Frank Mitchell and Pamela Ballantine host UTV Life’s final programme, featuring Dancing on Ice star Zoe Salmon, Francis Rossi’s daughter Bernadette, and Kirsten McAlpine giving us the lowdown on this weeks movie releases.
A very understated exit then - nothing mentioned at the start of the programme, just a short 'thank you' at the end, and tears in Pamela's eyes. As presumed, the weather moves to 6.25pm in UTV Live.
So do we know if Pamela is actually leaving UTV now? And what of Alison Fleming and Siobhan McGarry? Will they just revert to news reporting?
I'm certain Frank and Pamela will probably end up being the presenters of this "7.30 Show" when it launches, with Alison, Siobhan, Kirsten, Carolyn Stewart and Julian still making contributions.
Alison will also probably still be relief cover for Lynda and Tina on UTV Live as well, and I'd imagine Alison, Siobhan and perhaps Pamela may still do daytime UTV News bulletins.
Any word on any male relief cover for Paul Clark, or will UTV Live be anchored by two women when Mr Woody is on holiday or not around?
After watching tonight's programme, UTV have a bit of a cheek to say they have a "Weather Centre" - they don't even produce their own weather maps, and non-meteorologist Frankie standing on the roof of Havoc House does not count!
There was sadness as highly-regarded TV show UTV Life bade a low-key farewell, with an understated but poignant finale.
The magazine programme, which aired at 5.30pm each weekday, had become a feature of TV screens over the past decade.
An emotional Pamela Ballantine signed off for the final time on Friday, tearfully telling viewers that yesterday's show would be the last.
Co-host Frank Mitchell was stoic but comforting as he said that he would still be presenting the weather but it would now be at 6.55pm each evening.
UTV Life had a range of presenters and reporters – including Siobhan McGarry and Alison Fleming – who presented a mixture of current affairs and human interest stories with a more relaxed approach.
It offered a lighter alternative to the news and reflected the diversity of life across Ulster.
Jeanie Johnston, who had been the show's editor for nine years, said the programme will be missed.
"Everyone's very sad – the show was like our baby in a way," she said, adding that those who worked on it felt a sense of pride in what it had achieved.
"We think it was a great alternative to the news in Northern Ireland, it gave an opportunity to show a different side of life here. It's a great loss that it's going."
She said her favourite story during the show was teenage singer Eoghan Quigg's rise to fame on the X Factor last year.
"We ended up in his home town of Dungiven every night," she said.
UTV announced last year that the programme would be axed amid news of job cuts across the company, as television regulator Ofcom reduced the amount of shows it was required to produce.
Ms Johnston left UTV at the end of last month, after three decades at the company, one of a number of long-standing employees to take voluntary redundancy.
Ms Johnston said: "It's part of the culture of broadcasting at the moment, with so many channels competing for advertising money."
But she warned that Northern Ireland-made programmes could be squeezed out of existence.
"While there may be more choice, we're losing an important strand of local broadcasting."
UTV managing director Michael Wilson said: "Like all TV stations, UTV is constantly reviewing its output to offer viewers fresh programming.
"Over the years, UTV Life has been a very good production for UTV and has a loyal audience.
"However, we believe the time is right to introduce a new entertainment series aimed at a wider audience which we will announce as soon as our staff have been briefed on our plans."
He added: "We are very proud of our local programming and our commitment to a sustainable level of high quality production for Northern Ireland remains as strong as ever."
Just noticed on the Belfast Telegraph there's a reader's letter praising an article by Don Anderson in last Tuesday's paper about the cutbacks in UTV News (as well as putting the blame on Thames losing their franchise and the IBA being decommissioned and talking about idents and continuity - but that's by the by), but I can't find the actual article on the website.
Does anyone know more about what was said, or if the article is available online elsewhere?
Catching up with last night's "UTV Live", the attempt to mix news and "UTV Life" stories seemed contrived to me; many newsworthy items were only mentioned in brief and could have done with a proper report, but from looking at other websites it seems yesterday was a quiet news day in the Province. Lynda was even more wooden than Paul doing the studio interview as well.
They put Silly Sammy as the "after the break" story where it ought to be, though. Looks like Pamela Ballantine is still around too, as she was on a report about Wedding Week.
"UTV Live" now finishes before the weather forecast, so no two sponsored segments in the main news programme. And SHOUTY FRANK still has his beloved Weather Watching Camera (And SHOUTY FRANK still has his beloved Weather Watching Camera)... and the Weather Watchers.
Also, for probably the first time in 10 years, there was an ident into the ITN Evening News - Gillian did a live announcement into it last night, but how long before a) they do a pre-recorded one or b) there's no announcement at all?
I wonder if the same thing will happen to STV's Five Thirty Show. Seems they made their show with UTV Life in mind as a layout of the show.
Seems that for the first time in a decade Northern Ireland viewers will now at last see network 5pm shows on weeknights. I did find UTV Life interesting, a good alternative to the dreadful depressing news we all get at 6pm, but when UTV would not air network shows in favour of this, it gave UTV viewers no choice, unless you had Sky.
From watching UTV Live the past couple of nights and Logie's reports from San Marino, I've noticed one of those backdrops you see at football matches with sponsor logos had UTV logos on it - a bit audacious considering UTV don't show the matches live, the only likely connection is the person who anchors the live match coverage still does the odd sport story at Havoc House.
Is this the kind of thing UTV are spending the money saved on sacking their long-serving journalists on?
And Sarah Dobson badly needs to turn the volume of her voice down on her "people" stories. I also think they need to stick the UTV News theme on at the end of the programme - but then again, a bit of dead air is a nice space to have before Frank Mitchell talks to you like a two-year old for three minutes.
I also think they need to stick the UTV News theme on at the end of the programme - but then again, a bit of dead air is a nice space to have before Frank Mitchell talks to you like a two-year old for three minutes.
They've played this piece of music a few times recently when UTV Live has ended early. I would agree that they need to play something at the end, it's a pretty crap ending just saying goodnight and then the endcap.
