Peter was born in Romford, Essex. He began in print journalism writing for the Yorkshire Post, Daily Mail and Daily Mirror, with only a break for military service as a commissioned officer in the Royal Horse Guards.
…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.
Austin, Wendy
Wendy joined BBC Northern Ireland in November 1976, fresh from her presenting duties on Downtown Radio. She joined the commercial radio station earlier in 1976, following four years as a newspaper journalist: initially with the East Antrim Times (1972 – 1974) and then the Belfast Telegraph (1974 – 1976). Wendy’s BBC career began as a TV reporter but by the 1980s, she was also presenting on Scene Around Six and later, Inside Ulster. She co-presented the BBC NI opt-outs during Children in Need and was also the face of a local supermarket chain’s advertising campaign in the 1980s.
As well as appearing on screen, Wendy was also involved with BBC Radio Ulster’s breakfast programme Good Morning Ulster, from the early 1980s. Since the late-1980s, Wendy has mostly stayed with radio. She has been one of the main presenters on BBC Radio Ulster’s Good Morning Ulster and between 1988 and 1998, she presented nationally on BBC Radio 4, on programmes such as PM, Pick of the Week and Woman’s Hour. However, she did pop up on TV screens occasionally – she took over from former colleague Sean Rafferty as presenter of The DIY Show.
…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.
Escolme, John
John obtained a BA (Hons) in communication, cultural studies and public media from the University of Leeds.
…Mangold, Tom
Tom worked in BBC TV News and Current Affairs since 1964, working initially as a war reporter and later as an investigative journalist, on programmes such as Panorama. He is an international best-selling author and an award-winning travel writer.
…Elwes, Polly
Born Mary Freya Elwes and known as Polly. She attended the Central School of Speech and Drama, now part of the University of London.
…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.
Matheson, Rob
Rob was a continuity director/announcer with BBC Scotland (1995 – July 2008), covering TV and radio. He was also involved in managing the transition from analogue to digital transmission systems. Currently, Rob is a news presenter and reporter for BBC Scotland TV and radio.
He has also worked as a freelance reporter at Westsound FM and presented for QFM. Other posts include: reporter for Stirling Sports Agency, Glasgow; reporter for Slough, Windsor and Eton Observer; reporter/financial editor for Drapers Record business-to-business magazine.
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.
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.
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.