Born in Amersham in 1973, Tori Lacey studied for a BSc in biomedical sciences at the University of Bradford before spending a year in Australia working as a nutritional consultant at a health retreat.
…Elsmore, Philip
Philip was born in Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire.
…Edwards, Tom
Tom was born in Norwich. He began his career as a newspaper journalist on the Eastern Evening News and when Anglia TV opened, he worked on in-house commercials and even had a small role in one of their dramas. He compered a weekly live pop show, Beat on the Border, from Border TV in Carlisle and returned years later to the ITV regional company as an announcer/newsreader.
…Myers, John
John was born in Carlisle. He was a familiar face on Border TV (1980s), as a continuity announcer and programme presenter. However, it was in that other broadcast medium – radio – where John truly shone. He was a leading figure in the radio industry, with an association with many stations. He also penned a number of reports on radio – for the government and the BBC.
…Shaw, Clem
Born Clement Murphy-Shaw, he sold antiques and cars before training at the Central School of Speech and Drama.
…Martin, Keith
Keith was born in Sandwich and was a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral. He trained in catering, then joined the Merchant Navy but illness brought him home and he started work in the advertising department of Granada Television in London.
…Didsbury, Neil
Neil’s broadcasting experience dates back to 1995 when he joined the team at a hospital radio station in Norwich. In 1996, he moved to 103.4 The Beach in Lowestoft; he remained there for a year.
Neil’s voice has also been heard on Pirate FM in Cornwall and on Topshop TV at the clothes store’s main Oxford Street branch. As well as being head of music and producer at his university radio station during his three years study, Neil also has experience of working with the teams at Blue Peter and BBC Radio 1.
Having graduated with a BA (Hons) degree in broadcasting studies, Neil joined Granada TV’s northern transmission centre in March 2001, as a continuity announcer; his voice was heard on Granada, Yorkshire, Tyne Tees and Border Television between March 2001 and October 2002. He also voiced programme promotions across the Granada Media Group, including LWT, Anglia and Meridian.
Neil stayed in Yorkshire for a year after being made redundant in October 2002, presenting radio shows for the Teamtalk group and Magic 828AM.
In 2003 he was approached by Vibe 105-8FM, a regional dance radio station in the east of England, to front their breakfast news. Twelve months after arriving, Neil also became the voice on all of the station’s imaging.
After a company takeover, Vibe 105-8FM was rebranded in September 2006 as Kiss 105-8FM.
Neil also regularly voices commercials on both television and radio across the UK and Europe.
Austin, Craig
Craig Austin combines roles as a broadcaster, writer and producer. He started his media career in radio and moved on to television, dipping his toes in ink along the way.
Craig is from Uddingston, on the outskirts of Glasgow, and is the youngest of four boys. He started a career in medical laboratory sciences but after three years he returned to student life to study media. He does miss the white coat though!
It was during his final year as a student that he got his first professional broadcasting gigs, writing and presenting travel and traffic reports on a number of Scotland’s radio stations, as well as doing commercial voiceovers. A short spell hosting his own shows on Radio Tay in Dundee followed, before Craig found himself in Carlisle, working as an announcer, presenter and producer for Border Television.
…Bower, Colin
Colin Bower was born in Cheltenham Spa, and took his first steps in broadcasting as a disc jockey with radio stations in Africa before embarking on a television career that would span decades.
…Weston, Colin
Colin was born in London. He left school and joined the press and PR department of ABC Studios in Teddington and stayed for four years. After they lost their ITV franchise, he applied for various announcer jobs across the ITV network.
…Doody, Pat
Pat announced for Border and Tyne Tees Television (1970s) and also voiced ads for Metro Radio (mid-1980s). He also announced for LWT (dates TBC). He was the voiceover for the Border TV version of Mr and Mrs – his inimitable introduction used for each show: “It’s Mr and Mrs – and here’s your host, Derek Batey”. Most of his time from the late-1970s up until his death in 1990 was spent at Border Television and indeed he was announcing on Border on 27th February 1990, the night before his death.
Steel, Bill
Bill Steel is mainly remembered as Tyne Tees Television’s chief announcer and one of the main presenters of the evening news magazine programme, Northern Life, when it started in 1976.
…Hookey, Russell
Russell moved to Channel TV from the Chrysalis Group in London where he had been newsreading on London radio stations Heart 106.2 and LBC 97.3 (often heard as a regular member of Sandi Toksvig’s team) and also presenting on LBC News 1152. Prior to that he worked in commercial and BBC radio in the regions for more than twelve years as a newsreader, producer and reporter and occasionally popped up covering stories for television with BBC South Today.
At Channel TV, Russell was initially a stand-in presenter on Channel Report; he later became one of the programme’s regular presenters. He also provided continuity announcements at Channel TV.
Russell later moved to ITV Border, where he presented bulletins and filled in on the main Lookaround programme.
Gosney, Kerrie
Kerrie grew up in the Peak District. She graduated in cultural studies, media, film and communication from Sheffield Hallam University in 1998.
…Batey, Derek
Born in Brampton, Cumberland, Derek Batey won a scholarship and, aged 12, began appearing in clubs as a ventriloquist with a “cheeky boy” called Alfie.
…Maclean, Carole
Carole was a Border TV announcer and newsreader (mid-1990s). She then moved to BBC Scotland TV, taking on a continuity director/announcer role there. She also lectures in media at Ayr.
Manners, Lesley
Previously known as Lesley Cairney, Lesley was an in-vision continuity announcer and newsreader at Border Television (1980s) and also at Tyne Tees Television.
…Armstrong, Fiona
Fiona began her career as a reporter/presenter for Border Television in the early 1980s before becoming one of ITN’s main newscasters (March 1987 – 1992). She was the first co-anchor on GMTV in 1993, and later returned to Border TV as one of the anchors of the relaunched Lookaround news programme.
She also fronted a cookery series called Easy as Pie for Carlton Food Network where she demonstrated her skills in the kitchen. Fiona has also featured in a series of programmes for Granada TV on Health and Slimming. She also regularly chairs major conferences and award ceremonies.
Boccaccio, Susanna
Susanna is a former Wave FM (Blackpool) journalist who moved to Border Television as an in-vision continuity announcer. She later became a producer/presenter at Border Television. In the mid-1990s, Susanna was also an in-vision announcer at UK Gold.
Duncanson, John
John was born in Prestwick. After a BBC course in broadcasting, his first TV appearance was as a continuity announcer on ABC Television (early 1960s), the weekend contractor for the north of England and the Midlands.
…Wanless, Neville
Neville was born in Wallsend-on-Tyne. He began his working life as a financial director in his father’s engineering company. He did National Service and was stationed in Germany in the Royal Horse Artillery.
…Haslam, Pete
Pete joined the Yorkshire Television announcing team in November 1999; he went part-time in late-2000. Based at the northern transmission centre in Leeds, his voice was also heard in the Tyne Tees, Border and Granada regions. Pete also became the voice of all Granada Media Group trailers for Granada, Yorkshire, Tyne Tees, Border, Anglia, Meridian and LWT. Pete’s voice was also heard on the ITV Night Network; he would pre-record the announcements on tape in Leeds; the tape was then despatched to LWT in the overnight van for transmission that particular weekend.
By January 2006, Pete was the last professional announcer in Leeds and he was still voicing regional trailers on a freelance basis.
Pete spoke to Showreel in January 2006 about other projects: “Since leaving YTV full-time, I’ve appeared in several radio plays, alongside Maggie and, in one, with Redvers. I’m currently working on a pilot radio thriller series Into the Shadows as writer, producer and actor, and I’m still around, doing the occasional bit of presenting for music-based radio stations.
“I’ve been in radio since the mid-1970s, starting at Radio City (Nottingham Hospital Radio). After much hard work, I managed to get the green light to form Millside Hospital Radio at the King’s Mill Hospital, Sutton-in-Ashfield, near Mansfield, in October 1989. Joined Viking FM shortly after that, as commercial producer/writer/voiceover. Also worked on air on YRN’s (Yorkshire Radio Network) Classic Gold AM service.
“I can still be heard throughout the country and abroad, on various commercial radio stations, as voiceover. I also write and voice radio commercials for the Lincs FM Group (in fact I was the first voiceover on air at Lincs FM, on their first ad break on day one, in 1992). Well known for versatility when it comes to commercials, all sorts of voices, from old men (and old women!!!) through to wacky, character sound-a-likes and singers, which keeps me active!!! (It’s also very useful when it comes to radio plays!!!)”
Royle, Pam
Pam’s broadcasting career began with Tyne Tees Television in 1983, as a weather presenter. She went on to work for Central TV, TV-am, ITN and LWT.
…Backshall, Tim
Tim was one of the main anchors of Border TV’s Lookaround news programme, from 1997. In February 2009 he was redeployed as a correspondent, based in Carlisle, as part of the newly formed ITV Tyne Tees and Border news service.
Oliver, Nick
Nick was an occasional announcer for Yorkshire Television, although his full-time role was at the transmission control desk at the Granada Media Group’s northern transmission centre, serving YTV, Tyne Tees, Border and Granada.
Burns, Andrew
Andrew was a continuity announcer and newsreader with Border TV (1989 – 1996). He was also responsible for Border’s on-screen image and on-air promotions. He moved into television management in 1996, and was one of the owners, and the chief operating officer of Film24, a channel all about film.
Lamont, Colin
Colin was a freelance continuity announcer for Scottish TV, Grampian and Border. He went on to set up Centre Radio in Stirling and became cult Scottish shock jock, Scottie McClue.
Radford, Sue
Sue was a continuity announcer at Border (1988 – 1995). She then became a journalist at Border and left the company in 1997 to go freelance.
Preedy, Bob
Until October 2002, Bob was one of the main announcers at Yorkshire Television at Granada Media Group’s northern transmission centre in Leeds. His voice was therefore also heard on Border, Granada and Tyne Tees Television.
…Larcombe, Heather
Heather was an announcer (including in-vision links) with Border from 1994 until the end of regular regional continuity in October 2002. She has also voiced many programmes for Border, including Border Stories, Bordering on 40 and The Way We Were. Heather was also a regular newsreader, presenter and producer at the station.
Cartner, Allan
Allan was one of the Border TV veteran announcers, working at the station from 1961 to 1988. He is well-remembered for his authority and clarity when reading the news on Border; he was also the voice of the station’s start-up sequence. As well as being a main announcer on Border, Allan also did some work for Tyne Tees TV during the 1970s.
…Neville, Daphne
Daphne is a former Crossroads actress and continuity announcer for Border Television and Grampian Television (1970s/early 1980s). Daphne also worked for Central TV, HTV West and BBC Radio 4.
Marquis, Mary
Mary is best known as the long-serving presenter of various regional news magazine programmes on BBC Scotland. She was also a familiar face on ITV screens as a continuity announcer on Border TV.
Roberts, Karen
Karen is a former Border Television continuity announcer.
Champney, Clive
Clive was a long-serving Border Television continuity announcer and also programme presenter, from 1963. Clive now narrates for audio books.
Thornton, Mark
Mark is a former freelance continuity announcer for Border TV (late-1990s). He was also a DJ on Metro FM in the north east of England.
Crawford, Tracey
In 1989, Tracey began her career voicing and creating commercials/promotions and producing shows for Northsound Radio in Aberdeen.
…Harkins, John
John is a former CFM Radio newsreader. He was also a Border TV continuity announcer. He went on to become a producer/presenter for Border and fronted weekday local news bulletins.
Mash, Maggie
Maggie started her broadcasting career on Forces Radio in Cyprus and then worked for BBC and Independent radio stations throughout the country.
…Farish, Jenny
Jenny was heard on radio stations throughout Scotland during the 1980s as part of the AA Roadwatch team, which supplied travel news to Scottish radio stations. Jenny did some in-vision continuity for Border Television for a few years from 1989 before leaving to join West Sound Radio in Ayr. She was also a presenter for Real Radio in Scotland.
Cunningham, Fiona
Fiona is a former Border Television continuity announcer (1970s – early 1980s).
Aitken, Helen
Helen was an announcer at Granada Media Group’s northern transmission centre in Leeds. She voiced announcements on Yorkshire, Tyne Tees, Granada and Border until October 2002.
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