Rob McLaughlin leaves Granada Reports

Well at the end of tonight's Granada reports, it was announced that it was in fact Rob's last ever show. A shame really, he was a great presenter, but they didn't say who is lined up to replace him. So will it be...

James Cooper
Occasional presenter who did a brief stint as presenter before Rob started. I would say he was favourite to land the job as he is a good, well known (to Granada viewers, that is!) presenter who knows how the programme works.

So Rahman
Another former presenter who is now confined to the afternoon/late bulletin cupboard. Again, an excellent, well known presenter who would do well on the main show.

Alistair Mann
Sports presenter who has really improved recently, possibly enough to become a proper news presenter?

Gordon Burns
North West Tonight presenter who could perhaps do a Christa Ackroyd-style transfer to 'the other side'. A long shot.

Andrew Brittain
Weekend presenter who never seems to have made it to the flagship show, maybe now is his time? He would certainly be my favourite to get the job, but then I'm biased as he went to the same school and college as me! Also well known as the voiceover on Stars in their Eyes and formerly You've Been Framed.

Or someone else...?
Have they got a newcomer lined up? All will be revealed soon hopefully!

Shame he's going. I liked him on Granada years ago, he went into production for a while didnt he. Is his leaving linked with Mike Morris leaving Calendar? Is anyone leaving Lookaround, Meridian Tonight or Anglia News ?

James or So would be my bet as a replacement. I thought Andrew Brittain only did the late/weekend slots cos he was busy with other v/o work.

Prior to Rob presenting Reports, I think he was Granada's director of regional TV, or something like that. He may well be going back to that.

James Cooper is awful. He has such a cheesy grin and it's very hard to take anything he says seriously.

Andrew Brittain used to do World In Action, he was very good with that. He really should be used more.

Anyone but James Cooper...

I think that Granada's current director or regional TV is Eamon O'Neal, off Lunchtime Live. I can't see him giving up his job, especially just after nicking the LL job off the lovely Jenny Powell. He mentioned 'new projects' at the end of the programme anyway.

Hmmmm, just remembered another possibility...
Tony Barnes
Former Granada Tonight presenter who left just before James Cooper took up the reins, last seen presenting 5 News briefly and also presenting a regional discussion programme on Granada (so he still has links with them).

And there is nothing to stop them from having an all-female line up...

Tony Barnes and Hazel Barratt were very good.

Hazel is my sister's lecturer now, lovely women, apparently.

True, and I always liked Hazel too, she seemed really down to Earth. Such a shame to see her wasted on Shop! when she was good enough to do something of a higher profile.

So the possibilities are endless:

Hazel Barrett
Rachel Bullock
Kryshia Kaye (recently reappeared on Granada!)
maybe a return of the lovely Rachel Harrison
Anne O'Connor
Alison Tarpey (but she's now the producer so unlikely)
Rachel McTavish (dreaming, now!)

Indeed, two female presenters is a possibility, a very nice possibility at that!

It's possible, yes. I have never thought that two females has worked.

Two males have never been too bad, Sky have done this a few times now. But Sky have done two females - Breakfast did it the other day, too - and it seems there is real competition between the two of them. No idea why that's the case, it just is.

I really would like Granada to use a backdrop of Manchester in the Reports studio - replace the blue bit, that is. They used to have a few of the windows of the Granada building but since about 95 they've had boring picture backdrops - not nice.

I think that there has been alot of changes at Granada News recently with their presenters and reporters, becuase recently Granada News Reporter Andy Gill moved to North West Today/Tonight and another presenter Rachel something has moved to GMTV. So I think that contracts have been expired or at the end of their run.

someone please show a clip of his last show I missed it! please! I was in Nottingham!