Northern Ireland news thread

Another day, another major news story - and UTV Live covered it well. Good to see most of the programme devoted to the flight delays across all of the airports - another live OB, they are starting to beat Newsline at their own game! Wasn't keen on the "More on u.tv and U105" DOG on the top left corner of the screen during most of the show, hope they were able to do that in the context of a news programme.

Good job as always, Stevie.

Will you be adding any content on yesterday's stuff in Newry and today's reports onto UTV Today sometime in the future, life permitting?

Baby boom at UTV


By Pauline Reynolds

06 August 2006
Mum's the word at UTV's Havelock House in Belfast, where three presenters are preparing for parenthood.

And the baby boom doesn't stop there - a total of NINE members of staff in the Ormeau Road building are due to become new mums and dads.

Journalists Tina Campbell and Claire McCollum and U105 DJ Maurice Jay are soon to hear the patter of tiny feet.

Tina and hubby, John Paul Ballantine, already have two daughters, Charlotte (6) and three-year-old Sophie.

Little baby Ballantine is due at the end of the month and Tina is beginning her maternity leave this week.

"I'm coming up to 37 weeks and Charlotte was born at 37 and a half, so I think I would be tempting fate if I worked on any further," smiles Tina.

"This time around, I'm more tired and I think that's because I now have the two girls to look after.

"Although this is our third child, it's kind of scary to think there's only a few weeks left.

"But John Paul and I are really excited and we don't care if it's a boy or a girl, as long as our wee baby is healthy."

Charlotte and Sophie are both thrilled at the prospect of a new brother or sister.

"They can't wait and are fascinated by my expanding tummy - and boy is it expanding at the minute," laughs Tina.

"With nine pregnancies among staff in the UTV building, I'm wondering is there something in the water!"

Maurice Jay and wife Sam tied the knot on October 14 last year and are over the moon at the prospect of becoming parents.

The new addition to the Jay household is due at the end of January and they can hardly contain their excitement.

"We've had our 13 week scan and it's incredible to see this tiny baby; it's just amazing," says the dad-to-be.

"We're already talking about names, but don't want to know the sex - we'll wait for the surprise and see what the stork brings.

"I'm so looking forward to becoming a dad.

"I love the fact that we're forming a little person with its own little personality.

"I adore kids - I think I'm on their wavelength!"

And Maurice doesn't plan to shirk his responsibilities as a new dad.

"I'll be right in there, hands on, the muckier the better," he laughs.

Sports reporter Claire McCollum and her hubby, former rugby star Alastair Clarke, said they were "thrilled and looking forward to the new arrival."

The couple, who married in 2001 after a romantic on-air proposal by Claire, are currently on holiday.