Colin Weston
Encyclopedia
Colin Weston is a former British television continuity announcer, best known for his work at Granada Television
.
Originally from London
, Weston began his career in the post room of ABC Television
's studios in Teddington
. After ABC lost its weekend franchise in 1968, he applied for various continuity announcing roles around the ITV network.
Weston was successful at Granada
, which had won the 7-day franchise for North West England
. He was trained by then-chief announcer Don Murray Henderson. However, on his first announcing shift, he earned the nickname Fluff after forgetting the name of the Winter Hill
transmitter during the start-up Authority announcement.
After 18 months, his contract with Granada was not renewed but he did move on to freelance for various stations including Anglia
, London Weekend and most notably, Tyne Tees. He continued to freelance after returning to Granada a short time afterwards, where in-vision continuity had been introduced to the station.
Before long, Weston had become one of the best known television personalities in North West England, winning many fans for his unique style of announcing. His duties at Granada extended when he became Chief Announcer, leading a team of contemporaries including Charles Foster, Jim Pope
, Beverley Ashworth
, Andrew Brittain and John MacKenzie. Alongside all other Granada announcers, until 1992, he also read Granada Reports
news bulletins throughout the day. He also voiced Granada-produced networked trails and promos for the ITV network and made a cameo appearance during the first series of the long-running Granada sitcom, Watching
, in 1987.
Weston was also the duty announcer on Friday 12 February 1988, the evening of the last closedown from Granada before the start of 24-hour transmissions. Shortly afterwards, he became the chief announcer of the part-networked Night Time service, broadcast in the Granada
, Grampian
, Tyne Tees, Border
, TSW and Ulster
regions.
In 1998, continuity/transmission for Granada was moved to the studios of Yorkshire Television
in Leeds
. Not wanting to make a move, Weston left Granada after an announcing career spanning 30 years. He now works as a film extra & voiceover artist for videos and commercials and presents an easy listening music show on NMFM 106.6, a community radio station in North Manchester, each Monday evening.
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
.
Originally from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Weston began his career in the post room of ABC Television
Associated British Corporation
Associated British Corporation was one of a number of commercial television companies established in the United Kingdom during the 1950s by cinema chain companies in an attempt to safeguard their business by becoming involved with television which was taking away their cinema audiences.In this...
's studios in Teddington
Teddington
Teddington is a suburban area in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in south west London, on the north bank of the River Thames, between Hampton Wick and Twickenham. It stretches inland from the River Thames to Bushy Park...
. After ABC lost its weekend franchise in 1968, he applied for various continuity announcing roles around the ITV network.
Weston was successful at Granada
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
, which had won the 7-day franchise for North West England
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
. He was trained by then-chief announcer Don Murray Henderson. However, on his first announcing shift, he earned the nickname Fluff after forgetting the name of the Winter Hill
Winter Hill transmitting station
The Winter Hill transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications site situated on Winter Hill, at the southern boundary of the Borough of Chorley, and above Bolton in Greater Manchester, England...
transmitter during the start-up Authority announcement.
After 18 months, his contract with Granada was not renewed but he did move on to freelance for various stations including Anglia
Anglia Television
Anglia Television is the ITV franchise holder for the East Anglia franchise region. Although Anglia Television takes its name from East Anglia, its transmission coverage extends beyond the generally accepted boundaries of that region. The station is based at Anglia House in Norwich, with regional...
, London Weekend and most notably, Tyne Tees. He continued to freelance after returning to Granada a short time afterwards, where in-vision continuity had been introduced to the station.
Before long, Weston had become one of the best known television personalities in North West England, winning many fans for his unique style of announcing. His duties at Granada extended when he became Chief Announcer, leading a team of contemporaries including Charles Foster, Jim Pope
Jim Pope
Jim Pope was a British radio and television continuity announcer and voice over artist. He began his career in radio and moved to TV to deliver continuity links for HTV in the 1960s and early 1970s....
, Beverley Ashworth
Beverley Ashworth
Beverley Ashworth is a voiceover artist best known as a former continuity announcer for Granada Television.Ashworth began her Granada career in the late 1980s, working alongside Colin Weston, Jim Pope and Charles Foster amongst others....
, Andrew Brittain and John MacKenzie. Alongside all other Granada announcers, until 1992, he also read Granada Reports
Granada Reports
Granada Reports is the flagship regional news programme of ITV franchisee Granada, presented by Tony Morris and Lucy Meacock, and serving the North West of England and the Isle of Man....
news bulletins throughout the day. He also voiced Granada-produced networked trails and promos for the ITV network and made a cameo appearance during the first series of the long-running Granada sitcom, Watching
Watching
Watching is a British television sitcom, produced by Granada Television for the ITV network and broadcast for seven series and four specials between 1987 and 1993....
, in 1987.
Weston was also the duty announcer on Friday 12 February 1988, the evening of the last closedown from Granada before the start of 24-hour transmissions. Shortly afterwards, he became the chief announcer of the part-networked Night Time service, broadcast in the Granada
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
, Grampian
Grampian Television
Grampian Television is the ITV franchisee for the North and North East of Scotland. Its coverage area includes the Scottish Highlands , Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee and parts of north Fife...
, Tyne Tees, Border
Border Television
Border Television is the ITV franchise holder for the Border region, spanning the England/Scotland border and covering Dumfries & Galloway region, a small part of the south-west area of Ayrshire, the Scottish Borders, parts of north and west Northumberland and the majority of Cumbria...
, TSW and Ulster
UTV
UTV is a television channel based in the UK region of Northern Ireland. The channel is the Channel 3 or Independent Television licensee for Northern Ireland and is operated by UTV Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of UTV Media.- Terrestrial :* Analogue: Normally tuned to 3 * Freeview : 3...
regions.
In 1998, continuity/transmission for Granada was moved to the studios of Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television, now officially known as ITV Yorkshire and sometimes unofficially abbreviated to YTV, is a British television broadcaster and the contractor for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV network...
in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
. Not wanting to make a move, Weston left Granada after an announcing career spanning 30 years. He now works as a film extra & voiceover artist for videos and commercials and presents an easy listening music show on NMFM 106.6, a community radio station in North Manchester, each Monday evening.
External links
- TV Ark Granada continuity page includes many examples of Colin Weston's work for Granada Television