Annabel Tiffin (sp?) is doing North West Tonight this evening (dodgy quality continuity announcement at 6.30) - Gordon was on yesterday. She's not usually the first stand-in, that's Stuart Flinders.
Anyway, the minor change, which I've not spotted before: they seem to have dropped the side-bar, leaving Annabel sitting centrally in front of the 'window', which I think looks a lot better.
Yeah, great to see Annabel presenting the main programme! She also did North West Today at lunchtime. Now all they need to do is get Gordon AND Annabel on the programme together! It looked strange having Annabel with Dianne at the end...there was certainly no flirting going on like there usually is!
I don't know whether I prefer it without the inset or not. I think it just rounds the screen off if you know what I mean. It looks empty without it! There was one on North West Today though.
Another point about North West Today - I was looking at a few clips on TV Ark from the various English regions yesterday (it's a long time since I've done so, and quite a lot has changed across the country!), and to be honest, I don't think NWT is too bad on the whole. Despite the technical problems that often beset the programme, at least they have maintained continuity, and it doesn't look so dated given that it's two years old (or four years if you don't count the slight lick of red paint in 2002!).
The studio could perhaps do with some modifications, such as the addition of a proper soft set, but at least it still looks like a news programme. I was shocked at how radical South Today have been, for instance, virtually ditching the 2002 look altogether, and Points West is now completely different.
The NWT breakfast bulletins have come on leaps and bounds over the last year or so - they now come from the main studio, with proper titles, and, of course, Tina Bangs!
The only real way it is lacking compared to other regions is that it is still single-headed. I don't see why they can't pair a female up with Gordon for the main 18.30 programme. They've got a perfect regular co-presenter in Annabel Tiffin, and they could also use Carol Lowe or one of the other reporters if necessary.
I thought it was odd that Annabel Tiffin was doing the lunchtime, both Gordon and Stuart must be on holiday or something, though she was very good, even though she fluffed her lines a couple of times, she took it light heartedly, though I agree she would make a good co-host for Gordon. The problem with the studio is that it looks dull, IMO the cream has had it's day, maybe they should change it to white, but you don't want it looking as bad as some other regions, plus the desk is neccessary.
Though the technical quality does tend to put me off, as I'm watching on BBC One on NTL, on a small TV in 4:3 Letterbox, it can look appauling at times.
But remember the days at Breakfast when the bulletin started with......THUMP!!!!
But remember the days at Breakfast when the bulletin started with......THUMP!!!!
Oh I certainly do! The first person to do that was Nigel Jay, but Tina Bangs clunked even more than him!
While I was looking at the NWT pages yesterday, I came across a picture (that I captured, incidentially) of Julia Sharp - it was such a shame that she passed away, as I think she would now have been a senior presenter on NWT - I remember she was very good on the weekend bulletins.
But remember the days at Breakfast when the bulletin started with......THUMP!!!!
Oh I certainly do! The first person to do that was Nigel Jay, but Tina Bangs clunked even more than him!
While I was looking at the NWT pages yesterday, I came across a picture (that I captured, incidentially) of Julia Sharp - it was such a shame that she passed away, as I think she would now have been a senior presenter on NWT - I remember she was very good on the weekend bulletins.
I remember her, she was very good, again a great shame that she passed away, though it was painfully ironic that her death was announced on NWT on it's first night on Satellite in 2002. Though it did leave them in the lurch for some time, with only Gordon, Nigel and Martin being the only presenters. Though Tina and Annabel have been good replacements.
I was sorry to see Martin Henfield go, he was really good, he added his sense of humour to the weekend bulletins.
But it is about time that NWT had a shake up, as Granada Reports is getting even more popular now, I admit I don't watch as much NWT as I used to.
I think Gordon is more likely to be ill or indisposed than on holiday, as he did NWT on Monday.
No-one's mentioned Peter Marshall who has regularly stood in (usually on the late bulletin, but occasionally at other times), with his desperately clasped hands on the desk...
Annabel is okay, but I feel she doesn't come over as very warm and engaging (even to the extent of not saying Good Evening / Welcome to the Programme at the start tonight - just launching into the top story). I'm sure , with practice, she'll improve on that and could be a good co-presenter for Gordon.
I liked the shot without the inset/side-bar, but the window did look tiny when Dianne joined Annabel at the end.
Oh I do miss the clunking and the flies in the breakfast bulletin cupboard *terribly*. The whole heavy breathing effect Tina brought to the dynamic -- well, just amazing. And that timing she had -- spot on.
That Fast Show sketch with the foreign cable news channel had the audience laughing at them cos their cheap headlines sequence rewound on air and played back all scrambled and off-colour. Yet this happens fairly often in Manchester.
The thing with NWT is they seem mortally afraid to use any graphics whatsoever. No maps, no diagrams, no bullet points etc. WT are v graphic heavy and a bit fancy with it too. Just makes the programme flow a bit better, instead of tired Gordon talking at you all the way through, just wishing the time away until he can chat up Dianne again at the end.
Oh I do miss the clunking and the flies in the breakfast bulletin cupboard *terribly*. The whole heavy breathing effect Tina brought to the dynamic -- well, just amazing. And that timing she had -- spot on.
That Fast Show sketch with the foreign cable news channel had the audience laughing at them cos their cheap headlines sequence rewound on air and played back all scrambled and off-colour. Yet this happens fairly often in Manchester.
The thing with NWT is they seem mortally afraid to use any graphics whatsoever. No maps, no diagrams, no bullet points etc. WT are v graphic heavy and a bit fancy with it too. Just makes the programme flow a bit better, instead of tired Gordon talking at you all the way through, just wishing the time away until he can chat up Dianne again at the end.
Indeed - I have seen the headlines sequence rewind on air on several occasions! That begs the question - why do they need to pre-record it anyway? After all, it's only a bed followed by titles - I'd say there's more potential of a rewind happening than Gordon cocking up the headlines live! They can't even fall back on the excuse of not having time to practise - they only do two main programmes and a few updates per day!
nwt2003 - I also miss Martin Henfield from NWT. He was good on the weekend bulletins, but I did prefer him doing the 22.25 update like he did for so many years. It was a shame that he was relegated to that 5 minute update when Gordon came along, as Martin had held the programme together in between the departure of Philip Hayton and Gordon's arrival a few years later.
I personally think North west Tonight is excellent. The seem to go in depth now on various stories with special guests which is very good. As for presenters, I think Tina Bangs would be a good choice. By the way, is she leaving the Breakfast bulletins soon or is she currently doing both weekends and breakfast?
Annabell was OK yesterday but as said before, she didn't seem very welcoming and as for Gordon being off, he's had a lot of time off so far this year. He must get ill easily!
I personally think North west Tonight is excellent. The seem to go in depth now on various stories with special guests which is very good. As for presenters, I think Tina Bangs would be a good choice. By the way, is she leaving the Breakfast bulletins soon or is she currently doing both weekends and breakfast?
Annabell was OK yesterday but as said before, she didn't seem very welcoming and as for Gordon being off, he's had a lot of time off so far this year. He must get ill easily!
Yeah, Tina is doing weekends with a couple of days on Breakfast a week, which she shares with Nigel Jay.
If they were to go into co-presenting, I wouldn't mind Gordon or Stuart Flinders with either Annabel or Tina. Out of interest how many regions still have only one presenter for the main programme? I've counted three from memory - London News, Wales Today and, of course, North West Tonight. Are there any others?