read his last news script during the 8.55am bulletin on BBC Radio Ulster on 21st September 1976.
Duncan then retired from broadcasting and moved to Wales.
During his time with BBC Northern Ireland, Duncan also performed some television announcing duties.
Love, Walter
Walter joined the BBC in London as a studio manager in 1958. After a year with the BBC in Edinburgh, he moved to Broadcasting House in Belfast, where, after a year, he became a staff announcer. Throughout the 1960s, Walter was the main television news presenter with BBC Northern Ireland. He also looked after the radio continuity operation and presented various radio programmes.
During the 1960s and 1970s, Walter also carried out television continuity duties with BBC Northern Ireland.
In 1978 he went freelance, presenting the magazine programme Day by Day. In the late-1980s, he took up the afternoon slot on BBC Radio Ulster, presenting Love in the Afternoon. He then became the presenter and producer on Love Forty.
In 1998, he was awarded an MBE for his services to broadcasting.
Buckle, Paul
The former Cool FM DJ joined BBC Northern Ireland as a continuity announcer/director c. 1998.
Alexander, Aaron
Aaron joined the BBC Northern Ireland television announcing team in the late-1990s.
Andrews, Pamela
Pamela was a continuity announcer/director with BBC Northern Ireland (October 2001 – October 2010). She then moved to a creative marketing producer role, creating (and occasionally voicing) programme and campaign trails for BBC One/Two Northern Ireland.
Kerr, Mike
Mike was a continuity announcer and news presenter on BBC Northern Ireland TV and radio in the 1970s and early 1980s.
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