The Newsroom

BBC News: Presenters & Rotas

(April 2008)

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IT
itsrobert Founding member
Steve Williams posted:
itsrobert posted:
And at weekends, despite having done the lunchtime and teatime bulletins, she would always be replaced for the late news by Lewis, Witchell, Sissons or Buerk.


That was because, after the 1988 revamp of the Nine O'Clock News, they wanted to get the senior anchors - Buerk and Lewis up to 1994, than Buerk and Sissons - doing the main bulletin seven days a week, so someone like Moira Stuart or Chris Lowe would do all the bulletins at the weekend before the flagship bulletin had its own presenter. I can't remember when they stopped doing that, presumably around the start of the noughties because I think it had certainly stopped when Huw Edwards and Fiona Bruce became the senior figures.

Thanks for explaining that, Steve. I can certainly remember that scenario lasting for the first year or two of the new look BBC News in May 1999. In fact I think there's a clip on TV Ark of Sian Williams presenting a weekend early evening bulletin and ending by saying Peter Sissons would be presenting the late bulletin. And that fits in with what my own recollection is. It had certainly stopped by 2001, if not 2000. At that time, though, I can't remember whether anyone senior other than Sissons did the late weekend bulletins. I can only remember Michael Buerk presenting the weekday Nine/Ten during the china red and cream era, but not weekends. My only recollection is of Peter Sissons (usually alongside Rob Bonnet on sport). And Martyn Lewis had departed by then.

Steve Williams posted:
I'm thinking that when they said she'd presented every bulletin apart from the Ten O'Clock News, however, they probably counted News After Noon as the One O'Clock News.

I was just about to say that, too. I think that quote about Moira having presented every BBC News programme should be fairly loosely interpreted. Like Steve says, I don't think they'd distinguish between News After Noon and the One O'Clock News; they'd likely just see that as the "lunchtime news". It also starts getting tricky when you take into account BBC News programmes like Newsnight, which I can't remember her presenting either. She definitely did present for a short time on BBC News 24 (during the breakfast slot I think) but then, did she ever present on BBC World? I really don't think so, but could be wrong. So, I'd take it with a pinch of salt. I think the only way it could be true is if you only take into account domestic BBC1 news bulletins and make no distinction between the evolution of programme names.
TV
TVN
itsrobert posted:
Steve Williams posted:
itsrobert posted:
And at weekends, despite having done the lunchtime and teatime bulletins, she would always be replaced for the late news by Lewis, Witchell, Sissons or Buerk.


That was because, after the 1988 revamp of the Nine O'Clock News, they wanted to get the senior anchors - Buerk and Lewis up to 1994, than Buerk and Sissons - doing the main bulletin seven days a week, so someone like Moira Stuart or Chris Lowe would do all the bulletins at the weekend before the flagship bulletin had its own presenter. I can't remember when they stopped doing that, presumably around the start of the noughties because I think it had certainly stopped when Huw Edwards and Fiona Bruce became the senior figures.

Thanks for explaining that, Steve. I can certainly remember that scenario lasting for the first year or two of the new look BBC News in May 1999. In fact I think there's a clip on TV Ark of Sian Williams presenting a weekend early evening bulletin and ending by saying Peter Sissons would be presenting the late bulletin. And that fits in with what my own recollection is. It had certainly stopped by 2001, if not 2000. At that time, though, I can't remember whether anyone senior other than Sissons did the late weekend bulletins. I can only remember Michael Buerk presenting the weekday Nine/Ten during the china red and cream era, but not weekends. My only recollection is of Peter Sissons (usually alongside Rob Bonnet on sport). And Martyn Lewis had departed by then.

Steve Williams posted:
I'm thinking that when they said she'd presented every bulletin apart from the Ten O'Clock News, however, they probably counted News After Noon as the One O'Clock News.

I was just about to say that, too. I think that quote about Moira having presented every BBC News programme should be fairly loosely interpreted. Like Steve says, I don't think they'd distinguish between News After Noon and the One O'Clock News; they'd likely just see that as the "lunchtime news". It also starts getting tricky when you take into account BBC News programmes like Newsnight, which I can't remember her presenting either. She definitely did present for a short time on BBC News 24 (during the breakfast slot I think) but then, did she ever present on BBC World? I really don't think so, but could be wrong. So, I'd take it with a pinch of salt. I think the only way it could be true is if you only take into account domestic BBC1 news bulletins and make no distinction between the evolution of programme names.


For a while after the 2003 revamp where Buerk and Sissons retired, Fiona Bruce would present the Sunday 10. Generally Darren Jordan would do all of the Saturday bulletins.

For a good while (during the cream era and a few years beyond) the ten had only had six presenters (not counting co-anchors when the main anchor was on location). These were Huw, Fiona, Gavin, Peter Michael and Stephen Cole. I think George Alagiah first presented towards the end of 2004 (until then Buerk/Sissonss had come out of retirement to stand in) and later Natasha Kaplinsky became the second woman to present the programme. Since Sophie, Emily, Darren Jordan, Sian, Nicholas and Chris (possibly Jane Hill/ Ben Brown?) have presented at least one edition.

Trivia Question: Bill Turnbull has only appeared as a 'lead' anchor on a main bulletin once. What programme?
GM
Gary McEwan
TVN posted:
itsrobert posted:
Steve Williams posted:
itsrobert posted:
And at weekends, despite having done the lunchtime and teatime bulletins, she would always be replaced for the late news by Lewis, Witchell, Sissons or Buerk.


That was because, after the 1988 revamp of the Nine O'Clock News, they wanted to get the senior anchors - Buerk and Lewis up to 1994, than Buerk and Sissons - doing the main bulletin seven days a week, so someone like Moira Stuart or Chris Lowe would do all the bulletins at the weekend before the flagship bulletin had its own presenter. I can't remember when they stopped doing that, presumably around the start of the noughties because I think it had certainly stopped when Huw Edwards and Fiona Bruce became the senior figures.

Thanks for explaining that, Steve. I can certainly remember that scenario lasting for the first year or two of the new look BBC News in May 1999. In fact I think there's a clip on TV Ark of Sian Williams presenting a weekend early evening bulletin and ending by saying Peter Sissons would be presenting the late bulletin. And that fits in with what my own recollection is. It had certainly stopped by 2001, if not 2000. At that time, though, I can't remember whether anyone senior other than Sissons did the late weekend bulletins. I can only remember Michael Buerk presenting the weekday Nine/Ten during the china red and cream era, but not weekends. My only recollection is of Peter Sissons (usually alongside Rob Bonnet on sport). And Martyn Lewis had departed by then.

Steve Williams posted:
I'm thinking that when they said she'd presented every bulletin apart from the Ten O'Clock News, however, they probably counted News After Noon as the One O'Clock News.

I was just about to say that, too. I think that quote about Moira having presented every BBC News programme should be fairly loosely interpreted. Like Steve says, I don't think they'd distinguish between News After Noon and the One O'Clock News; they'd likely just see that as the "lunchtime news". It also starts getting tricky when you take into account BBC News programmes like Newsnight, which I can't remember her presenting either. She definitely did present for a short time on BBC News 24 (during the breakfast slot I think) but then, did she ever present on BBC World? I really don't think so, but could be wrong. So, I'd take it with a pinch of salt. I think the only way it could be true is if you only take into account domestic BBC1 news bulletins and make no distinction between the evolution of programme names.


For a while after the 2003 revamp where Buerk and Sissons retired, Fiona Bruce would present the Sunday 10. Generally Darren Jordan would do all of the Saturday bulletins.

For a good while (during the cream era and a few years beyond) the ten had only had six presenters (not counting co-anchors when the main anchor was on location). These were Huw, Fiona, Gavin, Peter Michael and Stephen Cole. I think George Alagiah first presented towards the end of 2004 (until then Buerk/Sissonss had come out of retirement to stand in) and later Natasha Kaplinsky became the second woman to present the programme. Since Sophie, Emily, Darren Jordan, Sian, Nicholas and Chris (possibly Jane Hill/ Ben Brown?) have presented at least one edition.

Trivia Question: Bill Turnbull has only appeared as a 'lead' anchor on a main bulletin once. What programme?


He's done the 6pm with Sophie Raworth back in 2003 also appeared on News 24 back in 1999.
HJ
Harry James
Gaz McEwan posted:
TVN posted:
itsrobert posted:
Steve Williams posted:
itsrobert posted:
And at weekends, despite having done the lunchtime and teatime bulletins, she would always be replaced for the late news by Lewis, Witchell, Sissons or Buerk.


That was because, after the 1988 revamp of the Nine O'Clock News, they wanted to get the senior anchors - Buerk and Lewis up to 1994, than Buerk and Sissons - doing the main bulletin seven days a week, so someone like Moira Stuart or Chris Lowe would do all the bulletins at the weekend before the flagship bulletin had its own presenter. I can't remember when they stopped doing that, presumably around the start of the noughties because I think it had certainly stopped when Huw Edwards and Fiona Bruce became the senior figures.

Thanks for explaining that, Steve. I can certainly remember that scenario lasting for the first year or two of the new look BBC News in May 1999. In fact I think there's a clip on TV Ark of Sian Williams presenting a weekend early evening bulletin and ending by saying Peter Sissons would be presenting the late bulletin. And that fits in with what my own recollection is. It had certainly stopped by 2001, if not 2000. At that time, though, I can't remember whether anyone senior other than Sissons did the late weekend bulletins. I can only remember Michael Buerk presenting the weekday Nine/Ten during the china red and cream era, but not weekends. My only recollection is of Peter Sissons (usually alongside Rob Bonnet on sport). And Martyn Lewis had departed by then.

Steve Williams posted:
I'm thinking that when they said she'd presented every bulletin apart from the Ten O'Clock News, however, they probably counted News After Noon as the One O'Clock News.

I was just about to say that, too. I think that quote about Moira having presented every BBC News programme should be fairly loosely interpreted. Like Steve says, I don't think they'd distinguish between News After Noon and the One O'Clock News; they'd likely just see that as the "lunchtime news". It also starts getting tricky when you take into account BBC News programmes like Newsnight, which I can't remember her presenting either. She definitely did present for a short time on BBC News 24 (during the breakfast slot I think) but then, did she ever present on BBC World? I really don't think so, but could be wrong. So, I'd take it with a pinch of salt. I think the only way it could be true is if you only take into account domestic BBC1 news bulletins and make no distinction between the evolution of programme names.


For a while after the 2003 revamp where Buerk and Sissons retired, Fiona Bruce would present the Sunday 10. Generally Darren Jordan would do all of the Saturday bulletins.

For a good while (during the cream era and a few years beyond) the ten had only had six presenters (not counting co-anchors when the main anchor was on location). These were Huw, Fiona, Gavin, Peter Michael and Stephen Cole. I think George Alagiah first presented towards the end of 2004 (until then Buerk/Sissonss had come out of retirement to stand in) and later Natasha Kaplinsky became the second woman to present the programme. Since Sophie, Emily, Darren Jordan, Sian, Nicholas and Chris (possibly Jane Hill/ Ben Brown?) have presented at least one edition.

Trivia Question: Bill Turnbull has only appeared as a 'lead' anchor on a main bulletin once. What programme?


He's done the 6pm with Sophie Raworth back in 2003 also appeared on News 24 back in 1999.


6 O'clock


News 24
DS
Dan S
TVN posted:


For a while after the 2003 revamp where Buerk and Sissons retired, Fiona Bruce would present the Sunday 10. Generally Darren Jordan would do all of the Saturday bulletins.

For a good while (during the cream era and a few years beyond) the ten had only had six presenters (not counting co-anchors when the main anchor was on location). These were Huw, Fiona, Gavin, Peter Michael and Stephen Cole. I think George Alagiah first presented towards the end of 2004 (until then Buerk/Sissonss had come out of retirement to stand in) and later Natasha Kaplinsky became the second woman to present the programme. Since Sophie, Emily, Darren Jordan, Sian, Nicholas and Chris (possibly Jane Hill/ Ben Brown?) have presented at least one edition.

Trivia Question: Bill Turnbull has only appeared as a 'lead' anchor on a main bulletin once. What programme?


Gavin? Are you referring to Gavin Esler? When has he done the Ten in the past?

Stephen Cole - to my mind, the only time he's ever presented the Ten was during BBC strike action in May 2005.

George Alagiah - I'm pretty sure he presented the Ten before the end of 2004. I think there's a clip lurking around somewhere from the end of the Six O' Clock News c.2000, where Huw tells us that George Alagiah will have more at ten o' clock, or something along those lines. Or this may have been when it was still the Nine O' Clock News, as I'm fairly certain that George presented the Nine occasionally between May 1999 and October 2000, during the same period he was deputy to Anna Ford on the One.

Did George ever present the Six before he became main co-presenter in early 2003?
GM
Gary McEwan
Dan S posted:
TVN posted:


For a while after the 2003 revamp where Buerk and Sissons retired, Fiona Bruce would present the Sunday 10. Generally Darren Jordan would do all of the Saturday bulletins.

For a good while (during the cream era and a few years beyond) the ten had only had six presenters (not counting co-anchors when the main anchor was on location). These were Huw, Fiona, Gavin, Peter Michael and Stephen Cole. I think George Alagiah first presented towards the end of 2004 (until then Buerk/Sissonss had come out of retirement to stand in) and later Natasha Kaplinsky became the second woman to present the programme. Since Sophie, Emily, Darren Jordan, Sian, Nicholas and Chris (possibly Jane Hill/ Ben Brown?) have presented at least one edition.

Trivia Question: Bill Turnbull has only appeared as a 'lead' anchor on a main bulletin once. What programme?


Gavin? Are you referring to Gavin Esler? When has he done the Ten in the past?

Stephen Cole - to my mind, the only time he's ever presented the Ten was during BBC strike action in May 2005.

George Alagiah - I'm pretty sure he presented the Ten before the end of 2004. I think there's a clip lurking around somewhere from the end of the Six O' Clock News c.2000, where Huw tells us that George Alagiah will have more at ten o' clock, or something along those lines. Or this may have been when it was still the Nine O' Clock News, as I'm fairly certain that George presented the Nine occasionally between May 1999 and October 2000, during the same period he was deputy to Anna Ford on the One.

Did George ever present the Six before he became main co-presenter in early 2003?


Yeah George Alagiah did the 6pm in July 2003 with Sophie but don't think he did it before that, also did various weekend bulletins in 2000.
HJ
Harry James
[quote="Dan S" pid="835155"]
TVN posted:

Did George ever present the Six before he became main co-presenter in early 2003?


AP
aprilj
[quote="Harry James" pid="835158"]
Dan S posted:
TVN posted:

Did George ever present the Six before he became main co-presenter in early 2003?




That doesn't answer his question. He said BEFORE he became co-presenter. You've posted a video of him during his time as co-presenter.

Anyway, I don't think George Alagiah appeared before 2003. For some reason though I think he appeared on the Ten O'Clock News though, and was deputy on the One O'Clock News.
DS
Dan S
Gaz McEwan posted:


Yeah George Alagiah did the 6pm in July 2003 with Sophie but don't think he did it before that, also did various weekend bulletins in 2000.


Yeah, I think George was a regular presenter of the early evening weekend/bank holiday bulletins in the 99-03 era, along with Sian Williams. There's clips of both of them doing it if you scroll down about 2/3 of the way on this TV Ark page:

http://www2.tv-ark.org.uk/news/bbcnews/news.html

Here's an image of George presenting the Nine in 99/00. Can't find anything of him doing the Ten around this time:

http://thetvroom.com/images/pool-0/072-b/main-12.jpg
From The TV Room
SW
Steve Williams
itsrobert posted:
I can only remember Michael Buerk presenting the weekday Nine/Ten during the china red and cream era, but not weekends. My only recollection is of Peter Sissons (usually alongside Rob Bonnet on sport). And Martyn Lewis had departed by then.


Martyn Lewis would have stopped doing the news at the weekends when he moved off the Nine O'Clock News at the beginning of 1994. Of course that was around the time he did his "good news" stuff and it was said at the time that when he asked to be moved off the Nine they couldn't find him anything to do apart from Breakfast News, but in the end he was moved to the Six. I think his only appearance at the weekend after that was 30th and 31st August 1997, which of course wasn't scheduled, it was presumably his weekend to be on standby in case of breaking news.

I think you're right to say Buerk seemed to stop doing the weekends - looking at my Radio Times in 2002, Peter Sissons did it quite frequently, and indeed he was scheduled to do the Saturday night news on the day the Queen Mother died. I remember just after the revamp in 1999, Nicholas Witchell seemed to be a regular stand-in, I think on both the Nine and at the weekend, for the first time in about a decade.

As for George Alagiah, one bulletin I do remember him doing was the Sunday bulletin the night before the Nine moved to Ten in 2000, because of course that was the day the Sunday night bulletin was officially fixed at 10pm and followed by Panorama. I think he was indeed the regular stand-in on the Nine/Ten at the time. But then from 2002 he did the BBC4 News.
DS
Dan S
Another question about George Alagiah - had he any prior experience of presenting before becoming deputy on the One in May 1999, such as making appearances on BBC World or BBC News 24? Or was he promoted straight from being a correspondent to a presenter overnight, similar to Huw Edwards (I know Huw was a relief presenter on the Six/Newsnight since about 1994). I can't seem to find anything of him presenting in the virtual era.
CH
chris
TVN posted:


Trivia Question: Bill Turnbull has only appeared as a 'lead' anchor on a main bulletin once. What programme?


That's not true. He presented at least a second time with Sophie (I have a clip somewhere of the pair at the desk but on opposite sides) and he's presented the Six with Sian before too.

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