ITV News

Quite funny bit in today's telegraph...

Off-screen drama for Mark Austin and Julie Etchingham

Julie Etchingham has always been known for her sharp tongue. One thinks, for instance, of that infamous occasion when, interviewing David Cameron for Sky News, she suggested – not knowing that her microphone was turned on – that the word the Tory leader was searching for as he told her about his immigration policy was "extermination."

There have been no such gaffes since she arrived at ITN where she co-presents News at Ten with the easy-going Mark Austin. Still, one member of the crew whispers there are occasional tensions off-screen. "Mark took to calling her Head Prefect on account of her bossy manner," he says. "Julie responded by coming in the other day with badges emblazoned with the words 'Head Prefect' and 'Deputy Head Prefect' and proceeded to affix the former one to her own lapel and the latter one to Mark's. He looked rather bemused."

When I raise the matter with Austin, he laughs a little nervously, and says simply: "I know my place, but the badge won't be getting an airing."

I don't think that Geraint looks terrified when reading the news i love when he is on.I think alot of people on here are a bit envious of him.I'd just love to be going out with him he is gorgeous.

I realy like Lucy Meacock i think she out performs all the other Females at ITN.She is just so cool and calm .

I wouldn't say she outperforms all the others but I've always rated Lucy highly - it's just a shame Granada Reports has become so cringe worthy in recent years she doesn't really get to show off her strengths too often, but she looks so comfortable now at ITV News.

Unfortunately though long term I can't see her getting a regular gig there, and even if a role did become vacant the nature of the beast suggests it would probably go to some young whipper snapper rather than a regional veteran.

Lucy is fine as a stand-in/weekend presenter but I don't think I'd have her in preference to any of the main ITN presenters.

Personally I don't think she's too old but, ironically, it's a feature of her obvious experience that doesn't appeal to me; she seems to have predetermined the precise expression, inclination of her head and intonation to use for every situation. Her delivery just appears too 'repeatable' and not entirely natural.
As for being cool and calm, I certainly think she'd be able to cope with almost every eventuality but it would be interesting to see how she behaved if it were to really 'hit the fan'. When that happens you just have to laugh (unless you're in the middle of an obituary), but from what (admittedly little) I have seen I don't think she would.

If the first paragraph is that badly researched, why believe anything in the rest of the article?

I think that Lucy would cope no problem if it "hit the fan" especially with all the experience under her belt .

As for the rest of the females at ITN they're ok but nothing special with the exception of Julie she has presence.Mary looks quite nervous sometimes especially when she shuffles her scripts to keep up with autocue, i do like her though .I like Katie on the lunchtime news but not on any of the other bulletins .I have warmed alot to Nina but i think she'd be better on weekends .I guess i hate the way ITN got rid of Carol Barnes and Julia Sommerville to make way for Katie,Andrea and Kirsty Young. That's why i love Lucy Meacock she has experience been a round for a while and i just feel very comfortable watching her.I don't care what you say for female news presenters there is a time limit and it's a shame i mean look at Alastair Stewart and Trevor Macdonald ancient .

Although just incase i haven't mentioned this before Geraint is the totty at ITV News infact if i was incharge he'd be on all bulletins now that would get their ratings up we could have Keir working alongside him too.

Though I have no doubt that Lucy would be able to cope (as would Katie, Mary and Julie, who all have plenty of experience) such circumstances can still be revealing.

I don't really wish to get into discussions of the presenters' characters, at best based on observations from a distance, but I always find Katie's attitude and demeanour to be utterly delightful, such that it's a pleasure to find her presenting a bulletin. She handled both the Lunchtime and Evening News programmes brilliantly for the week before half-term and I'm sure she will be equally good on Thursday's News at Ten .

As for Geraint, I must admit that I'm guilty of not subjecting the male presenters to the same level of scrutiny as the female ones but I don't have a problem with him. I think he's fine for his current position within the organisation, (I'm not sure that I would want him to be on *every* bulletin ).

Bill Neely should be Mark's stand in. Hes got a bit of Fox's Shephard Smith in him. He would be really good, if given a good run on presenting instead of once in a blue moon.

James Mates never really took, he look so uncomfortable when the presenters used to walk.

I used to look forward to when Nina was on, but shes always on with Geraint now

I feel sorry for this Geraint fellow, whoever he is. He is certainly getting a hard time on this forum, one wonders if deserving or not??

I think the next female place that comes available at ITN should mean a little reshuffle in terms of presenters. For the amount of time Nina has been there being shifted from pillar to post I think its perhaps time to let her have a regular bulletin, and let Lucy and Romilly become the main female cover. I'd like Lucy to get a permanent role in the near future but I doubt she will. They should consider getting permanent presenters in for the weekends, perhaps one on Saturday and one on Sunday, and there would probably be a place for her that way. I also think its better for the viewer if they know which presenter to expect, it seems more professional. But she will have to leave Granada one day and if she does then it will be a huge loss to the region.

2 things to say about ITV News.

1) The thing I really like about is that you get a double anchored program. I feel that having two anchors makes the program be that regional or national more fun and less dull IMO.

2) There must be something wrong because Romilly wouldn't really return before Nina and London Tonight wouldn't feel the need to hire a presenter to present since November for a full week. ITV really need to sought out there staffing issues and stop having Katie and Mary swapping shifts to cope with the shortages. And hasn't Nina had long enough. It seems she has been off for ages.