The Continuity Booth
ITV 1 - Associated Rediffusion
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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.
Former Associated Rediffusion announcer.
ABC TV and Associated Rediffusion continuity announcer who later presented BBC Children's TV's 'Top Of The Form', 1966 - 1967. He was a BBC TV news reader from September 1968 until September 1973, and then again in October 1974 and between September 1979 and June 1981. John also presented the BBC's regional London TV magazine, 'Town And Around' in 1968/1969 and BBC Radio 4's 'You and Yours' in 1972.
1979 - 1985: Head of Drama, University College of Wales. Professor of Drama for the University of Americas, Mexico and University of California, Santa Cruz 1985 - 1997. Returned to England appearing in several theatre productions including his own drama, verse and prose recitals.
TTVRP reader Dave Lawrence remembers John Edmunds from his time as a teacher. He says: "John had another occupation alongside his TV announcing work. He was a part time teacher - English if I remember correctly. He worked at Battersea Grammar School in Streatham, London from the early to mid sixties and I believe he also did a spell of teaching at Henry Thornton's Grammar School in Clapham before that. He was quite popular with the pupils as he was a bit more relaxed than some of the teachers! I left Battersea Grammar in 1966 and I am pretty sure he was still teaching there then."
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
Former Associated Rediffusion announcer.Former Associated Rediffusion announcer.Former Associated Rediffusion announcer.
One of the 1960s in-vision announcing team at Tyne Tees Television. Jon also presented TTTV's globe-trotting travel programme Faraway Places and, closer to home, Your Heritage. He moved to Associated-Rediffusion in London and remained until the station closed for the final time in 1968.
One of ITV's greatest announcers, Redvers Kyle was a continuity announcer at Associated-Rediffusion (later Rediffusion London) Television in London in the 1950s. On the station's final day of broadcasting, Monday 29 July 1968, as chief announcer Redvers Kyle opened and closed the station for the last time. For the final closedown he was joined by Rediffusion weatherman Laurie West and fellow continuity announcer John Kelly.
Redvers didn't hang around for long, and was in fact headed straight up the M1 to Leeds, where he had taken a position as chief announcer at the new Yorkshire Television. He remained at YTV until his retirement in 1993 and during that time also became a familiar voice on the ITV network for both his advertising voice-over work, and his networked voice-overs for YTV-syndicated trailers. Since then, Redvers Kyle has been heard in action on Victor Lewis-Smith's TV Offal programme and has also narrated several audio books.
TTVRP reader Simon Moss writes in to say: "Redvers Kyle was not only a TV announcer, but also a composer! I have a 1963 HMV LP (CLP 1672) The Hunting Of The Snark and a selection from The Bab Ballads narrated by Kyle. He is also credited on the cover as having composed the music which accompanies both sections of the narration. He even co-authored the liner notes!"
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.
A BBC radio announcer from 1934 to 1936, Leslie Mitchell was the first BBC TV in-vision announcer, based at Alexandra Palace, appearing from 1936 to 1938. During the war he was a regular narrator for the British Movietone News newsreel shown in cinemas across the UK. After the war, he became an interviewer on BBC TV's 'Picture Parade' in 1946 and again between 1948 and 1951. He also presented 'Come Dancing' in 1950.
Leslie defected to ITV in 1955 to join Associated-Rediffusion Television in London, where he became chief announcer. Such was his legend that A-R TV's striking station clock was later nicknamed 'Mitch'.
Leslie died on 23 November 1985, aged 80.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
Former Associated Rediffusion and ATV Midlands announcer.Film actor who moved into television announcing with Associated Rediffusion when it started broadcasting to the London area in 1955. He left Rediffusion to join Scottish Television as its chief announcer in 1957.
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.
Bill Steel is mainly remembered as Tyne Tees Television's chief announcer and one of the main presenters of evening news magazine programme, Northern Life, when it started in 1976. He has also announced across the ITV network on stations such as Thames and Border Television.
His first job at TTTV was as an Assistant Transmission Controller and he then progressed to voice-over work, including a spell as the announcer on TTTV's Song For The Swinging Sixties pop music show. He then took up a newsreading job at ABC Television in Manchester and Birmingham while continuing his day job during the week as a Transmission Controller at TTTV.
When ABC and Rediffusion 'merged' in 1968 to form Thames Television, Bill was kept on as an announcer, working with former Tyne Tees colleague, David Hamilton. At around this time he was also asked to take on some voice only continuity at Tyne Tees, present the nightly news magazine programme, Today At Six and was also offered a job as breakfast show DJ on the North East's new commercial radio station, Metro Radio.
A very busy man, Bill at this stage was forced to give up advertising voice-over work and his Transmission Control job to concentrate on the other elements of his successful broadcasting career. After his news contract ended, he moved over to continuity and took over from Neville Wanless as chief announcer in 1988.
He left Tyne Tees in 1996 and since then has developed his acting career -- in 1997 he joined Coronation Street briefly as Bernard McKenna. Until recently, he was also a presenter on Century Radio and is a director of a local media training company.
Former Associated Rediffusion announcer.
Announcer for Rediffusion from the start in 1955 who is probably best remembered as 'Aunty Mu' with her Olly Beak children's slot on Rediffusion at tea-time. Muriel Young went on to present and announce for Southern Television and to interview for Granada's People and Places. She left Rediffusion when it lost its contract in 1968 and was lured to Manchester to head up Granada's children's television department. Muriel Young died in March 2001.
Image courtesy of Paul R Jackson.
