Wendy Nelson was born in Birmingham and began her journalistic career in 1968 through the IPC training scheme in Devon.
…Pyrah, Gill
Gill was born in Yorkshire in 1951 (date unknown). She has a degree in psychology.
…Bob Warman announces retirement date
Long-standing ITV regional news presenter Bob Warman has announced that he plans to retire in July, after almost half a century on our screens.
…Kettley, John
John was born in Halifax. He was employed by the Met Office from 1970 until 2000. He had a spell working at the Nottingham Weather Centre (1980 – 1985), where he made appearances on BBC Birmingham’s Midlands Today (1980 – 1983) and on Central TV (1984 – 1985).
…Redfern, Barrie
Barrie was born in Rotherham. He started out as a student broadcaster, before moving to BBC Local Radio.
…Jamieson, David
David was an ATV daytime out-of-vision announcer (1970s) who also presented a show for BRMB Radio in Birmingham. David went on to become head of presentation at ATV’s successor, Central Television in 1986 and remained in that role until Carlton Television took over in the mid-1990s. He now lives in Andalucia.
David told Showreel: “The regular daytime announcer was Peter Davies, an old friend with whom I’d worked in BBC local radio in Leicester. When he was on leave, or there were other gaps in the roster, I would fill in from sign-on at 9.25am (no breakfast telly then) until 6pm, when the evening announcer (usually Kevin Morrison or Peter Tomlinson) came on duty. Daytime was out-of-vision, which suited me fine! 9.25am to 12 noon was schools programmes which ATV networked to the rest of ITV, so suddenly I was speaking to the nation! Frightening stuff! After the shift, I’d scoot off and do my radio programme. I have to say that working at ATV was wonderful, and a part of my career which I treasure.”
Caine, John
John was a zany Southern Television reporter (1979 – 1981). He joined Central in 1982 to present the Newshound slot on Central News. He was also a continuity announcer at Central.
Stuart, Vivien
Vivien was born in 1957. Following university, she accepted a place on the Broadcast Journalist Training Scheme in 1975, which led to several years working as a studio manager.
…Cunningham, Linda
Linda was a Central TV continuity announcer, often seen presenting Central Morning Supplement along with announcer colleagues Helen Lloyd, Simon Willis and Gary Terzza.
Fisher, Evadne
Evadne is a former Central TV continuity announcer. From Central, she moved on to host the late-night Thames Television strand (mid-1980s – 1991), along with colleagues Patricia Yorston and Victoria Crawford.
After leaving Thames in 1991, Evadne worked as a freelance corporate presenter and voiceover artist. She later turned to teaching – firstly at The Avon Academy, where she subsequently became director of drama. She was also head LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) teacher at Trent College in Long Eaton.
Evadne was a teacher and examiner for LAMDA.
Willis, Simon
Simon was a Central TV continuity announcer (dates TBC). He moved to BBC Newcastle’s Look North (1983). By the early 2000s, Simon was a correspondent for BBC Scotland’s Newsnight Scotland.
Barnes, Richard
Richard Barnes was born in 1943. He is a former continuity announcer at Anglia Television (1971 – 1975 and c. 1983), Westward TV, ATV, TSW, Central TV (c. 1985) and BFBS.
…Gates, Tasneem
Tasneem was a Central TV in-vision announcer (1980s), based at both Nottingham and Birmingham.
Prince, Mike
Mike is a former ATV continuity announcer. He joined the company in the 1960s and stayed with its successor, Central, until the mid-1980s. Mike also announced, occasionally, for HTV Wales, HTV West, Thames and Southern Television.
…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.
…Wheeler, Jo
Jo was a Central TV in-vision announcer (dates TBC).
Pearson, Terry
Terry was a full-time on-air announcer with Central (later Carlton) Television in Birmingham (1988 – 2000). He went freelance as an actor/presenter, working on various theatre, television and corporate projects. Terry also ran a website (until 2014) – Quadbod Media Memorabilia – specialising in original UK quad film posters.
Lloyd, Helen
Helen was one of the original Central announcing crew. Helen still lives in the Midlands. She’s married to former Bill actor Ben Roberts. Helen moved behind the camera as a documentary producer for Carlton in Nottingham until 2002. She then went freelance as a narrator and producer.
Holden, Hilary
Hilary was a Central Television and Thames Television announcer (1980s). Later, she worked for Carlton Television (London) as an announcer (1994 – 5th February 1997).
Hilary now lives in France.
Carson, Avril
Born in Belfast, Avril Carson graduated with a BA Honours degree from the University of Manchester.
…Ashby, Marie
Marie was born in Edinburgh and raised in Carlisle.
Having obtained a degree in French, she then went on to study a one-year post-graduate course in radio journalism. Her career began in radio, where she worked as a district reporter for BBC Radio Cumbria in Barrow, Furness, covering the South Lakes.
Six months later, she moved to BBC Radio Nottingham, taking up a reporting job. Then, in 1989, while on placement to Midlands Today, Marie moved to Central TV, where she spent sixteen years, as a reporter and presenter; she would soon became one of the main anchors on the main evening regional news programme there. During her time with ITV, Marie presented many programmes, covering political and social issues.
…Marriott, Andy
Andy was an LWT out-of-vision announcer (1990s). He also announced for Central Television. He’s also a radio presenter.
Sherwin, Allan
Allan was a continuity announcer for Central. In 2008, he was the series producer on Through the Keyhole (BBC).
White, Stewart
Stewart’s broadcasting career began with a very short pre-programme announcement on the BBC World Service. He went on to work at BBC Radio Brighton and later BBC Radio Derby, where he produced and presented various news and entertainment programmes.
…May, Ted
The “Voice of Central” began his announcing career c. 1986 with a distinctive, authoritative yet upbeat style. Always out-of-vision, Ted’s announcements became synonymous with the station and an integral part of the on-screen brand. His voice could also be heard on “Announcements for Teachers” on ITV Schools (before it moved to Channel 4).
Ted was later part of the announcing team at Channel 5 (early-2003 – TBC).
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.
Martindill, Verity
Verity was an LWT in-vision continuity announcer (late-1970s – early 1980s). She was also a regular continuity face on several other ITV stations, including Southern Television, Central and TVS.
Beaven, Steven
Steve was a regular voice on BBC One Wales, BBC Two Wales and BBC Choice Wales (2000 – 2002). Shortly after leaving BBC Wales, he moved to TV Centre as a network director on BBC One, BBC Two and BBC Four.
Steve later returned to his roots and worked at ITV News in the Central South region. On any given day he might be production assisting, reporting, and/or producing.
Lipscomb, Mark
Mark started his television career as a cameraman and moved into continuity with TVS before joining Thames Television as a continuity announcer in the 1980s. He stayed until Carlton took over and was the only member of the Thames continuity team to move to the new station at its launch on 1st January 1993. Mark was Carlton’s senior announcer until October 2002 when the Carlton identity was dropped. However, Mark continued to present weekend bulletins for Central News (South) – a role he had been performing since 1991. He has also presented the main early evening news programme during the week.
Mark spoke to Showreel in January 2006: “Over the past three-and-a half-years I have had the opportunity of working on a number of projects at Central News. I was assistant producer on a few outside broadcasts including Central’s pan-regional Britain on the Move campaign and the Fairford Royal International Air Tattoo. More recently while our studio was being redesigned for the ITV rebranding, we took Central News outside and presented the programme from five of the region’s hospitals. I helped produce this and was also the roving reporter each night taking on a variety of tasks, from sampling the hospital Christmas dinners to being a cleaner for the day and hospital porter. My skills were also put to the test one night when due to sickness with one of our directors, I ended up directing the outside broadcast. It was a great week and well-received by the viewers. That together with some radio presenting and voiceover work, I have been a busy man since leaving Carlton.”
Youngs, Amanda
Amanda was a regular announcer on Carlton Television in the Midlands (formerly Central TV) until October 2002. She has also served with several other ITV regional stations (details TBC).
Bailey, Llewela
Llewela is perhaps best known for her role as a news presenter with ITV Central – she presented both the West and East Midlands editions of Central News between 1988 and December 2008. Her broadcasting career began in radio, as a researcher for BBC Radio 1. She later joined BBC Radio Nottingham.
Although she retired from television in 2008, she has since used her broadcasting experience to train others. She is a part-time lecturer in Journalism Law and Ethics at Staffordshire University. And since February 2016, Llewela has been presenting the Sunday morning breakfast show on BBC WM.
Cooper, Mike
Mike spent the first four years of his career at BBC Radios WM and Shropshire. He was also a freelance continuity announcer for Central (1993 – 1996). In January 1994, he moved south to work for SSVC (now BFBS) as a self-op announcer and transmission controller.
Mike says: “Having moved south I contacted Carlton and freelanced as an announcer for them from March 1994 until March 1997, then jumped across to the other side of the glass to become a transmission controller for ITV 1 working for LNN. I’d actually started as a transmission controller on a freelance basis in December 1996, then became a staff member in May 1997. To round things up, I stayed with LNN until October 2002. In that time I tried unsuccessfully to move into the newsroom as a director, and my frustration eventually led to finding an opening as a freelance director at ITN alongside my full-time job! I eventually left LNN a week before the rebrand to ITV 1 took place and Carlton/LWT disappeared forever.”
Later, Mike worked at the BBC as a news director. He then went on to spend almost three years doing the same at Sky News. In 2008, he moved back behind the microphone to work full-time as a voiceover artist. In addition to voicing TV programmes, he has returned to continuity: for a time at Film24, and on an ongoing basis for History.
Ashford, Kevin
Presenter with Central News (East).
Evans, Su
Su was a long-serving ATV (Midlands) and Central TV in-vision continuity announcer. She went on to become a regular regional weather presenter on ITV Central and ITV Wales. She also freelanced as an out-of-vision announcer for Central after it became part of the Carlton group (late-1990s – 2001. Su also did relief announcing on Southern Television in the 1970s.
Brighting, Kevan
Kevan was a Central TV continuity announcer (mid-1980s – late-1980s). He went freelance as a voiceover artist and was regularly heard on ITV Central.
Adams, Kaye
Kaye was a Central News reporter in the mid-1980s. She joined STV in the late-1980s as a reporter for Scotland Today. She was one of the first reporters on the scene at Lockerbie.
Kaye could also be seen presenting Scotland Today and also presented Scottish Women from the early to mid-1990s for STV.
Kaye was one of the regular faces of ITV daytime in the early 2000s – presenting Loose Women and Live Talk. She also stood in for Fern Britton on This Morning c. 2001.
Other TV/radio credits: The Home Show (STV); Choice Cuts (BBC Radio Scotland).
Alexander, Cathy
Former Central News (South) reporter and presenter. Cathy also presented the news on the now defunct satellite broadcaster BSB in 1990. She currently presents and reports for Meridian Tonight.