Dominic Heale to leave East Midlands Today

Long-serving BBC East Midlands Today presenter Dominic Heale has announced his final programme on the EMT red sofa will be this Friday, 23rd October.

Dominic Heale to leave East Midlands Today after 20 years https://t.co/nPTqojOl56 pic.twitter.com/ruoUXiAUGg

— BBC Radio Derby (@BBCDerby) October 19, 2020

Dominic Heale arrived on East Midlands Today in Autumn 2000, where he replaced Nick Thatcher as lead male presenter on the main 6:30pm programme. His on-screen partner Anne Davies arrived at EMT in 2001, replacing Kathy Rochford. Anne will continue presenting EMT as part of the BBC's new single presenter policy on regional news programmes.

Dominic Heale previously worked for Central News East and prior to that appeared on TSW.

He's the latest long serving regional news presenter to announce their departure from the BBC following a recent voluntary redundancy exercise.


( Note: Posted this elsewhere, but realised that since Harry Gration and Justin Leigh have threads of their own, Dominic Heale deserved one as well).

I love his smile at the start when he looks up from his script

TV Ark has one of his early appearances on East Midlands Today, captured just months after moving over from Central.

Lisa Dransfield is the co-presenter.
https://www.tvark.org/?page=media&mediaid=83729

Lisa Dransfield, now there is a blast from the EMT past! Seem to remember she normally did the Lunchtime bulletins, having previously been the weather presenter. Wonder what happened to her, she seemed to leave rather abruptly if I remember correctly.

Sad news but an unfortunate sign of the times. Have always liked Dom since his days at Central. Will be missed.

I never really watched him on the BBC.

However, I fondly remember this era when he used to present with Llewela and Marie on Central News:
https://www.tvark.org/?page=media&mediaid=94166

https://www.tvark.org/?page=media&mediaid=122505


(It was right after Dominic's defection to the BBC that Central News launched an exciting new look programme for Llewela and Marie: https://www.tvark.org/?page=media&mediaid=94175)

Looking back at it, the exciting CNaS titles of the era almost feel like a last stand against Carltonisation of the Central brand. Yes, Carlton is still mentioned in the voiceover, but there is an emphasis on CENTRAL, and it is very distinctive. Strange to think the uniformed reginal look was only a few years away.

From the same era, I also liked the look straight after this one, giving viewers the quick panover of Nottingham before going through the studio https://www.tvark.org/?page=media&mediaid=95452

Yes, the 2002 'pan over Nottingham' look that you linked to was a lot different to what came before it.
Editor Dan Barton had left and the new editor (Mike Blair?) toned down the whole presentation - including these more 'straightforward' titles and music and the removal of the sofa for a desk.
I remember it was noticeable that even Marie became more toned down in presenting style.
Llewela was replaced by Kevin Ashford, after a couple of months of cover presenters alongside Marie.
This 'look' was refreshed slightly in 2003 and was the final one before the 2004 ITV generic presentation.

The exciting 2000 - 2001 titles from the Marie and Llewela era were probably my favourite.

Who did the Trent bridge backdrop better EMT or central news east?

I'm surprised that Dominic is leaving; both he and Anne are very good presenters. I always wondered why EMT didn't go single presentation like Midlands Today

Because the viewers much prefer the doubled headed approach? Midlands Today is a dire programme I find... apart from Nick Owen, of course!

Anne and Dom were very much a team. I think it was mooted at one point, but was shot down very quickly by both the team, and viewers