Bradby at Ten

Well they are going back to the 1990s single newscaster format, so I wouldn't be surprised to see NAT having its own style of presentation once again.

It really also takes away from the team feeling ITV News has. Although we all have our favourites the core four were all very much on an equal footing and these changes completely ruin that. Indeed they now effectively put Julie in the same bracket as Charlene White as a mere understudy.

I think Tom is a good presenter and did well on election night. He is good and solid and will grow into the role. I think you will find he becomes a much higher profile presenter than Mark or Julie. That said its a great shame if Julie is sidelined I think she is currently the best newscaster on TV at the moment. Hopefully her new current affairs role will be significant or she will no doubt be off to the BBC or Sky very soon.

I'm not clear from the press release if Alastair is just relief for the 6.30 bulletin. It just says he will continue to present it. Will he, Mark and Mary rotate presenting duties between them, or is he just a relief?

Rageh Omar will presumably present from on location eg a natural disaster, the sort of thing Mark used to do. Clearly Mark doesn't want to play second fiddle to Tom.

I also wonder if we are going to see a rerun to the traditional NaT theme and opening credits. I can't see them changing the set though.

One final thing, they have not said whether Tom will continue to present The Agenda. Difficult if he is presenting NaT, unless Julie presents on those nights. Or perhaps Julie will get The Agenda.

Although I agree that this is a very bad decision - especially sidelining the likes of Alastair and Julie - can I just play devils advocate for a moment?

It's easy to forget that Mark Austin was incredibly wooden when he started presenting national news bulletins for ITN in the late 1990s. Indeed, even Alastair was nowhere near as charismatic as he is now back in the 1980s. And Trevor.....well I'll always remember Trevor fondly, but he was wooden from start to finish.

So while I think this is too much too soon - I do think we have to cut the newer presenters a bit of slack. Everyone has to start somewhere.

Indeed, everyone has a slightly worse role, except perhaps Mark Austin who moves back to the higher rating show.

It won't work though, unless they are changing the News at Ten for reputation reasons only by making it more analytical. Nobody really watches Newsnight or Channel 4 News and they definitely won't watch a similar thing on ITV up against the BBC so the ratings can only go down and that'll be what the newspapers notice.

Could it be that one or more than one of the team wanted to cut back hours or change shifts, so perhaps this could be the reason for a big shake/mess up?!?!

Isn't it also the case that Tom Bradby has been heavily rumoured to be wanted by the BBC to take over Nick Robinson's role when he finishes (he states in his brand new book that he always felt that 10 years in the job, covering two General Elections was all he wanted to do in the gruelling role of Political Editor - although that was before his cancer scare, so how that affects things, I don't know). Perhaps this is ITV stopping a move by Bradby to the 'opposition'.

And he's good mates with Princes William and Harry, isn't he...?!

I suspect The Agenda will be rebranded News at Ten Extra

Most don't start on the flagship show though. Mark did his stints on the weekend bulletins before replacing Dermot Murnaghan, Julie had done her years on Sky before landing what was a new role at ITN and Mary came through regional news and ended up on the Evening News kind of by accident when she was covering for Kirsty Young at lunchtimes and they rejigged the schedules, moving Trevor back to 10pm. When Kirsty moved back to C5 she took on the role more permanently, initially shared with Katie Derham.

Tom Bradby seems to have done a week of cover a couple of years ago and a night for the election. Had the role been genuinely opening up due to a departure fair enough, but it hasn't - he's been given somebody elses job. Yes, that happens in television but this hasn't been handled very well at all.


I actually do think using Tom Bradby for News at Ten is actually kind of a waste of his talents. I do think growing The Agenda and giving current affairs more presence outside of the news bulletins, would be a far better option and kind of building him into the sort of role Jonathan Dimbleby used to have.

This is Nicky Campbell presenting Newsnight all over again.

Never rated Tom Bradby as a Political Editor never mind News at Ten presenter. At least other "shock" promotions have usually seen many years of standing in and weekend presenting (Trevor McDonald, Mark Austin, etc.)

Shame, as Mark Austin and Julie Etchingham really do make a great presenting team.

How long until they decide Tom Bradby "doesn't work" at 10, but perhaps a move to 10:30 or 11:00 would be better? They never learn...

where's the idea come from that it's been 'handled badly'? egos have probably been bruised and Mark's allies have made his feelings known via links to the media but the ratings are rubbish for News at Ten to put it simply, and they're entitled to make whatever changes they feel are necessary to make it competitive. whether its the right move will be proven in time
still, very surprised at Julie's demotion. she's their strongest asset surely?

I really don't get it. If they wanted to go single headed on NaT fine, but surely Julie with Mark subbing would have been the obvious choice. If this was a move to stop Tom B going to the Beeb they'd have been better off just letting him go.