ITV London Tonight

Well I wonder if there is any chance of this happening in other regions?, Here in Granada before the spending review I remember a few days there was a sole presenter and the other would be out on location however this may be due to the increasing number of staff leaving. Do we know if Ben is staying with LT? Also do we know if/when Fay Barker is returning I know maternity leave varies but she went off round about February so she may be back soon? As for Houses point about Charlene not being able to cover there’s a pool of presenters on that 5:30 (Sagneta, Steve, Ali, John, and Sian). Geraint covered a few months ago he could even be cover.

I think you misunderstood me, Ginofish. I was actually saying it would make sense for them to only need Charlene (and possibly Faye in the future) and Ben to cover for Nina, as a single headed bulletin requires fewer relief presenters.

Faye Barker tweeted recently that she'd be back in the near future. However this does seem to be a cost factor. The overnight morning news/London Daybreak shift has been all freelancers for a while. Moving Charlene back to mornings should cut the freelancers bill a bit.

However I don't see how copying BBC London News's one presenter format will work, when it's the padding that lets London Tonight down compared to it's BBC rival.

Apology’s House



I Dont rellay agree with this format either the regional news is slightly more relaxed and part of that is the relationship between the presenters now having seen Ben and Nina on occasion I thought they were great together i think its more to do with either Costs or with the amount of on - screen staff rather than copying Riz Lateef.

I think its an interesting decision to go down to one presenter (apparently aimed at making the bulletin more serious with less sofa-banter and more time for developing the role of specialist correspondents). And I think Nina’s a good choice too (although I wonder how she feels about having left the local news on BBC London to present network bulletins on ITV1, only to then go back to regional news on ITV1).

And am I right in thinking this makes London the only regional bulletin on ITV1 to have a single presenter (excluding Daybreak, Summaries & Weekends)?

Yeah you are

By the way, makes sure your ears are clean for London Tonight. You might hear something new...

A national news-style voiceover at the start of the programme

Just heard 'God' on LT.

I think Central Tonight still use a voiceover as well?

And I presume it's the new voiceover by the same guy who does the main ITV News voiceover.

Nina will continue to present some networked bulletins, she was originally only meant to be maternity cover for Mary Nitingale, and she continued to be a fill in presenter afterwards, she has now been given her own bulletin.

Yep, that's right