G Honeybun's posts, page 3

ITV Regional Variations in the 70s and 80s

I live in the HTV West area and loved Prisoner. Someone I worked with around 1994 / 95 had moved down from the Central region so was telling me how good it was going to get with the introduction of characters like Rita Connors. But she also warned it was coming to an end soon!

I then went away to uni in the Meridian region and couldnt believe how far they were behind. My mum used to tape the HTV editions of Prisoner and post them down to me. Think it was shown Tuesday and Thursday at 11.40pm at that time.

Gutted when it ended in 1996. HTV even did special trailers announcing it was coming to an end which I should still have on VHS

South West England & CI Thread

Why is it nosey?

Just wondered if they have found other work in TV or have changed careers.

Normally Kate does one weekend and Peter the next. That can't pay the bills!

South West England & CI Thread

Yes left in August - think he struggled with the commute to Bristol.

Would have got a nice pay-off as he was one of the original Westcountry members.

South West England & CI Thread

I also often wonder what Kate, Peter and Dan get up to between their occasional weekend weather shifts.

I was surprised to see Ruth Wignall do the West weather the other day. I thought one of the three mentioned above would've done it, especially as Ruth only did the pan-regional map. I think ITV West/ Westcountry is the only region to have 2 full-time forecasters, so surely Bob and Alex shouldn't be allowed to have the same time off!

ITV West now has new weather sponsorship - Braces Bread. Their previous sponsorship, Jackpot City Bingo only lasted about a month. Did they go bust?

First appearance tonight of new sport reporter Matthius Kurst (ex Border TV) who has replaced Mark Tyler. Did a live report from Cheltenham FC. Not too impressed, but give him time - he got the job over ex-ITV West and Setanta Lisa Knights and ex-Westcountry Jeff Welch

South West England & CI Thread

No, it was the pan-regional version which was a mixture of the West and Westcountry titles.

An awful bulletin though. Top story briefly mentioned over some library pictures that a woman had died after falling off a cliff in Devon. Then the next report was pointless - just some voxpops asking people if they knew where their kids were in the evening - thats not news!! Sport was next which will obviously take up most of the bulletin with so many teams to cover, then a lighter news story about a restaurant paying customers to eat there. But rather than any more news they showed that annoying Hard Times trailer. Was it really such a quiet news day in both West and Westcountry regions?!

South West England & CI Thread

No, it was the pan-regional version which was a mixture of the West and Westcountry titles.

An awful bulletin though. Top story briefly mentioned over some library pictures that a woman had died after falling off a cliff in Devon. Then the next report was pointless - just some voxpops asking people if they knew where their kids were in the evening - thats not news!! Sport was next which will obviously take up most of the bulletin with so many teams to cover, then a lighter news story about a restaurant paying customers to eat there. But rather than any more news they showed that annoying Hard Times trailer. Was it really such a quiet news day in both West and Westcountry regions?!

ITV wants to axe some regional news services

Now ITV are only having the one regional bulletin per day at the weekends, they should be made to show it at a decent time.

Todays local news is on now - 3.35pm then its a Scooby Doo film, then the ITV news at 5.20.

Why couldnt the local news be on at 5.05 which could then include the football / rugby results. BBC's local news doesnt clash so I cant see the logic!

ITV wants to axe some regional news services

Now ITV are only having the one regional bulletin per day at the weekends, they should be made to show it at a decent time.

Todays local news is on now - 3.35pm then its a Scooby Doo film, then the ITV news at 5.20.

Why couldnt the local news be on at 5.05 which could then include the football / rugby results. BBC's local news doesnt clash so I cant see the logic!

South West England & CI Thread

I watched both West and Westcountry versions last night, so for those that didnt get what was going on...

West had the pre-recorded 15mins at 6pm, so normal West Tonight title sequence and the back-drop was the usual Suspension Bridge, and usual presenters. So apart from a slightly different name, not much difference.

Westcountry had the live 15mins at 6pm because of the live report from Truro. Again normal Westcountry Live title sequence and usual Tamar Bridge background, but with unfamilar presenters in Lisa and Steve.

After the recap of the headlines the two regions joined together at 6.15pm with a now plain background. Sport (presented by Mark Tyler) was strange. It started as a pan-regional showing goals from Bristol City and Plymouth, but then split:

West had Bristol Rovers, Swindon and Cheltenham goals plus rugby highlights of Bath and Gloucester.

Westcountry had Exeter City goals plus rugby highlights of Exeter / Plymouth / Cornish Pirates.

Then there was a random 'Sport' sting (allowing to merge back together) and Mark then handed back to Lisa and Steve for a few other stories before the weather.

With the weather, only Westcountry has a sponsor at the moment, so West had an ITV Local sting to fill the time before crossing to Bob who was at the Met Office in Exeter. Map showed the whole new region at first, but then zoomed into each of the old regions.

And that was it from what I remember. Better than I thought it was going to be!

South West England & CI Thread

I watched both West and Westcountry versions last night, so for those that didnt get what was going on...

West had the pre-recorded 15mins at 6pm, so normal West Tonight title sequence and the back-drop was the usual Suspension Bridge, and usual presenters. So apart from a slightly different name, not much difference.

Westcountry had the live 15mins at 6pm because of the live report from Truro. Again normal Westcountry Live title sequence and usual Tamar Bridge background, but with unfamilar presenters in Lisa and Steve.

After the recap of the headlines the two regions joined together at 6.15pm with a now plain background. Sport (presented by Mark Tyler) was strange. It started as a pan-regional showing goals from Bristol City and Plymouth, but then split:

West had Bristol Rovers, Swindon and Cheltenham goals plus rugby highlights of Bath and Gloucester.

Westcountry had Exeter City goals plus rugby highlights of Exeter / Plymouth / Cornish Pirates.

Then there was a random 'Sport' sting (allowing to merge back together) and Mark then handed back to Lisa and Steve for a few other stories before the weather.

With the weather, only Westcountry has a sponsor at the moment, so West had an ITV Local sting to fill the time before crossing to Bob who was at the Met Office in Exeter. Map showed the whole new region at first, but then zoomed into each of the old regions.

And that was it from what I remember. Better than I thought it was going to be!

New Meridian, BBC South & South East Thread

I live in the ITV West region, but thought i'd watch the new Meridian Tonight.

Didnt think much of Sangeeta. Does she always talk like she has a cold?

Fred didnt look too happy.

Simon Parkin is just awful. He was always my least favourite broom cupboard presenter - even preferred Andi Peters to him!! He is so local DJ! Was he the voice for the Lomard Direct ads with the talking phone 'hello!! if you want a low-cost loan...'

New Meridian, BBC South & South East Thread

I live in the ITV West region, but thought i'd watch the new Meridian Tonight.

Didnt think much of Sangeeta. Does she always talk like she has a cold?

Fred didnt look too happy.

Simon Parkin is just awful. He was always my least favourite broom cupboard presenter - even preferred Andi Peters to him!! He is so local DJ! Was he the voice for the Lomard Direct ads with the talking phone 'hello!! if you want a low-cost loan...'