Verity was a continuity announcer and newsreader with Anglia TV (1980s – early 1990s). She left to get married and is now known as Verity Spencer.
…Bacon, John
Probably Anglia Television’s best-known newscaster, Bacon began his stint at the About Anglia newsdesk – and as a continuity announcer – in 1964. He stayed with the company until the mid to late-1980s. He often shared this duty with colleague Caroline Raison. After retiring, Bacon moved to sunnier climes – Greece.
Newman-Sanders, Sandy
Sandy was one of the first announcers/newsreader/presenters on Anglia, from 1959. His full name was Cecil Walter Newman-Sanders but he was known as “Sandy” at Anglia. He joined Anglia from the London Planetarium. His previous employment included teaching, fishing and work as a cartoonist! He was Anglia’s first newscaster.
Famous people he interviewed included King Hussein of Jordan, Alf Ramsey, and Morcambe and Wise. He left the newsroom at Anglia in 1965 to become their education officer, and retired c. 1983, aged 74. His hobbies included golf and amateur radio.
Sandy died in 1993, leaving three children, 10 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.
Benson, John
John was born in 1928 (date unknown). He was one of ITV’s legendary, long-serving announcers.
…Crowest, Richard
Richard started his broadcasting career as a researcher and reporter with BBC Radio Humberside, after which he moved on to run the audio arm of a corporate communications company in his native Norwich. His voice skills were spotted by Anglia Television where he spent eight years as a continuity announcer (1990 – 1998). During these years he also wrote for BBC Radio 4, produced a pilot for a radio game show and edited guide books for Jarrold Publishing.
In 1998, he moved into the area of heritage interpretation, attending an MA course at St Mary’s College, Strawberry Hill, where he went on to graduate with distinction. Since then, he has worked for the likes of the National Trust and the British Library.
In 2003, Richard co-founded Corvidae – an internet venture focusing on the museum and heritage sector.
Graham, Dick
Dick was an ATV (London), Anglia Television and LWT announcer who went on to voice programme trailers for the BBC in the late-1960s.
Hampshire, Susan
Susan was an Anglia Television continuity announcer and presenter of The Midday Show (1959 – early 1960s).
Seed, Paul
Paul was a staff ITV 1 announcer (October 2002 – TBC). Before that, Paul was stationed at Southampton providing continuity to Meridian, HTV West and Anglia Television. Paul used to host the breakfast show on Gloucestershire’s Severn Sound radio station.
Anthony, Patrick
Patrick was born in Dublin. With five years of theatre behind him, he began his broadcasting career at HTV Wales, as a newsreader and announcer, and became the first Irishman to read the Welsh news in English!
…Alford, Sally
Sally was born in Weston-super-Mare, in November 1940. She is a former actress, who went on to become an in-vision continuity announcer for TWW in the 1960s and its successor, HTV West (spring 1968 – c. 1985).
…Alexander, Lucy
Lucy’s journalistic career began as a reporter with BBC local radio – BBC Radio Solent, BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester and BBC Greater London Radio. Her first TV job was with Anglia TV as a producer. She soon moved on to reporting and presenting on Anglia News.
She later became a regular face on the ITV London regional news programme London Today and was soon co-anchoring the early evening London Tonight with Alastair Stewart.
Lucy later co-anchored the breakfast programme on the ITV News Channel with Andrew Harvey. In 2006, she joined Sky News.
Honan, Fiona
Fiona was a Meridian Broadcasting continuity announcer (2000 – 2002), and previously an announcer with HTV West in Bristol. Fiona’s voice was heard on HTV West, as well as Anglia Television, as continuity for these two stations was sourced from Meridian’s Southampton headquarters until October 2002. Fiona was later a newsreader for Ivel FM in Somerset.