ITV News West Country

History

The nightly regional news programme was launched on 16 February 2009 as The West Country Tonight, following the merger of two regional news services – The West Tonight (ITV West) and Westcountry Live (ITV Westcountry).

From 24 November 2016, ITV News West Country began broadcasting in HD on Sky and Freesat only. Freeview and Virgin Media carry ITV News West Country only on the standard definition ITV channel.

On air staff

, the presenters are Alex Lovell and Sabet Choudhury. Notable on air staff include Ben McGrail (Somerset correspondent). Notable former on air staff include Lisa Aziz, Alex Beresford, Bob Crampton, Mark Longhurst, Jonty Messer, Kylie Pentelow, Peter Rowell and Steve Scott.

Sub-regional service

When the programme launched in February 2009, two opt-out services for the regions served by its predecessor news programmes were retained. These incorporated the first half of the main evening programme on weeknights at 6pm, the full late bulletins after News at Ten on weeknights, and sports news on Mondays and Fridays. On 5 September 2011, separate weekday daytime bulletins for the two sub-regions (at breakfast and lunchtime) were reintroduced.

In September 2013, ITV News West Country extended the opt-outs to at least 20 minutes of the 6pm programme, in addition to separate weekend bulletins, effectively restoring full services for the two areas. Both opt-outs use the same presenter(s) and studio in Bristol, therefore one of the two opt-outs – depending on the day's news – is pre-recorded 'as live' shortly before transmission.

Weather forecasts are pre-recorded and are localised for the West and South West opt-outs. They are produced and presented from Met Office headquarters in Exeter or studios in Bristol.

References

References

1. [http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/broadcasting/a116473/ofcom-to-allow-itv-regional-news-cuts.html Digital Spy – Ofcom 'to allow' ITV regional news cuts]
2. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6991206.stm BBC News – ITV to merge regional newsrooms]
3. [http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Westcountry-news-come-Bristol-new-faces/story-11491771-detail/story.html Your Westcountry news from Bristol], Western Morning News, 27 January 2009
4. [http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/160292/Newsgirl-Lisa-Aziz-quits-after-dropping-race-and-sex-claims Newsgirl Lisa Aziz quits after dropping race and sex claims] {{Webarchive. link. (28 December 2016 Elisa Roche, Daily Express, 25 February 2010)
5. [https://www.sportsjournalists.co.uk/sports-broadcasting/scott-confirmed-as-itv-sports-editor/ Scott confirmed as ITV News sports editor] Sports Journalists' Association, 11 March 2010
6. [http://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2013-07-05/new-presenter-joins-itv-news-west-country/ New presenter joins ''ITV News West Country''] [[ITV News]], 5 July 2013
7. [https://www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/tv/who-kylie-pentelow-whos-replaced-15776537 Who is Kylie Pentelow, who's replaced Andrea Byrne on ITV Wales?] Wales Online, 4 February 2019
8. [http://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2016-12-16/and-finally-some-news-about-ian/ And finally....some news about Ian], itv.com, 16 December 2016
9. [https://www.devonlive.com/news/local-news/itv-news-west-country-presenter-7266569?int_source=nba ''ITV News West Country'' presenter Jonty Messer announces decision to step down] Caroline Abbot, Devon Live, 28 June 2022
10. [https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2022-07-27/presenter-jonty-messer-says-goodbye-after-12-years-at-itv-west-country Presenter Jonty Messer says Goodbye after 12 years at ITV West Country] itv.com, 27 July 2022
11. [https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2022-10-03/ex-bbc-presenter-sabet-choudhury-joins-itv-news-west-country Ex-BBC presenter Sabet Choudhury joins ''ITV News West Country''] itv.com, 3 October 2022
12. [https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2023-09-28/presenter-kylie-pentelow-says-goodbye-to-itv-west-country Presenter Kylie Pentelow says goodbye to ITV West Country after 10 years] itv.com, 29 September 2023
13. Alex Lovell. (30 October 2023). "After 18 years presenting BBC Points West I have taken the huge decision to leave at the end of November. Thank you to all my amazing colleagues and lovely viewers for all the love, laughs and tears - we’ve shared it all haven’t we. I am super excited to be joining @itvwestcountry in December and I will be in the studio with my lovely friend @Sebchoudhury in January.".
14. [https://www.theguardian.com/media/organgrinder/2009/feb/16/seventeen-regions-into-nine-itv-news Seventeen regions into nine: How the updated ITV local news services will run] Caitlin Fitzsimmons, [[The Guardian]], 17 February 2009
15. [http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2013/07/23/ofcom-sets-out-licence-terms-for-itv-stv-utv-and-channel-5/ OFCOM sets out licence terms for ITV, STV, UTV and Channel 5] {{webarchive. link. (26 July 2013 , OFCOM, 23 July 2013)