The Continuity Booth
ITV 1 - Anglia
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Television chef who started out as a television presenter, initially with HTV Wales, and then as one of the anchors for 'About Anglia' and an Anglia TV announcer, in 1976 until the early-1980s.
His television culinary career began at 'About Anglia' when he asked the programme's bosses if he could demonstrate to viewers how an Irish coffee should be made. This turned into a regular slot on the programme - Patrick's Pantry - and this, in turn, led to him making several food and cookery programmes for Anglia TV, and later for the BBC nationally.
Patrick also regularly manned Anglia's continuity desk in the 1980s. In early-2002, Patrick returned to Anglia Television to present 'Take A Leaf', a new gardening and countryside show, which tells viewers how best to grow their own food.
More recently, Patrick has been appearing as one of the cooks on 'Ready, Steady, Cook'.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
Probably Anglia Television's best known newscaster, Bacon began his stint on the 'About Anglia' newsdesk, and as a continuity announcer in 1964, and stayed with the company until the mid to late-1980s. He often shared this duty with colleague Caroline Raison. After retiring, Bacon moved to sunnier climes - Greece. 
In-vision Anglia Television continuity announcer in 1968. Before that he announced for TWW in Wales and the West of England.By passing the 11-Plus, Greg gained entry to his local grammar school in North London, but education seemed to gain little purchase on his mind, which was focussed on tuning around the short-wave, discovering the existence of off-shore radio and determination to escape as soon as possible.
As a DJ on off-shore radio, Greg could be heard on Radio Essex from early-1966, then Radio 270, Radio 390 and briefly, before its demise, on Radio Caroline North. He has been a DJ and presenter at several local radio stations, including Breeze AM (as was), Beacon Radio (ditto), Two Counties Radio (ditto), LBC and, for four-and-a-half years in the late-1970s, at Radio Orwell.
As well as playing at gramophones, a presenter in those days needed to know all about meaningful speech, at which Greg, in hindsight, reckons he was particularly adept. At the time, he was perceived as 'esoteric' and even 'abstract' but he expresses in 2008 - and as 'technically' still a freelance voice-over, presenter and writer - a firm belief that radio was made for qualities such as his.
As Roger Scott (no relation to another broadcaster of the same name, who came to prominence in the UK in the early-1970s), Greg appeared in-vision as an announcer at Harlech from March 1968 to c. January 1969. His style of presentation - developed previously on off-shore radio - was deemed too risky and he received marching orders to the out-of-vision-only department. He remained there until his departure a couple of months later.
Freelance continuity (including at Granada) and voice-over work was Greg's professional occupation until reaching the announcer's desk at Anglia, where local news bulletins and presentation of the Birthday Club were delivered to the regional audience, some of whom objected to the long-haired 'object' on their screen!
Greg prides himself in being probably the only TV announcer to have been bought a short hair wig by his employer, as well as wishing his viewers "peace" at closedown. Surprisingly, he lasted a full year in Norwich, until October 1970, when the call came from the North East. His entertainment value was diluted again at Tyne Tees, due to all continuity being OOV. But this was rectified eventually, as an early-evening glory spot was introduced, featuring the announcer on camera revealing highlights of viewing ahead.
In Newcastle, in line with the policy of having the promos scripted and arranged by the announcers themselves, Greg quickly learned and perfected the art of sculpting imaginative and highly-creative blurb, which often had little to do with programme content. His association with the ITV company lasted until the lure of another spell of off-shore radio became irresistible in early-1972.
During his television days, Greg freelanced as an announcer at ATV and Southern, as well as revisiting Granada. Promotional trail voice-over work proved more sustainable and more successful. As the voice of Anglia for a few years in the 1980s, he travelled weekly (sometimes more) to Norwich. There was a weekly appointment in the voice-over booth at HTV for three years in the late-1980s and throughout the '80s and '90s, few weeks elapsed when Greg did not put his voice to LWT promos.
Voice-over work of all kinds had been a staple of his entire professional journey until the early-twenty-first century, when styles changed and his received pronounciation and great voice could no longer be disguised.
Greg's radio ambitions are not over yet! Tying-in with an interest in modern - i.e. twentieth and twenty-first century 'classical' music - he aims to interest before long a programme controller who really, really wants to incorporate into the schedule a regular, if not daily, excursion into the world of 'unlistenable' but actually highly intoxicating arrangements of sound. Mixed with Greg's intoxicating arrangement of words and intelligent, humourous world-view, large audiences are guaranteed!
He realises that by divulging this idea, to which he holds intellectual copyright, the concept could go walking. But nobody could execute it as well!
Anglia Television in-vision continuity announcer in 1983.
Graham Bell is fondly remembered as an Anglia TV announcer, from 1966, and co-host of the nightly news magazine programme 'About Anglia', a job which he held for 18 years from 1969, making him one of Anglia's longest serving presenters. During this period he fronted many other programmes for Anglia, including 'Portrait Of A Village' and 'Miss Anglia', as well as religious and documentary series. During his time on 'About Anglia', Bell worked with several co-presenters, including Jane Probyn, Pam Rhodes, Christine Webber and Patrick Anthony.
In the late-1980s Anglia's news operations were re-vamped, first with a re-launched 'About Anglia', and then as 'Anglia News' with separate editions for the two halves of the region (although both broadcast simultaneously from Anglia's Norwich HQ). Graham Bell switched back to continuity announcing and voice-overs for the regional Crimestoppers programme, as well as hosting the BC birthday greetings slot. Sadly, he died in 1997, aged 57, after a career spanning 31 years with Anglia Television.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
David Bennett, a continuity announcer with Grampian Television, stayed in Aberdeen after retiring from the company and he is a frequent correspondent to local newspaper letters pages. David has announced on many other ITV stations, including Anglia, HTV and ATV.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
One of ITV's legendary announcers, John Benson announced for ABC Television, in Manchester and Birmingham, from 1957 until 1966. In 1967, he was a presenter for the BBC Light Programme, and a relief announcer for Rediffusion in London.
He joined Thames Television when it took over the London weekday franchise from 1968. He also continued as a relief announcer for Westward, Anglia, Southern, Thames and TVS. Benson's voice-over credits include the introduction to Southern Television's final programme, It's Goodbye From Us, Anglia TV's Sale Of The Century, and Yorkshire TV's 3-2-1. John Benson died in 1995.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
Continuity announcer for ABC Television, TWW (Television Wales and the West) in 1958, and one of the first announcers and news readers on Anglia Television from its launch in 1959. During his time at the Norwich-based station, Colin also interviewed for news programmes and was a quizmaster. After leaving Anglia in 1964, Colin worked as an announcer/news reader for the overseas service of the Australian Broadcasting Commission, and later that year moved to Tyne Tees TV in Newcastle as a continuity announcer and newscaster. As a freelance news reader, announcer, presenter and quizmaster between 1967 and 1975, Colin worked for several ITV stations, including Westward Television, Grampian and Border. He also worked for the BBC in Bristol, Southampton and London.
In 1975, Colin returned to radio (he had started his career as a disc jockey with radio stations in Africa), launching the new commercial Plymouth Sound station, where he presented The Sunrise Sound breakfast show for 18 months. In 1979, Colin moved to Nottingham's Radio Trent to present A Little Night Music each evening and Colin's Corner on Sunday afternoons. Between 1989 and 1996, Colin produced and presented The Golden Years on BBC Radio Nottingham, a request programme featuring the music of the 1920s, 30s and 40s. Colin has also freelanced as an actor, voice-over, narrator and speaker. His acting roles have included parts in Byker Grove, Coronation Street, Boon, Emmerdale Farm, Peak Practice, and the Tommy Cooper Show. In 2000, Colin starred as Chesney Allen in the theatre production of The Flanagan and Allen Story. He now lives in Nottingham with his wife, Judith, a former transmission loggist for Westward TV, where the couple met.
Now managing editor at BBC Radio Norfolk, David Clayton was an Anglia Television continuity announcer throughout 1982 and later became a well known face and voice in the East of England as a regular presenter on BBC TV East and on BBC Radio Norfolk.
David told TTVRP how he broke into television announcing: "Basically I was dabbling in local radio. I applied to be a continuity announcer at Anglia TV in Norwich. I failed twice - on the third attempt they didn't take me but the station's deputy head of presentation, Ray Castle, knew me from when he had attended dances at a local ballroom where I had been the DJ. He liked my disco music - he liked me! I was offered me some freelance shifts at Anglia and I worked there throughout 1982 quite regularly. He trusted me enough to give me an on-air audition which was in January 1982. I remember that during my first live link the programme failed to appear down the line from TVS so my first link was to a stand-by film. Helen McDermott stayed with me to hold my hand and we've been friends ever since.
"I later became a stand-in all over the place on BBC TV East in 1983, including from October 1983 taking over as the main 'Breakfast Time' regional presenter and also doing some daytime shifts as well. I moved into more 'Look East' newsreading and presenting and did some reporting and presenting on the Friday opt-out called Weekend and then 'East on Two', a regional weekly magazine programme. I also did many 'Children In Need' programmes. I stopped as a regular in 1987 to take up a contract with BBC Radio 4, then came back to be deputy editor at BBC Radio Norfolk in 1991."
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
Richard started his broadcasting career as a researcher and reporter with BBC Radio Humberside after which he moved on to run the audio arm of a corporate communications company in his native Norwich. His voice skills were spotted by Anglia Television where he spent eight years as a continuity announcer from 1990 until 1998. During these years he also wrote for BBC Radio 4, produced a pilot for a radio game show and edited guide books for Jarrold Publishing.
In 1998, he moved into the area of heritage interpretation, attending an MA course at St Mary's College, Strawberry Hill, where he went on to graduate with distinction. Since then, he has worked for the likes of the National Trust and the British Library.
In 2003, Richard co-founded Corvidae - an internet venture focusing on the museum and heritage sector.
Website
Anglia Teleivision announcer from 1989 to 1991.
Tom Edwards started his career as a newspaper journalist before moving to television as an announcer with Border. He went on to become a familiar announcer on Thames Television in London and on HTV West. Tom is also thought to have been an announcer with Anglia. He also spent several years as a pirate radio disc-jockey.
Tom left Thames at the end of the 1980s to move to the United States but later returned to the UK as a presenter on BBC Radio Norfolk and occasional presenter of the BBC's 'Look East' magazine programme. Most recently, he was the voice-over for BBC TV's 'Wipe Out' daytime quiz show.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
Adrian was a continuity announcer at BBC Wales for a short period in the first half of 1991 before moving to Network Presentation in London. He remained there until 1993 when he moved to Carlton for six months, then Anglia for another six, before returning to Network BBC One and BBC Two in 1994.
Adrian left to join BBC World in spring 1995. For a while he freelanced as an announcer at LWT in 1995 and 1996; around the same time he was also the pre-recorded voice of the Channel 4 'Schools' strand.
As well as being the voice of BBC World (albeit pre-recorded), Adrian also worked there as a news presenter. Adrian left the BBC in autumn 2004 to take up a position with CNN.
Phil Fothergill was an Anglia Television announcer in 1989. He moved from the announcer's chair to a behind-the-scenes role, as a producer in the promotions department. He went on to work at The Family Channel and, since 1995, he has been promotions manager at the popular QVC channel.A former actress and continuity announcer at Southern TV, Ulster TV, Tyne Tees TV and BBC Radio External Services. She was also an announcer at Anglia TV and compere for Yorkshire TV's 'Stars On Sunday'. 
Long serving Anglia TV continuity announcer, news reader and presenter, who was a well known face on the station from 1977. Katie remained with the station after the switch to voice only continuity until 1998 when Meridian Broadcasting took over continuity for Anglia. Recently, she has been heard on satellite TV channel Rapture.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
ATV and Anglia Television announcer who went on to voice presentation trailers for the BBC in the late-1960s. 
LWT freelance announcer in the 1970s. Sharon was also an announcer for Southern TV from 1980 and then Anglia from 1983 - TBC.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
Anglia Television continuity announcer and presenter of 'The Midday Show' from 1959 until the early-1960s.Meridian Broadcasting continuity announcer from 2000 to 2002, and previously an announcer with HTV West in Bristol. Fiona's voice was heard on HTV West, as well as Anglia Television, as continuity for these two stations was sourced from Meridian's Southampton headquarters until October 2002. Fiona is now a news reader for Ivel FM in Somerset. 
Well known Granada TV in-vision announcer in the 1970s and 1980s. Graham moved to Meridian in Southampton and was an announcer on that station, HTV West and on Anglia TV until October 2002.
Anglia Television continuity announcer in 1963 and programme presenter who went on to front popular children's shows such as Clapperboard, holiday must-see Wish You Were Here (1976 to 1987) and gastronaut's bible Food and Drink.Anglia TV in-vision continuity announcer in 1981.
Paul was an Anglia continuity announcer from 1987 to 1991; he launched the station's 'Through The Night' service, earning him the title 'Mr Midnight'. He also presented on Anglia's regional news programme.
Paul went on to become a big name in the world of satellite home shopping channels. He also presented for Friendly TV.
Website
Former Anglia Television announcer (1973 to 1976), and BBC TV 'Look East' anchor who moved north to take up a continuity announcer's job at Tyne Tees Television in the mid-1980s. She left the company when it was taken over by Yorkshire Television in the early-1990s.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
(Now Verity Spencer). Verity was a continuity announcer and news reader with Anglia during the 1980s and early-1990s. She left Anglia after getting married, and spent four years in the Middle East presenting news programmes for both TV and radio.
After returning to the UK, Verity settled into a job with the then newly-formed BBC World Service Television News. After starting a family, she concentrated on voice-over work and reading psychology at degree level.
Continuity announcer for Ulster TV (1967 to 1969), Anglia TV (1970 to 1973), Southern, Thames Television, ATV, and, on occasions, HTV West. Also recognised nationally as the host of the 'TV Times Awards' and 'Miss United Kingdom' on the ITV network in the 1970s and 1980s. He also presented the BBC's 'Come Dancing' from 1980 to 1983, and has regularly reported for ITV's 'Wish You Were Here'. Marshall originally trained as a teacher, and then an actor with the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, before joining a Bournemouth rep company.
Former offshore pirate radio broadcaster who moved into television announcing, and, since then, has appeared on many ITV regional stations, including long stints at ABC TV, the North and Midlands weekend contractor until 1968. Keith also announced for ATV, Yorkshire Television, Anglia TV, Television South and LWT in the 1970s/1980s. Announcer for Southern TV, 1959 - 1961; ATV and ABC Television. BBC TV announcer, 1965 to 1972; BBC Radio External Services announcer 1975 onwards. Keith went on to specialise in voice coaching - his clients include former Prime Minister John Major.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
Helen McDermott graced Westward TV screens in the 1970s, jumping ship in 1979 to the safer haven of Anglia Television, which she joined as a continuity announcer and news reader. Helen is still at Anglia, as the anchor of the East edition of the company's main evening topicality programme, Anglia News.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
Anglia Television 'Through The Night' in-vision continuity announcer who popped up whenever Phil Fothergill or Paul Lavers were not around. Tracy graced the announcers' desk in the late-1980s and early-1990s.
Anglia Television and Tyne Tees Television in-vision continuity announcer in the 1960s. She also presented Anglia children's programme Afternoon Club from 1960 to 1963.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
Briefly a TSW announcer before moving to Anglia as a continuity announcer. She progressed to front the main evening 'Anglia News' in the West of the region.
Other TV credits: 'About Anglia' (Anglia); 'Take It On' (Anglia).
In 1960, Simon attended Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London and began his acting career in one of Britain's first television soap operas, 'Home Tonight' with David Hemmings. For the next eleven years he worked extensively on radio and television and in provincial repertory theatre, including a year with Ian McKellen's 'Hamlet'.
After working as a continuity announcer and news reader at Southern TV, in 1970, Prebble joined the newsroom at Capital Radio, the second commercial radio station in Britain, where he hosted 'London's Day'. He then embarked on a career as a presenter and voice-over announcer, including thirteen years as the promo voice of Thames Television, as well as regular promo work for HTV and Anglia TV. From 1984 he was the announcer for the British version of the phenomenally successful game show 'The Price Is Right' with Leslie Crowther.
In 1990, Prebble moved to New York where he continued doing voice-over work. As well as recording numerous radio and television commercials, he also character-voiced cartoon series, such as 'Courage The Cowardly Dog', hosted and presented several television documentary series, notably 'Target Mafia', and narrated the IMAX film 'Endurance' about the Shackleton expedition. In 1996, he was a lead actor for a year (as villain Martin Chedwyn) on the American daily soap opera 'As The World Turns'.
In the US, he also began narrating audio books, and to date has recorded over 300 titles. An audiofile 'Golden Voice', his work has gained him more than eighteen 'Earphone' awards, nine nominations for the 'Audies' (the audiobook Oscars), and in 2005, he was named Narrator of the Year by Publishers Weekly.
Apart from his acting career, in 1967 Prebble designed and produced the 'executive toy' called Newton's Cradle.
In 2003, at Chiswick House London, he married Swedish graphic artist, Marie-Janine Hellstrom. In 2007, along with his wife, he became a US citizen.
Continuity announcer for both TVS and Anglia Television, who now reads the overnight news bulletins on Sky News. His career in broadcasting spans 20 years and has seen him present for ITN, Meridian, Grampian, HTV, LBC, BBC West and BBC South. He has recently built an excellent track record as a media trainer and qualified PR consultant and has trained many blue chip and public sector clients.
Announcer with Anglia in the 1970s and 1980s and 'About Anglia' news reader from 1977 until 1982, often alternating with veteran John Bacon.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
Best known as one of the presenters of the BBC's 'Songs Of Praise', Pam Rhodes was a regular in-vision continuity announcer for London Weekend Television in the early-1980s (from 1981). Before that she was an announcer, reporter and presenter for Norwich-based Anglia Television; she co-presented on 'About Anglia' from 1976 until 1981.
Before embarking on a career as a presenter, Rhodes was a 'Black And White Minstrels Show' girl, where, she says, she danced up to six miles a night! Fellow Anglia presenter Christine Webber was also a 'minstrels' show girl.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
Announcer for Associated Rediffusion, Southern, Anglia and Thames TV. Christopher had a friendly air and a great screen presence. He presented Southern's final programme, It's Goodbye From Us with great panache, and was one of only two continuity announcers featured, the other one being veteran colleague Brian Nissen. After Southern lost its contract, Christopher popped up from time to time as an announcer on TVS, before going into theatre. He has also announced for Thames TV in London and Anglia Television.
Recently, he's been on tour with a one-man play about Charles Darwin. He trained as an actor at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. In the theatre he has achieved notable success in the plays of Shakespeare, Ibsen, Lope de Vega, Calderon, Euripedes and Miller. For four years he was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, during which time he played the title role in King Lear. On television his portrayal of the Cyberleader in the Dr. Who adventure The Revenge of the Cyberman won him a cult following. Christopher has also worked as director and designer and his play The Sirens of Eroc, was written under the nom-de-plume of James Alan. As an artist he has held successful exhibitions of his photographs.
Graham has been a staff ITV Network announcer since October 2002. He is a former Radio 210 disc jockey who fronted TVS' overnight service, 'Late Night Late'. He joined Meridian from TVS to present the overnight service 'Nightime'. He went on to become one of Meridian's four duty announcers also providing continuity for Anglia and HTV West. Graham has also announced for Channel 4.
Additionally, Graham continues to freelance as a presenter and voice-over on programmes for Sky, Channel 5 and ITV 2. He also produced and presented the 'Exercise Helping Hand' documentaries in Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Lively scotsman who was Anglia's first chief announcer. Russell was the first announcer to be seen on Anglia and also presented the company's first programme, Introducing Anglia. He also took his turn at reading the daily local news headlines, along with Colin Bower and Newman Sanders. Drew, who also worked for Scottish Television during the 1960s, has now, sadly, passed away.
One of the first announcers/news reader/presenters on Anglia, from 1959. His full name was Cecil Walter Newman - Sanders but he was known as "Sandy" at Anglia. He joined Anglia from the London Planetarium. His previous employment included teaching, fishing and work as a cartoonist! He was Anglia's first newscaster.
Famous people he interviewed included King Hussein of Jordan, Alf Ramsey, and Morcambe and Wise. He left the newsroom at Anglia in 1965 to become their education officer, and retired in about 1983 aged 74. His hobbies included Golf and amateur radio. Sandy died in 1993, leaving three children, 10 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
Staff ITV 1 announcer since October 2002. Before this, Paul was stationed at Southampton providing continuity to Meridian, HTV West and Anglia Television. Paul used to host the breakfast show on Gloucestershire's Severn Sound radio station.Website
Clem started off as a BBC announcer from 1966 to 1973. In the 1970s he moved on to work on the announcing staff at various ITV regional centres including Anglia, Border, Tyne Tees and Scottish TV, from 1974 to 1975.
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Actor from 1958 to 1966 and then news reader at TWW (Bristol) and Tyne Tees TV in Newcastle. BBC TV announcer, 1969; also an announcer for Southern Television and Anglia Television. BBC Radio 4/External Services/World Service announcer since 1970.
In-vision announcer for ATV in the Midlands in the early-1970s who went on to become a BBC TV announcer in the mid-1970s. In-vision announcer at Anglia between 1975 and 1989.
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Vivien was a Central TV announcer and news reader in the early-1980s. She was also a daytime continuity announcer for Thames TV and Anglia TV at about the same time.
In 1983, she had a spell as a BBC TV announcer. She was a presenter, BBC Radio 2 in 1980; BBC Radio 2 announcer from 1980 until 1982. She also appeared as relief weather presenter on BBC TV's 'Breakfast Time' in 1988 and as a voice on BBC TV's 'Points Of View' in 1988 - TBC.
A local radio presenter working for Radio Broadland and later Classic Gold Amber in Norwich, Paul joined Anglia as a freelance announcer in 1994, often covering holidays and sick leave whilst also continuing with his radio career. He had the sad task of stepping in to take the place of Graham Bell after his sudden death in 1997. In 1998, Paul left Anglia to work at The Beach, a radio station in Lowestoft, where he stayed until 2004. He still lives in Norwich.
Southern Television announcer who moved to Anglia Television in Norwich. Christine was an announcer with Anglia from 1978 to 1979 and went on to become co-presenter of About Anglia with Graham Bell in the early-1980s. Webber started her television career as a lead singer with the Black and White Minstrels, where fellow Anglia presenter Pam Rhodes was employed as a dancer. She is now a psychotherapist and agony aunt, and with her famous husband, Dr David Delvin, knocks out sex advice on Net Doctor.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
One of the most familiar faces on Granada. Colin started with the station in 1968. From the late-1970s until the 1990s he also worked on a freelance basis for London Weekend, Southern, Tyne Tees, Border, Yorkshire, HTV, Anglia and TVS. Colin was the senior announcer at Granada when he left the company in 1998.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
