One final rant, certainly in my region, straight after the ITV News there is an annoying Topps Tiles advert. I must admit that I watch ITV more regularly than any other news broadcaster, but every time I have watched it in the last six months, it has been on. I have not watched every single bulletin going but it annoys me very much. Anyone else have it in their region and bored to death with it?
Topps Tiles disappeared months ago but has returned in October. I'm sure they'll be glad you noticed it even when it wasn't airing!
Trevor live in Downing Street tonight, with Julie presenting from The City. Pointless IMO, Mary was already presenting from The City on the Evening News, they should have given Julie the night off!
Trevor live in Downing Street tonight, with Julie presenting from The City. Pointless IMO, Mary was already presenting from The City on the Evening News, they should have given Julie the night off!
I just didn't see the point of having Mary in The City tonight, it's not as if she was right in the London Stock Exchange, wasn't she next to City Hall? Just pointless really, again rather questionable considering the cutbacks ITV want to make.
Trevor live in Downing Street tonight, with Julie presenting from The City. Pointless IMO, Mary was already presenting from The City on the Evening News, they should have given Julie the night off!
Why would they want to do that? Remember Mary doesn't just turn up at 6pm, extending her day to host News at Ten when the regular host is available seems pointless
Having one presenter live from a location and the other in the studio would easily suffice even in this situation. Would have been much better with Julie hosting from The City and Trevor in the studio (or vice versa, whatever), I'm sure Tom Bradby would have been fine by himself in Downing Street.
But it's all for effect so who's going to complain anyway!
Now that Media Guardian article makes for very interesting reading. Bringing Mark Austin in as the main presenter will be a real insult to Etchingham. But I think an even bigger insult was made when they never gave the job to Alistair Stewart.
I would have liked Alastair to have been given News at Ten too, but we have to remember that personal choice also plays a role in these decisions. Alastair seems very content with presenting both the Lunchtime News and London Tonight with Katie Derham; in fact I think they have the best onscreen chemistry of any current pairing on ITV.
Personally, I'd like to see them alternate between Mark and Julie. Two presenters isn't really necessary. It's not as if Trevor and Julie have had great onscreen chemistry with lots of banter. If anything, their relationship has been a slight giggle at the end of the bulletin at most. NAT in the 1990s was fine with just one presenter and I see no reason for it being co-hosted now.
Above all, I hope they do not axe it again because that would just completely ruin any trust I have in ITV News. Another timeslot change would finish them off as a credible news provider.
Above all, I hope they do not axe it again because that would just completely ruin any trust I have in ITV News. Another timeslot change would finish them off as a credible news provider.
I'm not sure it would be *that* serious, although they would never be able to resurrect NaT again. They've breathed life back into the corpse twice now, I think that's about as many times as they can do it.
I would have liked Alastair to have been given News at Ten too, but we have to remember that personal choice also plays a role in these decisions. Alastair seems very content with presenting both the Lunchtime News and London Tonight with Katie Derham; in fact I think they have the best onscreen chemistry of any current pairing on ITV.
Personally, I'd like to see them alternate between Mark and Julie. Two presenters isn't really necessary. It's not as if Trevor and Julie have had great onscreen chemistry with lots of banter. If anything, their relationship has been a slight giggle at the end of the bulletin at most. NAT in the 1990s was fine with just one presenter and I see no reason for it being co-hosted now.
Above all, I hope they do not axe it again because that would just completely ruin any trust I have in ITV News. Another timeslot change would finish them off as a credible news provider.
Indeed, Alastair has presented The Late News at 11pm though, which might imply that even if he could, he might not want to present NaT for personal opinions. I'm not bothered whether its presented by one or two presenters; it was fine when it was just Trevor, and it was fine before that. Traditionally NaT was the only ITN bulletin with two presenters, the other two had one presenter. And I'm sure Trevor and Julie have more of a laugh at the end of the bulletin than Reggie and Anna ever would have!
I think it would be best for them to leave the late bulletin where it is, 10pm Monday to Thursday (though I'd prefer it to be Friday too) and not tinker around with it any more, it really wouldn't be in ITV's favour to do.