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.
…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.
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.
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.
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.
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.