Kennedy, Sheila

Born in 1936, Sheila Kennedy began her career as a theatre actress and dancer, appearing for eighteen months in the Drury Lane production of The King and I.

Following a two-year run in Salad Days, she auditioned as a singer for the newly launched Westward Television but was instead offered a position as the station’s first female presenter.

Kennedy proved immensely popular with viewers during her decade-long tenure from 1961, becoming closely associated with the puppet character Gus Honeybun.

She also contributed articles to Look Westward, the station’s local television listings magazine.

Shortly before Westward Television’s closure, Kennedy was interviewed by Roger Shaw for 20 Years of Westward Television (21st December 1981).

In 1961, Kennedy became ABC Television’s first female announcer, working at both the Manchester and Birmingham studios.

She relocated south in 1968 to join Thames Television as part of its launch team of announcers, alongside Philip Elsmore and David Hamilton.

Kennedy was on duty to introduce children’s programmes on Thames Television’s opening day (30th July 1968).

When ITV began colour broadcasting on 15th November 1969, she served as the station’s ‘colour girl’.

She remained with Thames until 1976.

Her television credits include:

• Redcap (as TV Girl Announcer, 1964)
• Pastures of the Blue Crane (1969)
• Menace (1970)

In August 1969, Kennedy married Tom Singleton, director of the Centre for Educational Television Overseas.

Her date of death is unknown.

Personal information

Clips of Sheila on The TV Room

Sheila may be featured in video/audio clips on our other websites. Click the links below to display a listing (a 404 error will appear if no clips are found):

Rewind | Clean Feed

Online presence

Acknowledgements