The Continuity Booth
BBC Northern Ireland
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Pamela was a continuity announcer/director with BBC Northern Ireland from late-2001 until 2009.Download A Clip
John was a TV news reader with BBC Northern Ireland in the 1980s, presenting short bulletins mainly. He switched to a continuity announcer/director role there in the early-1990s.
John retired from the BBC in November 2006; his last on air announcement was on BBC Two Northern Ireland at 12.20am on November 01 2006.
Elaine has been a television continuity announcer/director with BBC Northern Ireland since 1994. She moved to BBC Radio Ulster briefly c. 1996 before returning to her television continuity role.Jennie has been a continuity announcer/director with BBC Northern Ireland since 1997. She was one of a team of three announcers who worked in-vision on BBC Choice Northern Ireland from 1998 until 2001.Download A Clip
In the early days of her television career, Lynda spent a brief period as a television announcer with BBC Northern Ireland - c. late-1980s. She went on to become one of the regular presenters of the BBC's local news programme in Northern Ireland, 'Inside Ulster'.
She later appeared on national screens, presenting alongside Rolf Harris on 'Animal Hospital' in 1996 and also filing reports for the 'Holiday' programme.
In 1996, Lynda defected to UTV, where she co-presented the main news programme with husband Mike Nesbitt until February 2006, when Mike left the station. Lynda still co-presents the programme.
In 2004, Lynda was an occasional presenter on the ITV News Channel; she also presented on ITV 1's 'London Tonight'. From November 2005 to 2008, Lynda presented her own show on Belfast radio station, U105.8.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
The former Cool FM DJ joined BBC Northern Ireland as a continuity announcer/director c. 1998.Kathy began announcing on BBC Northern Ireland television in 1996. She also featured as an in-vision announcer on BBC Choice Northern Ireland from 1998 until 2001. Kathy was a regular voice on the BBC Northern Ireland animated political satire, 'Folks on the Hill'.
In 2003, Kathy took up a post with Radio Netherlands in Hilversum.
In February 2007 [TBC], Kathy had a brief stint as a BBC TV Network announcer. She is currently an announcer on BBC Radio 4.
Peter was possibly the youngest ever continuity announcer at the age of 17. He joined BBC Northern Ireland while still at school. He subsequently obtained a degree from Queen's University, Belfast.
During his initial four years with the BBC, from 1975 to 1978, he was a news reader on 'Scene Around Six' with Barry Cowan and Sean Rafferty; he also covered other TV news broadcasts including the news at closedown on BBC One Northern Ireland.
On leaving university, Peter joined BBC NI on contract under Mike Baguley in the Presentation Department. He presented programmes and read the news as well as performing continuity duties for BBC Radio Ulster. He then moved to BBC TV presentation, working with what he describes as "two Ulster broadcasting legends", David Gamble and Mike Nunan. He later became a reporter on 'Good Morning Ulster' on BBC Radio Ulster before transferring to BBC Radio 2 in 1982 to take up a contract position as an announcer in the Presentation Department under Iain Purdon.
Over the years, Peter has presented various music and entertainment shows for BBC Radio, including: 'Peter Dickson's Nightcap' on BBC Radio 2, deputising for Gloria Hunniford on her BBC Radio 2 show and 'Newsbeat' on BBC Radio 1.
He was one of the main voice on programme promotions on BBC One for six years (1983 - 1989). He has also voiced programme promotions for many other TV networks, including: ITV; Channel 4; Five; The History Channel; Performance TV; The Biography Channel; Nickleodeon; National Geographic; UK Play; Challenge TV; Sky One; Disney Channel; TNT Classic Movies; BBC World; UKTV Gold; UK Horizons; Meridian; Sky Movies.
Peter's voice-over talent has seen him involved with many high profile TV shows, including: 'Bruce's Price Is Right' (ITV); 'Family Fortunes' (ITV); 'Late Night With Jerry Springer' (ITV/Five); 'It's Not The Answer' (ITV); 'Gameshow Marathon' (ITV); 'Ant And Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway' (ITV); 'The X Factor' (ITV); 'The Paul O'Grady Show' (ITV); 'Today With Des And Mel' (ITV); 'Test The Nation' (BBC); 'Record Of The Year' (ITV).
He also narrates documentaries, including many of the highest rating productions from the Discovery Channel, including: 'FBI Files'.
Peter has also written for various television productions, including: 'The Fast Show' (BBC); 'Play Your Cards Right' (ITV); 'Never Mind The Buzzcocks' (BBC).
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Martin started off in broadcasting as a television announcer with BBC Northern Ireland in the 1960s.
Martin's career profile in detail:
1968 - 1971: BBC One continuity announcer, London.
1971 - 1975: BBC TV presentation promotions assistant producer - trailer production for BBC One and BBC Two programmes. BBC TV directors four week production course.
1976 - 1979: BBC TV presentation promotions producer - as above, but including production of trailers for 'Radio Times', corporate and season campaigns. Programme producer for 'Points Of View'.
1979 - 1980: British America's Cup Challenge (Lionheart) team member.
1981 - 1984: BBC TV presentation editor. Responsible to the controllers of BBC One and BBC Two for BBC TV output. BBC junior management course.
1984 - 1986: BBC TV senior presentation editor. Overall responsibility to the above for all aspects of BBC TV output, including channel identities and logos, with three teams of presentation editors, assistant editors and network directors. BBC senior management course at Ashridge College, Herts, England.
1986 - 1987: head of presentation, SuperChannel. Set up the presentation team, with overall responsibility for transmission, promotions and programme preparation and operation. Set up children's weekday and weekend programme strands. As deputy director of programmes, responsible for creating the team to combine a variety of children's programmes into single programme strands, 'Hippo' (Monday - Friday) and 'Funbus' (Saturday and Sunday). Cast Gaby Roslin as presenter - her first television show.
1987 - 1992: television production and promotion. Consultant for TVS presentation, working for director of programmes, Alan Boyd; promotions producer, Channel 4 (Olympics, 'Breakfast Show' launch); BSB (Sports Channel launch) and BBC World Service TV presentation and promotions departments, set up programme editing (now called 'versioning'). Executive producer (development) 'The Webbs' - children's animation stories.
1987 - 1992: head of presentation, UK Gold Broadcasting. Six month contract with responsibility for setting up the presentation department to launch a new satellite television channel.
1993 - 1994: promotions scheduler, Meridian Broadcasting Ltd; Assistant producer, BBC World Service presentation (freelance).
1994 - 2002: executive producer, BBC General Factual. Responsible for supplying versioned programmes for BBC World, BBC Prime, BBC News 24, BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Four, UK Style and UK Horizons with a team of assistant producers, trained to operate office based multi m/c PC controlled linear and non-linear edit suites. Series producer 'Talking Movies' (weekly for BBC Two, BBC World, BBC News 24 and BBC America); 'Holiday In Style' (UK Style); 'Holiday Snaps''; 'Looking Good Tricks'; 'Home Front Tricks'; 'Afoot Again In The Past' (multi-episode series for BBC Two); 'My Favourite Movie' (BBC World). Executive producer 'Saturday Kitchen' (series 1, BBC Two, 40 programme series).
2002 - 2003: executive producer, ClarkTV/TTL 'Talking Movies' and programme development.
2003 - 2004: head of production, MICG Ltd.
2004 - Present: managing director, London International Television Ltd.
2006: launched The Business Channel on Sky Digital (channel 547).
Steve was born in Larne, Northern Ireland. His broadcasting career began with BBC Northern Ireland in the early-1980s: he started off as a TV continuity announcer and also read the news on TV and on BBC Radio Ulster. He later fronted many sports programmes for BBC Northern Ireland, such as 'Grandstand' and 'Sportsnight'. He also produced and presented for BBC Radio Ulster.
In the late-1980s, Steve moved to Yorkshire to present a radio talk show on BBC Radio Leeds (for which he won a Sony Gold) Over the years, Steve has presented on various radio stations, including: BBC Radio Newcastle; BBC Radio Three Counties; BBC Radio WM. He also worked at BBC Radio 5 Live, where he wrote and hosted 'The Media Show' and presented on 'Late Night Live', and 'Breakfast'.
In the early-1990s, Steve started work with Yorkshire TV as a reporter and presenter. Among the programmes he presented: 'Calendar', 'Scoreline', 'Tonight' and 'Live Lunch'.
He also presented for BBC TV in the Midlands: 'The Midlands At Westminster' and read the news on 'Look North'
In 2001, he fronted the national ITV 1 quiz, 'The Biggest Game In Town', presenting ninety-six live editions of the show. He also presented the current affairs programme 'A Bitter Pill' on BBC One Network.
Steve is still based in Leeds, where he runs a media company alongside his broadcasting commitments.
Image courtesy of Mark Swinford Photography/Steve Le Fevre.
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Michael was a television continuity announcer with BBC Northern Ireland in the 1960s.Easily the most distinctive voice in local broadcasting for years. David Gamble worked as a BBC Northern Ireland announcer from the 1970s until his retirement in 1988. David died in July 2002.Jacqui was a television continuity announcer/director with BBC Northern Ireland from 1989 until c. 1999. She now reads the news on BBC Radio Ulster.The ex-Cool FM and Citybeat DJ joined the BBC Northern Ireland continuity announcing rota in 1999.Download A Clip
Duncan's broadcasting career began in Singapore just before the Second World War. When the colony fell, he was imprisoned and made to work on the notorious Burma railway. In 1946 he applied to the BBC for an announcing job. He got it and was posted to Belfast in January, where he remained for the next thirty years.
Duncan worked mainly on radio during his time with BBC Northern Ireland, becoming known as the 'Voice Of Radio Ulster'. He presented over 20,000 local news bulletins. He read his last news script during the 8.55am bulletin on BBC Radio Ulster on 21 September 1976.
Duncan retired from broadcasting and moved to Wales.
During his time with BBC Northern Ireland, Duncan also performed some television announcing duties.
Michael worked on BBC Radio Ulster continuity before moving to the same role on BBC Northern Ireland television in 2000. After a short break, Michael returned to the TV continuity job in late-2001.
Alasdair Hutton started in broadcasting as a trainee technician in radio at 4BH in Brisbane at the age of 15. He then turned to journalism and after his return to Scotland joined BBC Scotland as a contract radio announcer in 1964 moving to television continuity in Northern Ireland in 1965 and then back to BBC Scotland in 1968. He left in 1979 to become the Member of the European Parliament for the South of Scotland.
After he left the Parliament in 1989 he reapplied to the BBC as an announcer but was not considered good enough to interview. He became narrator of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 1992 and narrates a wide variety of live shows and concerts around the world as well as videos and audio presentations. He became Convener of Scotland Borders Council in 2003.
Early to mid-1980s announcer with BBC Northern Ireland. Roy also read the local news on radio and TV.
(MBE). Walter joined the BBC in London as a studio manager in 1958. After a year with the BBC in Edinburgh, he moved to Broadcasting House in Belfast, where, after a year, he became a staff announcer. Throughout the 1960s, Walter was the main television news presenter with BBC Northern Ireland. He also looked after the radio continuity operation and presented various radio programmes.
During the 1960s and 1970s, Walter also carried out television continuity duties with BBC Northern Ireland.
In 1978 he went freelance, presenting the magazine programme 'Day By Day'. In the late-1980s, he took up the afternoon slot on BBC Radio Ulster, presenting 'Love In The Afternoon'. He then became the presenter and producer on 'Love Forty'.
In 1998, he was awarded an MBE for his services to broadcasting.
Edgar had a brief spell as a continuity announcer with Ulster Television in the early-1970s before moving round the corner to the BBC. He had left BBC Northern Ireland by the 1980s. However, he returned to the BBC Northern Ireland television continuity booth in 1994.
Edgar has also presented programmes on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio Ulster.
Edgar retired from the BBC after 33 years with the Corporation on Sunday 26 February 2006. His last announcement was broadcast at 1.40am on BBC One Northern Ireland that day.
Stephen began his announcing career in the 1970s. He became the senior BBC Northern Ireland announcer in the late-1980s and was heard less and less during peak time, having moved to cover early-morning and lunchtime regional news opts. Stephen led the continuity team until 2009; however, he hadn't been heard on air since 2000.Download A Clip
Early-1980s BBC Northern Ireland announcer.
David was educated at Royal Belfast Academical Institution and Belfast College of Business Studies. He joined the BBC Northern Ireland presentation team at the age of 18 in January 1978 and took up duties which included television and radio news reading, as well as television and radio continuity. He was also the Northern Ireland presenter on BBC Radio 2's 'Family Favourites', with Jean Challis and Pete Murray, for several years from April 1979.
David was the Belfast anchorman on 'Song for Europe' with Terry Wogan on BBC One in 1982 and 1983. He served a four-month attachment to general programmes on BBC Radio Ulster (daytime strand) from March 1984, including cover for Paul Clark on the 3 - 5pm afternoon show for four weeks, and nine weeks presenting 'Day by Day', replacing Walter Love during his illness. In 1985, he spent three weeks deputising for Gerry Anderson on BBC Radio Ulster.
Over the years, David has also presented a number of music-based radio programmes: 'With You until Midnight'; 'David Olver Music Show'; 'Variations'; 'Summer Selection'. His shows covered everything from pop to light classics and sacred works. He also presented a number of live concert relays from the Ulster Hall for BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio Ulster, as well as standing-in when required for regular daytime presenters on BBC Radio Ulster.
In 1986, he served an attachment as television producer to presentation and promotions in London. David subsequently returned to Belfast, where he filled a new new trails producer post. During several years in this job, he worked on a variety of television programmes and projects, including the first-ever television promotion for the launch of the BBC Shop in Belfast. In addition to producing regular trails promoting local TV and radio output, he was responsible for various 'Lifeline' appeals and the 'See for Yourself' programme with Gerry Anderson, on BBC One.
David was chosen by the highly-respected, senior BBC Northern Ireland light-entertainment producer/director Harry Adair as commentator for the local EMA(Entertainment, Media and Arts) Awards, which were televised live for a number of years during the early-1990s; this was followed by an equally successful run of the Belfast Telegraph Sport Awards, which were covered by the BBC until January 2001.
Speaking to TTVR+ in May 2008, David says that he "continues to enjoy his full-time role as a continuity director, working alongside a great team of people - a rewarding and challenging job which I wouldn't swap for the world!"
Among his hobbies, David lists music, cooking, driving, walking and spending as much time as possible at his Belfast home in Stranmillis with his wife Christine and three children John, Thomas and Catherine. He met wife Christine when she joined the Belfast presentation department as a continuity assistant on an attachment from the BBC in London, back in May 1988. They married in October the following year and John, the eldest of their three children, was born in August 1990.
A regular voice in the BBC Northern Ireland continuity booth in the 1980s. During the 1990s and for much of the 2000s, she worked on a freelance basis and could be heard covering portions of the early daytime shifts on BBC Northern Ireland TV. Ann hasn't been heard on air since c. 2009.
Gillian spent a brief spell on the BBC Northern Ireland announcing staff in 1992. She then moved on to UTV where she has been an announcer and news presenter ever since.Judith was a member of the BBC Northern Ireland announcing staff from the early-1990s until c. 1995.A former Cool FM/Downtown Radio news reader, Paul has been a continuity announcer/director with BBC Northern Ireland since 1999.Download A Clip
Michael joined BBC Northern Ireland c. 1997. He worked initially in the Traffic and Travel Unit, presenting reports for BBC Radio Ulster. In 1998 he moved to television continuity. Michael also worked as an in-vision announcer on BBC Choice Northern Ireland from 1998 until 2001.Mark spent a few years as a news reader with Cool FM/Downtown Radio before moving to BBC Northern Ireland as a continuity announcer/director in 1997. In 2004, he spent some time working for BBC Broadcast as a network director at Television Centre in London. In 2009, Mark was appointed manager of the continuity team at BBC Northern Ireland.Kerry was a regular contributor on the BBC Radio Ulster John Bennett programme. She spent six months as a continuity announcer/director, starting in late-September 2003. She still occasionally provides voice-overs for local programme trails. Kerry remains a regular voice on BBC Radio Ulster, presenting 'Weekend Extra'.
Roy joined the BBC Northern Ireland TV announcing staff in August 2002, having worked previously with BBC Radio Ulster's Traffic and Travel Unit. Before joining the BBC, Roy was a news reader at Belfast Citybeat (local radio station). In 1997, he spent three months working for Radio France Loire-Atlantic in Nantes.Download A Clip
Linda has been a news reader with BBC Radio Ulster since the 1970s. She was also a television continuity announcer with BBC Northern Ireland in the 1970s/early-1980s (TBC).
