Andrew Gardner (newsreader)
Encyclopedia
Andrew Gardner was a newscaster on Independent Television News
in the United Kingdom
from 1962 to 1977. He was also one of the original presenters of News at Ten when it began in 1967.
He was born in Beaconsfield
, Buckinghamshire
and educated at the independent Dauntsey's School
in Wiltshire
. He was a tall man, at 6 ft 5 ins. His broadcasting career began with a spell as a radio journalist in South Africa and he was a reporter in Africa until his return to the UK in 1961.
He was notable for presenting the first transatlantic programme using the Telstar
Satellite and for commentating on state occasions such as royal weddings for ITV
. After leaving ITN he became a regional news presenter on Thames Television
, presenting Thames at 6 and later Thames News
.
He remained with Thames until it lost its franchise
in 1992, when he subsequently took early retirement.
While beeing retired he did some recordings on radio tape for a life magazine for blind people. For these recordings he took part e.g. in a beer tasting and he travelled through the wine regions of southwest Germany for a week doing recordings for another report on that magazine.
He died from a heart attack on 2 April 1999, aged 66.
Independent Television News
ITN is a news and content provider with headquarters in the United Kingdom. It is made up of four key businesses: ITN News, ITN Source, ITN Productions and ITN Consulting. The ITN logotype can be displayed in any of 4 different colours, each of which represents a business unit. This is the...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
from 1962 to 1977. He was also one of the original presenters of News at Ten when it began in 1967.
He was born in Beaconsfield
Beaconsfield
Beaconsfield is a market town and civil parish operating as a town council within the South Bucks district in Buckinghamshire, England. It lies northwest of Charing Cross in Central London, and south-east of the county town of Aylesbury...
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
and educated at the independent Dauntsey's School
Dauntsey's School
Dauntsey's School is a co-educational independent day and boarding school in the village of West Lavington, Wiltshire, England. The School was founded in 1542, in accordance with the will of William Dauntesey, a master of the Worshipful Company of Mercers....
in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. He was a tall man, at 6 ft 5 ins. His broadcasting career began with a spell as a radio journalist in South Africa and he was a reporter in Africa until his return to the UK in 1961.
He was notable for presenting the first transatlantic programme using the Telstar
Telstar
Telstar is the name of various communications satellites, including the first such satellite to relay television signals.The first two Telstar satellites were experimental and nearly identical. Telstar 1 was launched on top of a Thor-Delta rocket on July 10, 1962...
Satellite and for commentating on state occasions such as royal weddings for ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
. After leaving ITN he became a regional news presenter on Thames Television
Thames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
, presenting Thames at 6 and later Thames News
Thames News
Thames News was the flagship news programme of Thames Television, serving the Greater London region. It was broadcast between 5 September 1978 & 31 December 1992 and produced from Thames TV's headquarters at Euston Road in North West London and during its last few years in operation, from district...
.
He remained with Thames until it lost its franchise
Broadcasting Act 1990
The Broadcasting Act 1990 is a law of the British parliament, often regarded by both its supporters and its critics as a quintessential example of Thatcherism. The aim of the Act was to reform the entire structure of British broadcasting; British television, in particular, had earlier been...
in 1992, when he subsequently took early retirement.
While beeing retired he did some recordings on radio tape for a life magazine for blind people. For these recordings he took part e.g. in a beer tasting and he travelled through the wine regions of southwest Germany for a week doing recordings for another report on that magazine.
He died from a heart attack on 2 April 1999, aged 66.