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.
…Trueman, Brian
Brian was born in Manchester. In 1946, he made his acting debut in Plover Patrol for BBC Radio in Manchester.
…Tomlinson, Peter
Peter was born in Bristol. He began his broadcasting career in 1965, whilst still a student at Oxford University, covering home matches played by Swindon Town FC for the BBC’s Home Service South West. He broadcast live a short report from the linen cupboard of the Goddard Arms Hotel in Swindon!
…Bance, Greg
By passing the 11-Plus, Greg gained entry to his local grammar school in north London, but education seemed to gain little purchase on his mind, which was focussed on tuning around the short wave, discovering the existence of offshore radio and determination to escape as soon as possible.
…Hobley, McDonald
McDonald was born in Stanley, Falkland Islands. He began his acting career in repertory theatre, under the stage names Val Blanchard and Robert Blanchard, using his mother’s maiden name.
…Young, Muriel
Muriel was born in Bishop Middleham, near Sedgefield, Co Durham. On leaving school, she worked briefly as a librarian. She attended art college, before deciding to embark on a career as an actress. She joined a repertory theatre in Henley-on-Thames, where her uncle was directing. She subsequently performed at the Gateway Theatre, London and the Theatre Royal in Chatham. Trying to get into the film industry, she did modelling for advertising agencies, including promoting products such as toothpaste. She also studied to be a dental nurse and used her artistic talents to paint glassware. Starting out as an actress, she starred with Rex Harrison and Kay Kendall in The Constant Husband (1955) and also featured in The Story of Gilbert and Sullivan (1953) in a segment featuring The Mikado.
…Pitts, Valerie
Valerie was an actress. She was RADA-trained (1955 – 1957) and worked in the theatre initially.
…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.
…Lithgoe, Lynette
Lynette started her television career as an in-vision announcer at Granada Television. She then moved to the BBC in the East Midlands as a presenter (1989) and later became a national BBC TV newsreader (February 1990 – October 1991), mostly on weekend bulletins and for BBC Two’s News View. She also presented the charity appeal programme Lifeline in the late-1980s. She left to join BBC World as a newsreader in 1991.
…Ashworth, Beverley
Granada TV in-vision continuity announcer in the 1980s and 1990s who went on to run her own voiceover agency as well as hosting corporate events.
Ford, Anna
Born in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, into a household steeped in the performing arts – both her parents were West End actors – Anna Ford forged an intellectual identity far removed from the stage.
…Baker, Peter
During the 1980s, Peter worked at BBC West in Bristol, presenting news bulletins and filling in as co-host on the main Points West programme alongside Viv Creegor and Graham Purches.
In 1988 he moved to Granada TV In Manchester where he hosted the nightly Granada Action social information programme. He also presented the breakfast show on Key 103 radio.
…Le Moighan, Michael
Michael is a former Granada Television continuity announcer. He continued with his acting career after leaving the announcer’s chair.
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!!!)”
Murray-Henderson, Don
Don was Granada Television’s chief announcer (1960s – early 1970s). He was killed in a car accident in January 1971.
Moore, Ray
Ray was born in Liverpool. On leaving school his first job was at Liverpool docks.
…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.
Brittain, Andrew
Andrew was an announcer with Granada from the late-1980s until the late-1990s. He was also the voice of Stars in Their Eyes. He was a daytime newsreader and also a reporter for Granada Reports. In the 1990s, Andrew also narrated some of the later World in Action documentaries. He also did voiceover work for radio commercials and corporate clients.
James, Graham
Graham was a well-known Granada TV in-vision announcer (1970s/1980s). He later moved to Meridian in Southampton and was an announcer on that station, HTV West and Anglia TV until October 2002.
Pope, Jim
Jim’s professional journey commenced in radio before transitioning to television during the 1960s, where he presented continuity links for HTV West.
…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.
…Brown, Malcolm
Malcolm trained as an announcer on HTV West in the late-1960s and early 1970s before moving to Granada in 1972. He stayed with the company until 1982 when he moved south to join franchise winners TVS. Malcolm made the very first announcement on TVS on 1st January 1982, and remained as a voice-only announcer after in-vision continuity was dispensed with in the mid-1980s. He also acted as MC for TVS’ final programme Goodbye to All That.
Malcolm was later heard reading letters out on BBC Radio 4’s Feedback. He also spent time as a disc jockey on London’s easy-listening radio station Magic FM.
McKenzie, John
John is a former in-vision announcer with Granada TV. He also announced for Carlton Television (London) (May 2000 – October 2002). He went on to study to be a journalist.
Foster, Charles
Every station has an announcer that everyone remembers and actor Charles Foster performs that role for Granada Television, where he was one of the main in-vision announcers throughout the 1970s and 1980s. One of the old school, the avuncular Foster had great warmth and a terrific on-screen presence. As well as announcing for Granada, Foster also narrated several schools programmes for the company, as well as being the voiceover man on game shows such as Connections.
…Robbie, Sue
Sue was a Granada Television in-vision continuity announcer in the late-1970s and early 1980s. She went on to present a series of networked shows for the company, including Connections, First Post and TX.
Somers, N.
A former Granada TV announcer.
Croasdale, Bill
Bill was a Granada Television continuity announcer in the 1960s.
Hilton, Philip
Philip was a freelance announcer with Granada (1995 – 1998). During that time he won a radio licence and set up Dune FM in Southport. In 1998, he took up a post with BBC Broadcast, working as a TV and radio promotions producer. Since 2003, he has been the director of Sight and Sounds Ltd, a management and training consultancy working with radio stations on brand building and ratings development.
Sayer, Phil
Phil was briefly an in-vision announcer for Granada (1982) before joining BBC TV in the north west as a news presenter. He’s also worked for several regional radio stations and runs his own voiceover agency.
“I may have been the shortest serving Granada announcer, having been there for just six months,” says Phil.
Dodd, Pamela
Later Pamela Thomson. Pamela joined Granada as an on-screen announcer and newsreader in 1989. She went freelance in 1992 and worked in local TV and radio news (including back at Granada) as Pam Thomson, fitting her career around her family. Pam has a BA from Durham University (German) and a post-grad diploma in Journalism from the University of Central Lancashire.
…Crawford, Tracey
In 1989, Tracey began her career voicing and creating commercials/promotions and producing shows for Northsound Radio in Aberdeen.
…Youens, Bernard
Bernard (Bunny) Youens, was a continuity announcer at Granada for four years in the early 1960s before joining Coronation Street in 1964 as the loveable layabout, Stan Ogden – one half of the famous double act with wife Hilda. Bernard stayed with his Coronation Street role in spite of serious health problems. Sadly, he died in August 1984.
Holness, Bob
Bob was born in Vryheid, Natal in South Africa. The family moved to Kent when he was seven.
…Mash, Maggie
Maggie started her broadcasting career on Forces Radio in Cyprus and then worked for BBC and Independent radio stations throughout the country.
…Kay, Chris
Chris is a former Granada announcer. He joined BBC North West and BBC North (Leeds) for a short time when they had in-vision announcers.
Williams, R.
A former Granada TV announcer.
Mead, J.M.
Former Granada announcer.
Towers, Alan
Alan was born in Liverpool in 1934. His early broadcasting career included stints as a news presenter with Granada Television (1965) and ITN (1966). He was also a reporter on Westward Diary (c. 1966).
…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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