ITV Lunchtime News

Infobox Television
show_name = ITV Lunchtime News


format = News
runtime = 30 minutes
producer = ITN
presenter = Katie Derham
Alastair Stewart
country = United Kingdom
network = ITV
related = "ITV Morning News",
"ITV Evening News",
"News at Ten",
"ITV Late News",
"ITV Weekend News"The "ITV Lunchtime News" is the daily afternoon news programme on the British television network ITV. It is produced by ITN.

The programme's main presenters are Katie Derham and Alastair Stewart. The programme features twenty-five minutes of British national and international news, followed by five minutes of regional news from the ITV regions at 1.55pm.

History

The first ITN lunchtime bulletin was launched in 1972 - "First Report" aired at 12:40pm and anchored by Robert Kee. In 1976, Leonard Parkin and Peter Sissons began alternating as the programme's main presenters, and in 1981 "First Report" was moved to 1pm as an attempt to rival the BBC's "News After Noon" programme, was and re-named "News at One", with Sissons and Parkin remaining as the main hosts. In 1987, upon Sissons' departure for BBC News and the retirement of Parkin, "News at One" underwent some cosmetic changes, and the regular presenting team included Jon Snow and Julia Somerville. With the move of the BBC lunchtime news bulletin to one o'clock, ITN responded by moving their bulletin to half-past twelve, and the programme was revamped and renamed the "News at 12.30", again with Snow and Somerville as regular presenters. In 1989, the programme was once again given a new look, and John Suchet became the bulletin's regular host. Later on that year, the programme moved back to 1pm but the studio, graphics and host remained the same. In 1992 the programme made a move back to 12.30pm and became the "Lunchtime News". The programme was now co-presented, this time with Nicholas Owen and Sonia Ruseler. In 1995, all ITN news bulletins were revamped under a cohesive 'blue' look, and the programme's presenters at this time included Dermot Murnaghan, Carol Barnes, and Julia Somerville. Somerville was joined by former "Lunchtime News" presenter John Suchet in March 1999, when the programme was rebranded once more, this time as the "ITV Lunchtime News", to coincide with the relaunch of ITV's news output. Nicholas Owen was the sole "ITV Lunchtime News" presenter from 2003 to 2004, when he was joined by Katie Derham. Following Owen's departure for the BBC, veteran ITN newscaster Alastair Stewart became Derham's co-presenter in February 2007.

Presenters

Main presenters

*Katie Derham (Monday - Thursday)
*Alastair Stewart (Monday - Friday)

Relief presenters

*James Mates
*Geraint Vincent
*Romilly Weeks

Former presenters

*Carol Barnes - relief presenter, 1983-1996; presenter, 1995-1998
*Felicity Barr - relief presenter, 2001-2005
*Andrea Catherwood - relief presenter, 2003-2007
*Shiulie Ghosh - relief presenter, 2000-2004
*Nina Hossain (currently on maternity leave) - relief presenter, 2004-2008
*Robert Kee - presenter, 1955-1976
*Daisy McAndrew - relief presenter, 2006-2007
*Dermot Murnaghan - presenter, 1993-1999
*Nicholas Owen - presenter, 1992-1999; 2002-2007
*Leonard Parkin - presenter, 1976-1987
*Sonia Ruseler - presenter, 1992-1994
*Steve Scott - relief presenter, 2004-2008
*Peter Sissons - presenter, 1976-1987
*Jon Snow - presenter, 1987-1988
*Julia Somerville - presenter, 1987-1989; 1995-2000
*John Suchet - presenter, 1989-1992; 1999-2003

External links

*itv.com|id=news|title=ITV News
* [http://www.itn.co.uk ITN.co.uk]