TE
Five news stalwart quits after nine years
Tara Conlan
Friday March 4, 2005
Stayt: 'I need to involve myself in other projects'
Five News presenter Charlie Stayt has quit the station after nine years, just two months into its new contract with Sky.
Stayt, who was part of the Five News launch team in 1997, will leave this Friday after reading the lunchtime bulletin. He is not leaving for another job although there are suggestions GMTV may be interested in signing him.
Stayt's agent denied he was leaving because he was unhappy, saying he had been there nine years and wanted to move on and try other things.
"I've been with Five News for nine years and now need to involve myself in other projects," said Stayt.
But sources said he was unhappy that he was passed over to front the new-look flagship bulletin on anchor Kirsty Young's days off.
According to insiders, Stayt is also not comfortable with some of the changes to the bulletins Sky News made when it took over as the channel's news supplier from ITN.
Stayt has been a stalwart at Five News. He became the face of the channel when he replaced Andrea Catherwood as the main anchor for flagship Five News bulletins after she returned to ITV in 2000.
When Kirsty Young returned to Five at the beginning of 2002, Stayt presented some of the flagship evening bulletins, along with the lunchtime news.
But since Sky took over making Five News at the beginning of the year, he has only presented the lunchtime news programme.
The plum task of reading the flagship 5.30pm news on Thursday and Friday - the days when Young is off - was given to Sky News' Julie Etchingham.
Mr Stayt was promised he would stand in for Young if she was ill or working on other shows on Monday to Wednesday.
He did so earlier this week - presenting from the studio when Young and Etchingham were involved in Five's day of programmes with the Liberal Democrat leader, Charles Kennedy.
Five said Kate Sanderson - who was poached by Five last year from the BBC - will take over the lunchtime bulletins for the time being.
From Media Guardian.
Tara Conlan
Friday March 4, 2005
Stayt: 'I need to involve myself in other projects'
Five News presenter Charlie Stayt has quit the station after nine years, just two months into its new contract with Sky.
Stayt, who was part of the Five News launch team in 1997, will leave this Friday after reading the lunchtime bulletin. He is not leaving for another job although there are suggestions GMTV may be interested in signing him.
Stayt's agent denied he was leaving because he was unhappy, saying he had been there nine years and wanted to move on and try other things.
"I've been with Five News for nine years and now need to involve myself in other projects," said Stayt.
But sources said he was unhappy that he was passed over to front the new-look flagship bulletin on anchor Kirsty Young's days off.
According to insiders, Stayt is also not comfortable with some of the changes to the bulletins Sky News made when it took over as the channel's news supplier from ITN.
Stayt has been a stalwart at Five News. He became the face of the channel when he replaced Andrea Catherwood as the main anchor for flagship Five News bulletins after she returned to ITV in 2000.
When Kirsty Young returned to Five at the beginning of 2002, Stayt presented some of the flagship evening bulletins, along with the lunchtime news.
But since Sky took over making Five News at the beginning of the year, he has only presented the lunchtime news programme.
The plum task of reading the flagship 5.30pm news on Thursday and Friday - the days when Young is off - was given to Sky News' Julie Etchingham.
Mr Stayt was promised he would stand in for Young if she was ill or working on other shows on Monday to Wednesday.
He did so earlier this week - presenting from the studio when Young and Etchingham were involved in Five's day of programmes with the Liberal Democrat leader, Charles Kennedy.
Five said Kate Sanderson - who was poached by Five last year from the BBC - will take over the lunchtime bulletins for the time being.
From Media Guardian.
IS
Isonstine
Founding member
Sad to see Charlie go - I always rated him and hoped he may have made a move to Sky News full time.
Obviously not happy with the way Sky treated him methinks. Always thought he was wasted under ITN's reign, and even more so when Sky took - I suppose he wouldn't be very happy.
And just how have they come up with the figure of 9 years? Even taking into account when Channel 5 went on air, and the date now...it doesn't add up. It's not even 8 years yet.
Obviously not happy with the way Sky treated him methinks. Always thought he was wasted under ITN's reign, and even more so when Sky took - I suppose he wouldn't be very happy.
And just how have they come up with the figure of 9 years? Even taking into account when Channel 5 went on air, and the date now...it doesn't add up. It's not even 8 years yet.
BR
If ITV opted for an outsider to replace Mark Austin on the Evening News (if Mark replaces Trevor) I always thought Charlie Stayt would be a very good choice!
He was probably with "5 News" sometime before it launched - and the launch of Channel 5 was delayed by a few months!
Isonstine posted:
And just how have they come up with the figure of 9 years? Even taking into account when Channel 5 went on air, and the date now...it doesn't add up. It's not even 8 years yet.
He was probably with "5 News" sometime before it launched - and the launch of Channel 5 was delayed by a few months!
TE
He joined ITN in 1995, whilst preparations were taking place to establish five News.
I'm not surprised he has left, five News is a shadow of its former self. Its best era was 1997 - 2000. That means five News is an all female line - up, with the exception of Jonas Hurst, but he's sport.
I would probably keep Kate on the News at Noon, and then Kirsty at 5.30 and 7. Julie's not an option because she does Ske News Today.
I'm not surprised he has left, five News is a shadow of its former self. Its best era was 1997 - 2000. That means five News is an all female line - up, with the exception of Jonas Hurst, but he's sport.
I would probably keep Kate on the News at Noon, and then Kirsty at 5.30 and 7. Julie's not an option because she does Ske News Today.
WT
Charlie leaving is a BIG loss to Five News, he is a fantastic news presenter and Five News won't be the same without him.
Newsroom posted:
Oh well no big loss!
Charlie leaving is a BIG loss to Five News, he is a fantastic news presenter and Five News won't be the same without him.
WT
Yes - Its better now!
TELEVISION posted:
five News is a shadow of its former self.
Yes - Its better now!
TE
Yes - Its better now!
I was thinking the complete opposite !!!
The programme is a lot more tabloid - focussed, and the studio is awful. The only good thing is Kirsty Young !
The World Today posted:
TELEVISION posted:
five News is a shadow of its former self.
Yes - Its better now!
I was thinking the complete opposite !!!
The programme is a lot more tabloid - focussed, and the studio is awful. The only good thing is Kirsty Young !