North East News/Today

There is only one thing at Tyne Tees that changes more than the news sets and that is Pam Royle's hair colour I see she's started to stand up on the news at 10:30's north east news section. No Carol style leather pants yet though.

Replacement for Mike... now that is a hard question. He's been doing regional news for 42-odd years this year, so its hard to think of a time when he wouldn't be there.

Mark Warr is good, but he's a cosy presenter and also seems like given half the chance he'd be a bit like Mike with a comic quip. I'm sure he'll be promoted in the future. Female presenters at Tyne Tees, apart from the old timers, there isn't anything wonderful there at the moment. I think they'd have to pinch Carol back from the BBC, she's used to walking around.

Yes...they'd be a good pairing...but isn't Mr Morrell a bit too serious for that slot?
That said he was funny on that bloopers show with Vicky Locklin!

Well Mike hasn't retired just yet!

I agree that Mark Warr would be a good replacement and I like Pam Royle too, although you could say that she is a bit headmistress like.

Nobody has mentioned Kim Inglis, who has presented quite a few programmes for TTTV and has also made a guest appearance on This Morning , I believe. I think she would also be in contention.

I see Tyne Tees have changed the bulletin background already. It now is the same as the one for Border.

Well its not the first time is it? They always seem to tweak the set after a revamp. Last year was the same. And in 1995/96 the bulitin set had numerous revamps.

I can assure you that Mr M has a wicked sense of humour - ask him to do some impressions of the Queen Jonathan would be great.

Nobody who saw Jonathan in the early 90s as a continuity announcer reading birthdays with Ted could ever say he's a bit too serious!!!

I'm just wondering, and this is a long shot, but could we not see Paul Frost back presenting? He's still not that old and he was very very popular in the North East in the 80s -- as popular as Mike Neville really. And I still think Bill Steel should be coaxed back to present a series or two -- another talented, versatile and popular presenter and a seasoned pro who knew exactly how to deal with technical hitches -- he had to cover enough of them up

I take issue a bit with Northern Life being "downmarket". The show's presentation was very low budget -- like all of TTTV's 80's regional shows -- but also like most of the 80's programmes you could never say the content wasn't there. TTTV had many award-winning journalists at the time.

Bill Steel and Paul Frost are both deserving of a television series or two. I'm surprised BBC North hasn't picked them up actually, I mean they've got ex-Pebble Mill At One's Marian Foster working for them so I'm sure they could find something for Paul and Bill to do.

I always liked Bill on continuity, you knew when something wasn't quite right as he always had a slight disgusted look on his face while he did his best to fill in. And of course the classics like "In half an hour on Tyne Tees Home and away, thats right after Home and Away" You don't get quality like that with pre-recorded announcements.

I think they're both busy as it is...Paul Frost runs his own PR firm and Bill is reading news on Century FM.

Oh don't get started about Century Radio, sorry FM. What a way to treat such a North East legend such as Bill Steel by shoving him on at 2am in the morning. Mainly since it was taken over by Captial Radio I might add, at least when Century was owned by Border TV Bill was on on Saturday afternoons and Sunday evenings.

Paul did go back as a reporter didn't he.. for the new Channel 3 in 1997 I think it was. North East On Sunday with Kathy Secker was the show I think.

Kathy's presenting for BBC Radio Newcastle now - she hosts a regular phone-in show 'Look after yersel' pet, whey wi got noo'. Friendly, mummy-figure. Where are the other TTTV stalwarts now, I expect many are retired?

Matthew Davis is at Radio Cleveland, Neville Wanless is involved with Hospital Radio (not sure what his role is however), Duncan Wood is at Yorkshire and whatever happened to these two? ....

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They both seemed to vanish in late 1995.