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Newman-Sanders, Sandy

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Sandy was one of the first announcers/newsreader/presenters on Anglia, from 1959. His full name was Cecil Walter Newman-Sanders but he was known as “Sandy” at Anglia. He joined Anglia from the London Planetarium. His previous employment included teaching, fishing and work as a cartoonist! He was Anglia’s first newscaster.

Famous people he interviewed included King Hussein of Jordan, Alf Ramsey, and Morcambe and Wise. He left the newsroom at Anglia in 1965 to become their education officer, and retired c. 1983, aged 74. His hobbies included golf and amateur radio.

Sandy died in 1993, leaving three children, 10 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.

Bacon, John

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Probably Anglia Television’s best-known newscaster, Bacon began his stint at the About Anglia newsdesk – and as a continuity announcer – in 1964. He stayed with the company until the mid to late-1980s. He often shared this duty with colleague Caroline Raison. After retiring, Bacon moved to sunnier climes – Greece.

Wray, Linda

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Linda was born in Bangor, Co Down, and attended the Bangor Central Primary School and Glenlola Collegiate School, Bangor. She started out as an actress, before taking up a news presenting role at BBC Northern Ireland in the 1970s. Although the majority of her time with the BBC was in radio, she did also present the news on screen in the 1970s and 1980s. She was also a TV continuity announcer in the 1970s and early 1980s.

Linda retired from broadcasting in 2010. She read her final news bulletin on BBC Radio Ulster on Saturday 13th March 2010.

At the time of her retirement, colleagues paid tribute. Kathleen Carragher, editor radio news, BBC Radio Ulster, said: “Linda has one of the best voices in broadcasting. She has been a wonderful person to work with over the years and has always been a valued member of the BBC Radio Ulster news team.

“She has worked on some of the busiest news days in Northern Ireland covering the Troubles, the peace process and the return of devolution.

“Throughout this she has delivered her bulletins with an unwavering warmth and clarity. She has become a very familiar voice to our listeners over the years and I’m sure they will miss Linda every bit as much as we will. We wish her every success and happiness in the future.”

Peter Johnston, controller BBC Northern Ireland, commented: “For many, Linda’s voice has been one of the most enduring and familiar on BBC Radio Ulster. She has been on air for many of the pivotal events in Northern Ireland and has always kept her calm and her professionalism. She has played a key role in BBC Radio Ulster’s history and I wish her all the best for the future.”

Nesbitt, Mike

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Mike’s journalistic career began within the BBC’s sports department in the mid-1980s. In 1986, he became one of the regular presenters on BBC Radio Ulster’s breakfast news and current affairs offering, Good Morning Ulster.

In 1990, he moved to PR company Anderson Kenny. By 1992 he had shifted back into regular TV presenting, becoming one of the main anchors on UTV’s regional news programme, Six Tonight. He quickly established himself as one of the key figures within the station’s news department.

However, in February 2006 came the shock announcement that Mike was not renewing his contract with UTV. Speaking at the time, he said: “I have decided to leave because I just feel very strongly that the time has come to move on.

“I believe it is time for a new challenge and I have several projects in the pipeline.

“I will be sorry to leave behind a very fine bunch of journalists, and above all, will miss working with my wife Lynda, who is a key factor in UTV’s success story.”

Other TV credits: Sunday Morning (ITV, 1999 2001), a religious affairs programme, co-presented with his wife Lynda Bryans; Counterpoint, and its successor Insight (UTV, 1992 – early 2000s), a current affairs programme; Home Sweet Home (UTV, 2004 – 2006), a home and garden series, co-presented with wife Lynda.

When he stepped away from on-screen roles, Nesbitt and his wife set up their own independent media services company.

In January 2008, Mike was confirmed as the Victims Commissioners for Northern Ireland – a role established by the Northern Ireland Assembly to highlight the interests of victims of The Troubles. He left that post in February 2010 to stand as a candidate for the Ulster Conservatives and Unionists in the Strangford constituency in the 2010 General Election. He lost out to the Democratic Unionist Party’s Jim Shannon. A year later, Nesbitt stood in the 2011 Northern Ireland Assembly election, again in Strangford. He was elected, along with 5 other MLAs in that constituency. On 31st March 2012, he was elected leader of the Ulster Unionist Party. He remained in that role until 2017.

Leeming, Jan

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Jan was born Janet Atkins in Woolwich, south east London. In 1959 she joined the BBC, initially working in the Programme Correspondence Section, and then as a junior secretary in the Science Unit at Broadcasting House.

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Love, Walter

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Walter joined the BBC in London as a studio manager in 1958. After a year with the BBC in Edinburgh, he moved to Broadcasting House in Belfast, where, after a year, he became a staff announcer. Throughout the 1960s, Walter was the main television news presenter with BBC Northern Ireland. He also looked after the radio continuity operation and presented various radio programmes.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Walter also carried out television continuity duties with BBC Northern Ireland.

In 1978 he went freelance, presenting the magazine programme Day by Day. In the late-1980s, he took up the afternoon slot on BBC Radio Ulster, presenting Love in the Afternoon. He then became the presenter and producer on Love Forty.

In 1998, he was awarded an MBE for his services to broadcasting.