ITV News

its nice to see mary out of the studio thats 3 times in less than a week but they sent her out there for the friday edition and then she came back for the weekend and now she's gone out again.

I hope itv are making her trips carbon neutral, after all of the fuss they go to in previous series about the enviroment, they have now flown Mary out to Portugal twice, if they have to send someone, why not send someone who can stay out there, until the story is resolved, no wonder itv news is in the state it is in when it is waisting money by flying presenters backwards and forwards.

Geraint Vincent is currently their, from the middle of last week I think. So pretty pointless sending Mary their...

Later at 10:30 - Mark Austin is in Portugal with James Mates in the studio..

Half of the British media is there, I'm sure every flight from Heathrow to Portugal is like a who's who of TV and print media

Geriant is there in the role of a reporter not as a presenter.

There is absolutely no point in both Mark and Mary being there. Do we assume Mary will be flying back tonight if Mark is there? Madness.

Mary is rather marv though when on location.

God, I'm beginning to think British journalists would like children to go missing in the Algarve more often!


I know alot of people question the need for having presenters on location, but personally I've always quite liked it - though who the presenter is determines how well it works.


However, this story does just not warrant it at all - they're doing absolutely nothing a reporter couldn't do and probably more of a hinderance than a help to the police effort with such a large media presence out there.


And to think the British press have the nerve to report a local for an unnatural interest in the story! Pot Kettle Black - I bet they just wanted the story moved back up the news agenda so they could milk a few more days out in the sun!

But of course, the weather's better than Soham isn't it. These people are wretched, they have no excuse for this kind of behaviour.

Has Alastair Stewart ever presented the Evening News instead of London Tonight on a weekday evening?

Yes, I think he's done it from the studio once or twice.

He's also co-hosted the Evening News on location, such as during the Lebanon conflict last summer

He has never done the Evening News on a weekday from within the studio, only when in Lebanon, while Mark Austin was on holiday last year.

I think the coverage this debacle is getting is over the top.