Could go in the London Tonight thread, but fits in here too.
Quote:
Natasha Kaplinsky, the former BBC and Channel 5 newsreader, is to take an interim role at ITV presenting London Tonight and national network news programmes.
Kaplinsky, who became the highest-paid newsreader in Britain when she signed a deal in 2007 to defect from the BBC to Channel 5 on a reported deal of £1m a year, left the Richard Desmond-owned broadcaster at the end of last year.
ITV has hired Kaplinsky to cover the maternity leave of newsreader Nina Hossain and will pick up her pattern of shifts anchoring ITV London Tonight from mid-September.
She will also present some ITV network news programmes on an ad hoc basis through to spring next year when Hossain is expected to return to work.
"I am very much enjoying being part of ITV's lineup, and thrilled to be returning to my first love, news," said Kaplinsky, who presents celebrity talent contest Born To Shine on ITV1. "This is an exciting chance to work with the talented team in the ITV newsroom."
Kaplinsky is arguably best known for presenting BBC programmes including BBC Breakfast and the Six O'Clock News, although she has also previously presented ITV regional news and Sky News.
Good choice I suppose. I wouldn't be surprised if she ends up staying more permantly. Since Katie Derham left they have had one less "face." I imagine she'll mainly do the Lunchtime news, but will be intresting to see whether she turns up on News at Ten!!
Natasha is a really good signing and ITV News could do with some fresh faces. I'm sick of seeing Alastair Stewart or Mary Nightingale whenever I put ITV News on. It may only be temporary for now but when Nina returns I imagine they will split the job in some agreement. She won't want the massive work load and Natasha can't be bothered working full time.
I'm surprised they didn't offer it to Andrea Benfield though, with her picking up 3-4 lunchtime news bulletins and 1 or 2 later bulletins per week when Nina returns. She'll leave Wales Tonight for ITV News sooner or later and it would have been a good opportunity for her to make the jump.
Agreed. This will be absolutely disastrous for ITV News. She has the authority and credibility of a piece of fluff. Julie Etchingham was an excellent singing as she's a reputable journalist and has been brilliant so far at ITN. Kaplinsky, on the other hand, is so lightweight it's untrue. I eventually came to loathe her when she presented Breakfast and the Six O'Clock News and was thoroughly delighted when she moved to Five News. I haven't seen her since that time and I don't plan to now. Yet another reason to avoid ITV News...
Hmm - not sure how I feel about this. We have had some very good news about reporter signings lately... but this appointment isn't great news at all. Let's hope they relegate her to the Lunchtime News.
Agreed. This will be absolutely disastrous for ITV News.
She has the authority and credibility of a piece of fluff.
Julie Etchingham was an excellent singing as she's a reputable journalist and has been brilliant so far at ITN. Kaplinsky, on the other hand, is so lightweight it's untrue. I eventually came to loathe her when she presented Breakfast and the Six O'Clock News and was thoroughly delighted when she moved to Five News. I haven't seen her since that time and I don't plan to now. Yet another reason to avoid ITV News...
Agreed completely. Beautiful description, by the way (!)
Clearly ITV News have gone for the name rather than the talent who could easily cover London Tonight. I thought Andrea Benfield might get Nina's national cover after her recent cover on the network, with Ben on LT.
Agreed. This will be absolutely disastrous for ITV News. She has the authority and credibility of a piece of fluff. Julie Etchingham was an excellent singing as she's a reputable journalist and has been brilliant so far at ITN. Kaplinsky, on the other hand, is so lightweight it's untrue. I eventually came to loathe her when she presented Breakfast and the Six O'Clock News and was thoroughly delighted when she moved to Five News. I haven't seen her since that time and I don't plan to now. Yet another reason to avoid ITV News...
Shes not that bad and certainly a lot better than a lot of current ITV newsreaders. There are better but shes good publicity for ITV News because shes probably the most well known newsreader of the last decade. They could have been sensible and given it to Andrea, brought Emma back from Five News or given Helen Fospero the job as Peter Fincham likes her but they've opted for the name. Its only lunchtime news and London Tonight with the occasional later bulletin, you don't have to be Paxman to present those.
It's shocking how she ruined her career, she went for the money, left the world news leader BBC for a fluff news show and now she's replacement on a local news show.
