Steve is a regular sports presenter and commentator for BBC Wales TV and radio. He was also an occasional TV announcer.
Prebble, Simon
In 1960, Simon attended Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London and began his acting career in one of Britain’s first television soap operas, Home Tonight with David Hemmings. For the next eleven years he worked extensively on radio and television and in provincial repertory theatre, including a year with Ian McKellen’s Hamlet.
After working as a continuity announcer and newsreader at Southern TV (1970), Prebble joined the newsroom at Capital Radio, the second commercial radio station in Britain, where he hosted London’s Day. He then embarked on a career as a presenter and voiceover, including thirteen years as the promo voice of Thames Television, as well as regular promo work for HTV and Anglia TV. He was also an announcer for Anglia TV. From 1984 he was the announcer for the British version of the phenomenally successful game show The Price Is Right with Leslie Crowther.
In 1990, Prebble moved to New York where he continued doing voiceover work. As well as recording numerous radio and television commercials, he also character-voiced cartoon series, such as Courage the Cowardly Dog; he hosted and presented several television documentary series, notably Target Mafia; and narrated the IMAX film Endurance about the Shackleton expedition. In 1996, he was a lead actor for a year (as villain Martin Chedwyn) on the American daily soap opera As the World Turns.
In the US, he also began narrating audio books. His work has gained him more than eighteen Earphone awards, nine nominations for the Audies (the audiobook Oscars), and in 2005, he was named Narrator of the Year by Publishers Weekly.
Apart from his acting career, in 1967 Prebble designed and produced the ‘executive toy’ called Newton’s Cradle.
In 2003, at Chiswick House London, he married Swedish graphic artist, Marie-Janine Hellstrom. In 2007, along with his wife, he became a US citizen.
Aziz, Lisa
Lisa is probably best known in her role as anchor on Sky News, where she worked from 1993 until autumn 2005. She began her television career at BBC West television in 1984, working on their regional news programme. In 1985, she switched sides, moving to HTV West as a reporter and presenter, where she remained until c. 1988. She then moved to TV-am, initially in a reporting role, but later becoming a news presenter, taking over from Gordon Honeycombe. Following the demise of TV-am, Lisa worked briefly for BBC World Service Television and the NBC Superchannel before moving to Sky News.
In September 2005, Lisa returned to Bristol, becoming one of the regular co-anchors on ITV West’s The West Tonight. From 16th February 2009, she became co-presenter of the pan-regional news programme The West Country Tonight, which replaced The West Tonight (ITV West) and Westcountry Live (ITV West Country).
…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.
Barbet, Matt
Matt trained at Cardiff’s journalism school. His first broadcasting experience was as a freelance at Red Dragon FM in Cardiff.
In 1999, he joined ITN where he spent two years working for Independent Radio News. In June 2001, Matt moved to the BBC, starting as a reporter on BBC Radio 1’s Newsbeat and later moving to a newsreading role on the Sara Cox Breakfast Show. He was also a reporter for the BBC’s Liquid News.
Matt joined BBC London in 2003. He became a high-profile presenter there, fronting coverage of the July 2007 bombings from King’s Cross. In summer 2007, he made his presenting debut on the BBC Breakfast programme.
On 20th August 2007, it was announced that Matt would be joining Five News as a presenter and correspondent. His first Five News was in November 2007. In February 2011, he was announced as the new presenter of the main 5pm programme, following Natasha Kaplinsky’s departure. On 11th June 2012 came the news that Matt was to leave 5 News to join ITV’s Daybreak. His last day with 5 News was 26th July 2012. He made his debut with Daybreak on 3rd September 2012. On 3rd March 2014, ITV announced that Daybreak would be axed later in the year and replaced by a new programme, Good Morning Britain. Matt finished up with Daybreak on 4th April 2014.
Matt returned as host of 5 News on 28th April 2014. He presented the 6.30pm edition. He also presented The Cycle Show on ITV 4 (2014 – 2015) and The Saturday Show on Channel 5 (2015 – 2016).
In late-2017, Matt departed from 5 News. He presented his final edition on 15th December 2017.
Axton, Ian
Ian presented the pan-regional bulletins for Meridian within GMTV and the south opt-out bulletins late-morning and lunchtime.
Ballantine, Pamela
Pamela’s broadcasting career started off in radio: she read the news on Downtown Radio in the early 1980s. She also presented on BBC Radio Ulster. Pamela’s first appearance on Ulster Television – as a continuity announcer – was in 1984. As part of the announcer’s role, she also read the news.
She left the announcing team around the start of the new franchise period in 1993 and went on to co-anchor the station’s main news programme. She presented the lifestyle and leisure programme UTV Life (1999 – 2009). In May 2009, Pamela returned to UTV’s continuity department, after seventeen years. As well as the announcing role, she was also a relief weather presenter. A year later, her staff contract with the station was not renewed. Press reports claimed UTV had told Ballantine that her role was no longer available and had offered her freelance work which she later accepted.
Pamela continues to freelance at the station and act in an ambassador role. Since 2016, she has presented the new incarnation of UTV Life.
Thomas, Linda
Olumide was born in London. Her name derives from the Yoruba tribe in West Africa and roughly translates as ‘child of God’.
…Lowe, Teresa
Teresa joined the announcing staff on RTÉ One in 1984. She also worked on the new RTÉ Network 2 service. She went on to host the popular Sunday night quiz show Where in the World in the early 1990s. Teresa left TV continuity c. 1992. Her younger sister, Mary Lowe, was also a continuity announcer on RTÉ TV.
Raison, Caroline
Caroline was an announcer with Anglia in the 1970s and 1980s and a newsreader on About Anglia (1977 – 1982), often alternating with veteran John Bacon.
Everett, Kenny
Kenny is a former radio and TV presenter..
…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.
McInerney, Geraldine
Geraldine was an RTÉ continuity announcer in the early 1970s. She went on to became the first woman to read the news on RTÉ Television in October 1975.
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.
…Penny, Daphne
Daphne was a Grampian TV continuity announcer and presenter (1961 – 1965). She presented The Rogies and Romper Room.
Daphne died in 1993.
Moore, Ray
Ray was born in Liverpool. On leaving school his first job was at Liverpool docks.
…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.
Farnham, Jane
Jane started out as ‘Pippa Horn’, the travel and breakfast co-presenter at Red Dragon FM in Cardiff. Whilst working on the breakfast show she was approached by HTV Wales to present Time Out, a holiday programme based in Wales. She then went on to present her own drivetime show at Medway FM in Kent, which also involved producing features and organising competitions and roadshows.
In 1998, Jane started work at Metro Networks presenting travel reports for the Chris Evans breakfast show on Virgin FM and she also landed a job on the continuity sofa at ITV 2.
In May 2000, she started working for Earth and Space at NOW – a pioneering convergence channel broadcasting to Asia and worldwide on the web. The work involved anchoring live science programmes, interviewing guest scientists, writing web pages and occasionally working on location for special reports.
During 2001, Jane worked in Holland and Athens for five weeks at a time directing and presenting travel programmes for a new broadband/linear channel called Viewing 4 Leisure.
In 2002, she worked with Ant and Dec on ITV 1 as a regional presenter on Record of the Year.
In 2004, Jane filmed kids show X-perimental for BBC One. Working as the science reporter, it was Jane’s responsibility to get the science across in an unpatronising, no-nonsense, yet easily understood manner.
Also in 2004, Jane worked as a studio/location presenter for TV Travel Shop, which involved a shoot in America filming Go Florida.
Jane has also worked as a continuity announcer on Channel 5 and Challenge (dates TBC).
Jane is currently a freelance presenter.
She has also worked at Price Drop TV, where she had to talk and sell non-stop for three hours at a time. She has guest-presented on QVC. She is also a children’s presenter for British Forces TV.
Fraser, Kate
Kate was a long-serving Grampian in-vision continuity announcer and local news bulletin presenter. She later joined the STV continuity team in Glasgow and her voice was heard not only on STV, but also in the old Grampian TV area.
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.
Edmunds, John
John was born in Aberystwyth. He attended the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth in the late-1940s and early 1950s, studying English and French.
…Heath, Tina
Tina is a former actress and Blue Peter presenter (BBC One, 1979 – 1980).
…McDougall, Gillean
Gillean was a BBC Scotland TV announcer (April 1987 – April 2015) – 28 years introducing programmes on BBC One Scotland and BBC Two Scotland – surely making her one of the longest-serving announcers in Scotland? She had worked at the BBC since 1980 – previous roles: PA to chief producer, opera, BBC Radio 3 (April 1980 – April 1983); continuity announcer and newsreader, BBC Radio Scotland (April 1983 – April 1987); continuity announcer, BBC Radio 3 (April 1986 – April 1987).
In July 2015, Gillean embarked upon creative writing studies at the University of Glasgow. In September 2017, she was awarded an MLitt (Distinction) in creative writing. In October 2017 she began a doctorate course in creative writing.
Russell, Drew
Drew was a lively Scotsman who was Anglia’s first chief announcer. Russell was the first announcer to be seen on Anglia and he also presented the company’s first programme, Introducing Anglia. He took his turn at reading the daily local news headlines, along with Colin Bower and Newman Sanders.
Drew, who also worked for Scottish Television during the 1960s, has now, sadly, passed away.
Barbour, Sharon
Sharon was brought up in New Zealand. She went to the Australian Film and TV School and worked as a reporter and presenter across Australia and New Zealand.
Her UK broadcasting career began at BBC Radio Humberside. She then joined BBC Radio 4’s File on 4, based in Manchester and the BBC’s Special Documentaries Unit where she worked on stories all around the world.
She later moved to Newcastle and read the Night Network News for BBC Radios Newcastle, Cumbria and Cleveland. Next stop was BBC News 24 where she performed a reporting role.
Sharon went on to present Look North for BBC North East/Cumbria. She’s currently a health correspondent with BBC network news.
Matthews, Lisa
Lisa was a presenter with Swansea Sound, where she worked on the late show. She then joined BBC Wales TV presentation, where she worked as a continuity director/announcer (1997 – TBC). From late-1999, she combined this with presentation for BBC Radio Wales. She fronted After Midnight – a pop video-based show on BBC Choice Wales. She also appeared in-vision on BBC 2W, presenting weather forecasts.
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.
Mayclem, Liam
Liam is a former continuity announcer and news reporter for Channel Television (1989 – 1994). He also reported for the religious news magazine programme Link-Up and produced the station’s Weekend Diary. He later became the channel’s youth features reporter and producer.
Liam moved to the US to host Tomorrow’s World America and a music show, Audiofile, both of which are broadcast across the States on techtv. He later became head of arts and entertainment for KRON TV – an independent television station in San Francisco.
…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.
Ní Ghallchóir, Bernadette
Bernadette was a presenter and continuity announcer on Irish television. She hosted the Irish language show Buntús Cainte in the 1960s. She is probably best remembered for hosting the 1971 Eurovision Song Contest from the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin. Her involvement with Eurovision continued, when in 1973 she hosted National Song Contest.
Bernadette was one of a team of three continuity announcers at the launch of RTÉ 2 in 1978. Raymond Maxwell and Roisin Harkin accompanied Bernadette on opening night.
Bernadette retired from television in the 1980s.
Long, Janice
Janice is a radio and TV presenter.
…Haigh, Peter
Lewis, Bruce
Bruce was a presenter and news reporter for TWW.
Taylor, Shaw
Born Eric Stanley in Hackney, London, Taylor was known professionally by his stage name Shaw throughout his career.
…Thompson, Paul
Paul was a local radio presenter working for Radio Broadland and later Classic Gold Amber in Norwich. He joined Anglia as a freelance announcer in 1994, often covering holidays and sick leave whilst also continuing with his radio career. He had the sad task of stepping in to take the place of Graham Bell after his sudden death in 1997. In 1998, Paul left Anglia to work at The Beach, a radio station in Lowestoft, where he stayed until 2004. He still lives in Norwich.
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.
Rhodes, Pam
Pam is perhaps best known as one of the presenters of the BBC’s Songs of Praise. She was a regular in-vision continuity announcer for London Weekend Television (1981 – TBC). Before that she was an announcer, reporter and presenter for Norwich-based Anglia Television; she co-presented on About Anglia (1976 – 1981).
Before embarking on a career as a presenter, Rhodes was a Black and White Minstrels Show girl, where, she says, she danced up to six miles a night! Fellow Anglia presenter Christine Webber was also a ‘minstrels’ show girl.
Lloyd, Jim
Jim is a former actor. He joined Tyne Tees Television as an announcer (1959) and later took up the same role at ATV (Midlands) (1961). He left to join BBC Birmingham’s Midlands Today as a presenter. In 1964, a meeting with the Spinners gave him his long-term interest in folk music which led him to join BBC Radio 2 in 1969 as a presenter.
Inskip, Gavin
Gavin presents a late-night radio show on Southern FM and also provides continuity announcements on Channel 5.
…Todd, Alan
Alan is a former Scottish and Grampian TV announcer and Radio Clyde DJ. He went on to become a presenter on Grampian and Scottish TV.
Rippon, Angela
Angela was born in Plymouth. On leaving school at 17, she began her journalistic career in newspapers in Devon.
…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.
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.
Hamilton, David
David started his television career as a continuity scriptwriter for ATV, but soon moved to the glamorous side of the camera as an announcer and programme presenter.
…Kelly, Chris
Chris was an Anglia Television continuity announcer (1963) and programme presenter who went on to front popular children’s shows such as Clapperboard (ITV), holiday must-see show Wish You Were Here? (ITV, 1976 – 1987) and gastronaut’s bible, Food and Drink (BBC).
…Pamplin, Kevin
Kevin was a Channel TV announcer and presenter who is best known for his partnership with the station’s birthday greetings mascot, Oscar Puffin.
LeFevre, Steve
Steve was born in Larne, Northern Ireland. His broadcasting career began with BBC Northern Ireland in the early 1980s. He started off as a TV continuity announcer and also read the news on TV and on BBC Radio Ulster. He later fronted many sports programmes for BBC Northern Ireland, such as Grandstand and Sportsnight. He also produced and presented for BBC Radio Ulster.
In the late-1980s, Steve moved to Yorkshire to present a radio talk show on BBC Radio Leeds (for which he won a Sony Gold). Over the years, he has presented on various radio stations, including: BBC Radio Newcastle; BBC Radio Three Counties; BBC Radio WM. He also worked at BBC Radio 5 Live, where he wrote and hosted The Media Show and presented on Late Night Live, and Breakfast.
In the early 1990s, Steve started work with Yorkshire TV as a reporter and presenter. Among the programmes he presented: Calendar, Scoreline, Tonight and Live Lunch.
…Macleod, Lesley
Lesley was a long-serving Grampian Television in-vision continuity announcer (dates TBC) and occasional programme presenter.
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.
…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.
…Kennedy, Mary
Mary was born in 1956 in Clondalkin, Dublin. She was an announcer on RTÉ TV from 1978 until 1992, covering both channels. She moved to the news division, fronting news bulletins on TV and radio from 1992. In 1995 Mary presented the Eurovision Song Contest from Dublin. She went on to become involved in a number of TV productions, including her own Saturday night chat show, Kennedy in 1997. From the late-1990s until 2004, Mary co-hosted the daytime TV programme, Open House. She is now a presenter on the regional magazine programme, Nationwide.
Tracy, Sheila
Born as Sheila Lugg in Mullion, Cornwall. Sheila studied piano, violin and trombone at the Royal Academy of Music.
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