ITV - Late News [ Main | Lunchtime | Evening | Late | Index ]

Presented by STEVE HACKETT

Introduced on 3rd July 1967, the ITN News at Ten broke new ground by introducing the dual newsreader system, which enabled late news items to be handed to the presenter who was not in vision at that moment, ready for insertion into the running order. It was scheduled to last just 13 weeks, but stayed on air for 32 years. The launch presenters were Alastair Burnet and Andrew Gardner who were succeeded by such newscasting greats as Reginald Bosanquet, Sandy Gall, Anna Ford and Selina Scott, Trevor McDonald and Alastair Stewart to mention but a few. The menacing theme tune music lasted to the end, with only one revision, entitled "The Awakening" and composed by Johnny Pearson.

ITN News at Ten (1967) The original title sequence uses b/w footage of Westminster at night, over which the logo is wiped. Sorry, no clips yet! But marvel at this wonderful TV Times clipping, for the debut edition in July 1967.

ITN News at Ten (1969) The first titles in colour consist of a straightforward rostrum shot, which pans across a photograph of Westminster Bridge and zooms into the face of Big Ben. Combined with the bongs, it's very effective.

ITN News at Ten (1974) Here we see an edition of News at Ten presented by Andrew Gardner, from 1974. The New Labour Government has just called the second General Election of 1974.

ITN News at Ten (1982) They've spent some money on these - a freebie NASA shot of the Earth, and optical effects to show photos of important worldwide locations wiping over the GPO Tower. Most impressive.

ITN News at Ten (1982) The same titles as above but, look, no Bongs! The ITN News at Ten at 16 minutes past 10! Look out for the Anglia continuity!

ITN News at Ten (January 1985) By January 1985 the effect is the same, but we've switched from rostrum photos on film, to aerial shots of London landmarks recorded on videotape. The font on the title logo has also changed as well...

ITN News at Ten (1985) For 1985, ITN dazzled us with this mix of computer graphics and different aerial shots of London on VT. This time flights over Tower Bridge, the City of London and Westminster. A new logo was introduced, keyed over a clockface seen from below.

ITN News at Ten (1988) From 1988, a title sequence generated entirely by computers. It still impresses to this day - the animation over London concludes on Big Ben just as the first Bong strikes... Excellent! Alastair has started to look his age, bless him.

ITN News at Ten - Sir Alastair Burnet's Last (Summer 1991) Sir Alastair Burnet making the news here with his retirement from ITN after 28 years in the summer of 1991.

The following year - after 25 years - News at Ten dispensed with dual presentation. There was much speculation over who would win the coveted role of News at Ten's sole newscaster. Trevor McDonald, Julia Somerville and Alastair Stewart were all in the running, but Sir Trev came out on top. One can only imagine how Jules and Big Al must have felt... But they put a brave face on it, at least for the first year, with Somerville reporting on British industry and Stewart travelling the world to cover major news events. Then he went to LNN....

ITN News at Ten (1992) The final sequence lasted to the end of News at Ten's original run, in March 1999. A return to live action shots, but for the first time the music has been re-recorded in a higher key. These titles are from the final edition, hosted by Trevor McDonald on Friday 5th March 1999. There is also a dignified salute to the programme's history.

ITV Nightly News (1999) ITV Nightly News - with Dermot Murnaghan. Monday 8th March 1999 brought the biggest change to News on ITV. After much debate and a challenge from the ITC, ITV moved it's main news bulletins. The ITV Nightly News was broadcast at 11pm.

ITN News at Nine (19th March 2003) The onset of the War with Iraq saw ITV adjust their schedules to include an additional bulletin. Trevor McDonald presented live from Kuwait City with various reporters in and around Iraq. One of whom was Terry Lloyd who sadly died whilst reporting the conflict.

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