ITV News

Well that was quite an interesting ITV Lunchtime News today.

They kept saying that it was a 'special' programme - I can only assume that it was given over to Tony Blair as there wasn't any other news in it. It would've been nice for an extended edition with coverage of some other stories.

The funniest part was 'Maureen' being blown off her podium on a live interview with James Mates at the very end - luckily James was there to catch her!

The interview finished then and handed back to Katie Derham in the studio who quipped that, "Maureen was blown away with emotion!"

Very funny and definately going to turn up on It'll Be Alright On The Night!

Katie has been busy, hasn't she? She brought us the special summary this morning at 10am, and she was in the studio tonight at 10.30.
The regional news isn't included in the main bulletin tonight, and is being broadcast after the programme, at 11.10pm.

I thought the 10.30 was really good tonight, everything fitted in well together. Bits with Campbell, Clinton etc were good. And Rory Bremner was excellent!

The National Weather was still shown right at the end (straight after the local weather in my region) which seemed a bit odd

Mary Nightingale was live in Portugal tonight. Great work from both her and Bill Neely in the studio.

Why - the only new development seemed to be David Beckham getting himself a bit of publicity!

For a bit of nostalga, TV Ark have re-added all their ITN/ITV News clips at long last!

So true. They played the Beckham clip on R1 today - it was just embarrassing. At least Ronaldo is Portuguese, so there's a connection . . . but what has Becks got to do with it?

Well, David Beckham is British, and well known in Spain, a place where little Maddie could be, and Becks is asking for people to help as much as they can.

.....and isn't it fantastic!

I loved catching up on stills and video of some memorable people - Sandy Gall, Sue Carpenter, Katy Haswell, Zeinab Badawi doing the overnight bulletins from a wee, tiny studio, and John Suchet doing a live two-way with the late Joan Thirkettle.

Those really WERE the days...........

Now that The Sunday Edition is finished until the autum will Andrea return to Present ITV News.She seems to have changed her surname now she introduced herself as Andrea (can't remember) but on the titles it still said Andrea Catherwood.

Noticed Ben Scotchbrook did both the national inserts into Sunday Edition and London Today a few minutes later again earlier. I wonder if they're preparing him for national presenting. Hope they are - I think he's good and well up to the job.