London Tonight
Encyclopedia
London Tonight is a regional news programme broadcast on ITV London
(previously Carlton
/LWT
). Produced by ITN, the programme is broadcast at 6pm every weeknight, also including local sports news and local features of interest.
Like all regional news programmes on ITV
in England and Wales and Channel Television
, it uses the generic ITV plc
font and idents.
. The programme was originally produced by London News Network
in association with LWT and Carlton. LNN was established to provide a united, seven day, ITV
(Channel 3) news service for London. Its creation established a continuity between the once different brands of weekend and weekday news, weather and sport in the region.
On screen, the only difference between the Weekday and Weekend programmes became the endcap. This continued after the onscreen identities of Carlton London and LWT were scrapped by owners Carlton and Granada
in anticipation of a merger. Instead of being referred to as LWT and Carlton, ITV London (weekend) and ITV London (weekday) became the respective names and all onscreen idents referred to ITV1 London
.
ITV London (weekday) and ITV London (weekend) owners Carlton and Granada
merged, forming ITV plc
and LNN was dissolved soon after this. Production for all ITV London News programming remained at The London Studios
(formerly known as the LWT South Bank Centre) until 29 February 2004. Production is now conducted by the national Channel 3 news franchisee ITN at their headquarters in Central London, making the region unique as it holds the only franchise operation not to produce its own in-house news programmes.
London Tonight was unaffected by the ITV regional news cuts in late 2008 to early 2009.
, who presented London Tonight for over 16 years, left the programme in September 2009 to be replaced temporarily by Matt Teale
. Teale was replaced by Donal MacIntyre
in April 2010, and now presents weekend bulletins.
Katie Derham
left London Tonight on 23 June 2010 to join the BBC and was replaced by Nina Hossain
. MacIntyre left the programme in September 2010, with London Life correspondent Ben Scotchbrook taking over his duties.
Entertainment correspondent Lucy Cotter and weather presenter Robin McCallum presented the last double headed programme for the capital on 29 October 2010, with Cotter also departing on this date to join Sky News
. From 1 November 2010 the programme has been presented solely by Nina Hossain.
On 3 August 2011, it was announced that Natasha Kaplinsky
will provide maternity leave cover for Nina Hossain, the main presenter of London Tonight and relief presenter of ITV News
programmes from mid-September until Spring 2012. She tookover from Hossain in mid November 2011 after two months as a relief presenter.
ITV London provides three news bulletins during Daybreak
. The lunchtime bulletin follows on from the ITV News at 1:30, giving a seven minute round-up of the days developments from 1:54pm. The main evening edition of London Tonight begins at 6.00pm, and ends at 6.29pm. The late edition follows the ITV News at Ten, airing between 10.28pm and 10.37pm, Monday to Friday.
London Today/Tonight airs two bulletins at weekends, late afternoon on Saturday, and early evening on Sunday.
Non-newsreaders marked with a * are also newsreaders.
ITV London
ITV London is the on-air brand name used by ITV Broadcasting Limited for the two Channel 3 broadcast franchises, Carlton Television and London Weekend Television in the London ITV region.-History:...
(previously Carlton
Carlton Television
Carlton Television was the ITV franchise holder for London and the surrounding counties including the cities of Solihull and Coventry of the West Midlands, south Suffolk, middle and east Hampshire, Oxfordshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, parts of Herefordshire & Worcestershire,...
/LWT
London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television was the name of the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties including south Suffolk, middle and east Hampshire, Oxfordshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, parts of Herefordshire & Worcestershire, Warwickshire, east Dorset and...
). Produced by ITN, the programme is broadcast at 6pm every weeknight, also including local sports news and local features of interest.
Like all regional news programmes on 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...
in England and Wales and Channel Television
Channel Television
Channel Television is a British television station which has served as an Independent Television contractor to the Channel Islands since 1962. It is based in Jersey...
, it uses the generic ITV plc
ITV plc
ITV plc is a British media company that operates 12 of the 15 regional television broadcasters that make up the ITV Network, the oldest and largest commercial terrestrial television network in the United Kingdom...
font and idents.
Overview
London Tonight began on 4 January 1993 after Carlton Television won the London weekday franchise from previous holder ThamesThames 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....
. The programme was originally produced by London News Network
London News Network
London News Network was a television news and facilities organisation in London. It was created in 1992 as a joint operation between London's two ITV contractors, Carlton Television and London Weekend Television, with each company holding a 50% stake...
in association with LWT and Carlton. LNN was established to provide a united, seven day, 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...
(Channel 3) news service for London. Its creation established a continuity between the once different brands of weekend and weekday news, weather and sport in the region.
On screen, the only difference between the Weekday and Weekend programmes became the endcap. This continued after the onscreen identities of Carlton London and LWT were scrapped by owners Carlton and 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....
in anticipation of a merger. Instead of being referred to as LWT and Carlton, ITV London (weekend) and ITV London (weekday) became the respective names and all onscreen idents referred to ITV1 London
ITV London
ITV London is the on-air brand name used by ITV Broadcasting Limited for the two Channel 3 broadcast franchises, Carlton Television and London Weekend Television in the London ITV region.-History:...
.
ITV London (weekday) and ITV London (weekend) owners Carlton and 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....
merged, forming ITV plc
ITV plc
ITV plc is a British media company that operates 12 of the 15 regional television broadcasters that make up the ITV Network, the oldest and largest commercial terrestrial television network in the United Kingdom...
and LNN was dissolved soon after this. Production for all ITV London News programming remained at The London Studios
The London Studios
The London Studios is a television studio complex which is owned by London Weekend Television and has been home to the London Weekend ITV provider since 1972...
(formerly known as the LWT South Bank Centre) until 29 February 2004. Production is now conducted by the national Channel 3 news franchisee ITN at their headquarters in Central London, making the region unique as it holds the only franchise operation not to produce its own in-house news programmes.
London Tonight was unaffected by the ITV regional news cuts in late 2008 to early 2009.
Presenter changes
Alastair StewartAlastair Stewart
Alastair James Stewart OBE is an English journalist and newscaster. Stewart is currently employed by ITN where he is a main newscaster for ITV News.-Early life:...
, who presented London Tonight for over 16 years, left the programme in September 2009 to be replaced temporarily by Matt Teale
Matt Teale
-Broadcasting career:Teale was part of ITV Central's sports team where he and Sarah Jane Mee covered the sports news for the flagship magazine programme Central Tonight....
. Teale was replaced by Donal MacIntyre
Donal MacIntyre
Donal MacIntyre is an Irish investigative journalist, specialising in investigations, undercover operations and television exposés. His work is in the area of care homes for the elderly and the learning disabled...
in April 2010, and now presents weekend bulletins.
Katie Derham
Katie Derham
Katie Derham is a British newscaster and a presenter on television and radio.-Early life:Derham was born in Stockport to John and Margaret Derham, and grew up in Wilmslow...
left London Tonight on 23 June 2010 to join the BBC and was replaced by Nina Hossain
Nina Hossain
Nina Hossain is a British journalist, presenter and newscaster.Hossain is currently employed on a freelance basis by ITN where she is the main presenter of ITV London's regional news programme London Tonight. Nina also acts as a relief newscaster for ITV News.-Background:Hossain was born in...
. MacIntyre left the programme in September 2010, with London Life correspondent Ben Scotchbrook taking over his duties.
Entertainment correspondent Lucy Cotter and weather presenter Robin McCallum presented the last double headed programme for the capital on 29 October 2010, with Cotter also departing on this date to join Sky News
Sky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
. From 1 November 2010 the programme has been presented solely by Nina Hossain.
On 3 August 2011, it was announced that Natasha Kaplinsky
Natasha Kaplinsky
Natasha Margaret Kaplinsky is a British newsreader and television presenter, currently employed by ITV having previously worked for Channel 5, Sky News and the BBC...
will provide maternity leave cover for Nina Hossain, the main presenter of London Tonight and relief presenter of ITV News
ITV News
ITV News is the branding of news programmes on the British television network ITV. Since 1955, ITV's news bulletins have been produced by Independent Television News . The channel's news coverage has won awards from the Royal Television Society, Emmy Awards and BAFTAs. Between 2004 and 2008, the...
programmes from mid-September until Spring 2012. She tookover from Hossain in mid November 2011 after two months as a relief presenter.
Broadcast times
London Today/Tonight airs on ITV1 London seven days a week.ITV London provides three news bulletins during Daybreak
Daybreak (ITV)
Daybreak is the weekday breakfast television programme on the British commercial ITV network that broadcasts on weekday mornings from 06:00 to 08:30 and is currently presented by Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley from Monday to Thursday with Dan Lobb and Kate Garraway on Fridays...
. The lunchtime bulletin follows on from the ITV News at 1:30, giving a seven minute round-up of the days developments from 1:54pm. The main evening edition of London Tonight begins at 6.00pm, and ends at 6.29pm. The late edition follows the ITV News at Ten, airing between 10.28pm and 10.37pm, Monday to Friday.
London Today/Tonight airs two bulletins at weekends, late afternoon on Saturday, and early evening on Sunday.
Current on air team
Journalists who are employed for ITV London may also work with ITV News, in the same position or various, as both operations are produced by ITN. The ITV News at 1:30 newsreader is utilised to present the following London Today bulletin for ITV1 London.Main newsreader
- Nina HossainNina HossainNina Hossain is a British journalist, presenter and newscaster.Hossain is currently employed on a freelance basis by ITN where she is the main presenter of ITV London's regional news programme London Tonight. Nina also acts as a relief newscaster for ITV News.-Background:Hossain was born in...
(London Tonight and occasional London Today)
- Natasha KaplinskyNatasha KaplinskyNatasha Margaret Kaplinsky is a British newsreader and television presenter, currently employed by ITV having previously worked for Channel 5, Sky News and the BBC...
(maternity cover for Nina Hossain)
Other newsreaders
- Faye BarkerFaye BarkerFaye Barker is a British newsreader and journalist currently employed by ITN where she presents on ITV News and ITV London.-Personal life:Faye Barker is from Devon, England and is married. Her wedding took place at Bickleigh Castle, Devon, in 2007...
- Ali DouglasAli DouglasAli Douglas is a Scottish television presenter, who appears on ITV News, Sky Sports and MUTV.-Broadcasting career:Douglas embarked on her television career in 1994 with STV's children's department on Skoosh! At STV she also presented current affairs programme Seven Days, live debate show Trial By...
(freelance) - Alexandra Hill (freelance)
- Jackie KablerJackie KablerJackie Kabler is a British freelance television presenter and reporter.Kabler was born in Coventry.Kabler is best known for her work on breakfast TV programme GMTV, where she worked for nine years, two as a reporter/producer and seven as a roving correspondent...
(freelance) - Rachel McTavishRachel McTavishRachel McTavish is a freelance broadcast journalist and presenter, currently working for ITN in London presenting the ITV News at 5.30, London Tonight & Daybreak London bulletins and for STV in Glasgow, presenting STV News bulletins for the West of Scotland.McTavish was also a regular presenter on...
(freelance)
- Bridgid Nzekwu (freelance)
- Salma Siraj (freelance)
- Matt TealeMatt Teale-Broadcasting career:Teale was part of ITV Central's sports team where he and Sarah Jane Mee covered the sports news for the flagship magazine programme Central Tonight....
(freelance) - Charlene WhiteCharlene WhiteCharlene White is a British journalist and newsreader. White is currently employed by ITN where she presents on ITV News and ITV London.-Early life:White was born in South London...
Travel presenters
- Helen Austin
- Russell Holding (freelance)
- Cat Kobylinski (freelance)
- James Whalley (freelance)
Weather presenters
- Manali LukhaManali LukhaManali Lukha is a British weather forecaster for ITV London and can be seen on London Today and London Tonight. She is also a relief presenter for the national ITV Weather since 2010....
(also manager of the Met Office Media Team) - Robin McCallum
- Clare NasirClare NasirClare Nasir is a British weather forecaster for ITV London and can be seen on London Today and London Tonight.-Early life:...
(freelance)
News correspondents
- Phil Bayles
- Ria Chatterjee
- Murray DronMurray DronMurray Dron is a British journalist and television presenter working for ITN on London Tonight and ITV News.-Background:Dron was born in Perth, Scotland, but grew up in Jersey from a young age...
(freelance) - Daisy Gray
- Piers Hopkirk (freelance)
- Sangeeta KandolaSangeeta KandolaSangeeta Bhamra Kandola is a British journalist, working on a freelance basis with UK news organisation ITN.-Broadcasting career:Kandola is news for the regional news programme London Tonight on ITV1 London; she is also a presenter for regional news bulletins during Daybreak...
(freelance) * - Jasmine LowsonJasmine LowsonJasmine Lowson is a British newsreader. She is also a trained actress.-Journalism career:Lowson has presented on Channel 4's The Big Breakfast, BBC's Liquid News, the ITV News Channel and is currently interviewing and occasionally presenting on ITV London's London Tonight in addition to presenting...
* - Donal MacIntyreDonal MacIntyreDonal MacIntyre is an Irish investigative journalist, specialising in investigations, undercover operations and television exposés. His work is in the area of care homes for the elderly and the learning disabled...
(freelance) - Rachel Millichip
- Sarah Mills (freelance)
- Marcus Powell
- Tamsin Roberts
- Robin Ross
- Toby Sadler (freelance)
- Carolyn Sim
- Emma Simpson (freelance)
- Nick Thatcher (freelance)
- Sharon Thomas
- Bhavani Vadde (freelance)
- Emma Walden
- Sascha Williams (freelance) *
Specialist correspondents
- Glen Goodman (Business)
- Simon Harris (Political)
- Lucrezia Millarini (Entertainment)
- Sally Williams (Sport)
- Ronke Phillips (Crime)
- Ben Scotchbrook (London Life) *
- Liz Wickham (Health)
Non-newsreaders marked with a * are also newsreaders.