With the current state of regional broadcasting, I don't think we'll ever see another Mike Neville. It was notable when he retired that both Tyne Tees and Look North gave it massive coverage, possibly even both leading their programmes with it.
He was known beyond the North East for his contributions to Nationwide, which I think also included standing in as host of the London based show. In fact I think it was said he was offered that gig and turned it down.
Possibly the only regional presenter to be Gotcha'd, Noel Edmonds always said that they only did people that they liked and it was intended as something of an honour.
One of Britain's most enduring, talented and popular broadcasters, Mike Neville, has died peacefully in hospital at the age of 80. Mike began his television career in 1962 as a Tyne-Tees announcer and newsreader. He went on to host the North-East & Cumbria edition of "Look North" for the BBC from 1964 until returning to Tyne-Tees in 1996 as host of North East Tonight. He was a funny and engaging man, and great company. He'll be sorely missed.
I remember seeing the clip of his Gotcha when he was what he thought was filling in for Wogan showed he was the true professional.
Regional news presenters used to be the celebrities you used to feel a special connection to because they were the only celebrities 50 miles away from your home that no one would know. But these days as everyone on TV personalities become more and more generic and broadcast media gets more and more diluted we probably won't get the likes of him again.