British and Irish TV talent
BBC South West Presenters
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Jim was born in 1950 and worked for the Met Office from 1968 until 1986. BBC TV weatherman from February 1979 until December 1984, when in his last broadcast he moved from the maps to a desk in the corner of the Presentation studio to explain to viewers that he had been promoted within the Met Office so would not be appearing on screen anymore. In 1986, Jim moved to Anglia Television and left the company before its in-house weather department was disbanded in favour of the cheaper option of contracting it out. He is now a freelance meteorology consultant and most recently appeared as a relief weatherman on BBC TV South West.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
David served with the Royal Navy from 1987. He joined the Met Office in 1995 and the BBC Weather Centre in February 1995, initially appearing on the BBC's satellite channels. He was a regular BBC TV forecaster from July 1996 and moved to Plymouth in 2002 to take over from long serving 'Spotlight' weatherman Craig Rich.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
Andy's broadcasting life began with BBC Radio York, where he was a presenter/producer. In the early-1990s, Andy left the Corporation to become the new breakfast presenter on Pirate FM in Cornwall. However, two years later, the BBC asked him back to present the mid morning programme at BBC Radio Cornwall.
In the late-1990s, having spent four years at BBC Radio Cornwall, he opted to spend some time with the 'Spotlight' programme to gain experience in television. He has remained with the programme since then, in a reporting/presenting role.
Fern Britton got her first television job with Westward Television in Plymouth as an in-vision continuity announcer and news reader from 1980. In 1982 she was a presenter on BBC South West's 'Spotlight' and a year later she was a newscaster for BBC TV's 'Breakfast Time'.
She was headhunted by TVS in Southampton by new managing director Greg Dyke in 1985 and became main co-anchor of the nightly news magazine, 'Coast To Coast', with Fred Dinenage. Fern left the company in the early-1990s and was soon back on national television, standing in for Judy Finnigan on ITV's 'This Morning'. She is best known for her role as host of the hit cookery game show 'Ready, Steady, Cook', and is currently co-host with Philip Schofield of ITV's 'This Morning'.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
Clare completed a post-graduate journalism course and subsequently worked as a reporter at BBC local radio stations in Sheffield, Newcastle, Leeds and Wales. She later worked as a producer and presenter. In 1998, she moved to the South West and worked as a news reader and producer for BBC Radio Devon.
In the early-2000s, she joined 'Spotlight' as a reporter. She now also presents on the programme's breakfast, lunchtime and late editions as well as working behind-the-scenes as a producer.
Former local newspaper reporter who became a news reader for BBC Plymouth's 'Spotlight', 1987 - 1988. She was soon snapped up by national bosses who realised her great potential and in April 1988 she was asked to read the news summaries within BBC TV's 'Breakfast Time'. Later, she presented the main programme from 1989 to 1994. She was a BBC TV news reader from February 1989 to February 1999, mostly on the 'Six O'Clock News' and 'News View'.
She also presented 'Holiday', 1993 - 1998 and 'Crimewatch UK'. She was tragically killed on 26 April 1999, and is mourned by many thousands of viewers who loved her charming and easy style of presenting.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
Chris was a BBC 'Look East' presenter from 1976 until 1978. He joined the BBC in Plymouth in 1979 to present 'Spotlight'.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
Teresa joined BBC 'Spotlight' as a presenter in 1990. She left the programme in December 2005 to spend more time with her family.
Sue was poached from BBC TV South West's 'Spotlight' news programme in the mid-1980s to co-host 'Today', TSW's flagship news programme, with Chris Rogers. Ironically, Chris left a few months later to anchor 'Spotlight', so the Beeb got its revenge! Shortly afterwards, 'Today' was relaunched again as 'TSW Today' with a new set and titles, and Sue became the main anchor, assisted by Dominic Heale at the news desk, and Pete Barraclough on sport.
Sue was visibly upset by the loss of the TSW franchise, and was quite emotional during the final minutes of the last 'TSW Today' programme on 31 December 1992. She bounced back, and a few months later could be found up the M5 in Bristol, co-hosting 'HTV News' with veteran newsman Bruce Hockin. Sue recently hosted HTV West's 'Gardening Calendar' and 'A Taste Of The West'.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
Sue is a former BBC TV South West 'Spotlight' presenter (1970 - 1972) who found national fame as one of the regular hosts of 'Nationwide' for eleven years from 1972.
Born in Dudley in the West Midlands in July 1946, Sue started her career as a trainee journalist with the Western Mail and the South Wales Echo in Cardiff. She joined the BBC in 1970 and later presented the 'Nine O'Clock News' and the 'Six O'Clock News'.
She regularly presented programmes on BBC TV, and has stood in as presenter on 'Question Time' and 'Wogan', among many others.
In 1988, Sue took over as host of BBC Radio 4's 'Desert Island Discs'. In April 2006, she announced that she would be leaving the programme in August 2006.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
Sandi was a presenter on BBC South West's 'Spotlight' in the mid-1980s and BBC 'Points West' in the late-1980s. She was also a relief BBC TV news reader on 'News After Noon' from May 1983 until July 1983 and again from April 1984 until September 1984.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
Gillian Miles was a continuity announcer with TSW in the 1980s. She also presented on BBC 'Points West' (dates TBC) and BBC 'Spotlight' (late-1990s/early-2000s).Juliet started as a reporter and presenter with BBC South West's 'Spotlight' programme (1988 - 1990).
In 1990, she became a presenter with CBBC's 'Newsround'. In 1995, she moved to national news presenting, fronting the sports news segments on 'BBC Breakfast News'.
Juliet later became associated with many television productions, working both as a presenter and reporter: 'Here And Now' (BBC); 'The Travel Show' (BBC); '999' (BBC); 'Good Food Show'; 'Vintage And Veteran' (Meridian); 'The Heaven And Earth Show' (2001, BBC); 'House Detectives' (BBC); 'Panorama' (BBC); 'Unchartered Territory' (BBC); '2000 Today' (BBC).
Long serving weatherman on BBC South West's 'Spotlight', from 1978 until 2002. In retirement Craig still presented the weather occasionally, standing in for David Braine.
Angela started her journalistic career in newspapers in Devon and later became an established TV reporter/presenter with BBC Plymouth's 'Spotlight' programme (1966 - 1969). She also presented on BBC 'Points West' (dates TBC).
Westward headhunted her to edit and present its new women's interest programming. She edited a new programme for women, 'Open House', and also produced some children's programming, including 'Young Eyes', which gave fellow WTV presenter David Rodgers his big break on TV.
Angela was also seconded to report and present for 'Westward Diary' and stayed with the company for four years before leaving to pursue a high profile national broadcasting career.
She moved to London and joined BBC TV as a home reporter, 1973 - 1975, then moved into newsreading from August 1974 until January 1981. Presenter BBC TV's 'The Antiques Roadshow', 1980 - 1981. She helped set up TV-am as one of the original "Famous Five", but left after a bitter boardroom battle shortly after the company started in 1983.
Afterwards she worked for a while in America and returned to the UK to present a wide range of programmes, including quiz shows and holiday programmes. From 1988 - 1991 she presented the long running 'Come Dancing' series and more recently has reported for the BBC TV's 'Watchdog Healthcheck'. She also presents the breakfast programme on LBC radio in London. And who could ever forget that famous dancing sketch on the 'Morecambe And Wise Christmas Show' in the late-1970s?
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
Chris reported and presented for Border Television from 1979 until 1982 before moving to TSW in Plymouth where he became the main anchorman when 'Today South West' was relaunched as 'Today' in 1986.
A heavyweight reporter with a penchant for political stories, Chris co-hosted the revamped programme with Sue King, recently headhunted from the BBC in Plymouth, for several months, but then left to host the rival BBC 'Spotlight'. Chris fronted the BBC show for a couple of years in the early-1990s, but was replaced by Russell Labey.
Chris remained with BBC South West as political editor, hosting the regular Sunday lunchtime local political programme, and reporting politics for 'Spotlight'.
Chris' last appearance on TSW was as a guest on the final edition of 'TSW Today'.
Valerie presented 'Spotlight' for BBC South West in the early-1990s.Hugh was a presenter on BBC 'Spotlight' from 1968 until 1978.
Sheila was a presenter on BBC TV South West's 'Spotlight' in 1960/1961. She was a BBC TV in-vision announcer from 1961 until 1963 and a presenter on the BBC Light Programme in 1963.
She was a BBC Radio 4/Radio 2 announcer from 1973 - TBC and a presenter on BBC Radio 2 from 1977 onwards. She also voiced BBC TV presentation trails.
One of Ali's first jobs was as a bus driver in Bath. She later studied for a degree in media studies in Coventry. Subsequent jobs included working as a secretary in the BBC director general's office at Television Centre in London and working in the community unit at the BBC in Bath.
However, fame on the airwaves wasn't far away; Ali joined BBC Radio Bristol as an early morning presenter. She then made the move to television, joining BBC South West's 'Spotlight' as a reporter and presenter.
Ali currently presents on 'Weekend West' every Saturday morning on BBC Radio Bristol as well as reporting and presenting for BBC 'Points West'.
