ABC Weekend TV was the popular name of the British broadcaster ABC Television Limited, which provided the weekend service in the Midlands and Northern England regions of the Independent Television (ITV) network from 1956 to 1968. It was one of the "Big Four" companies that between them produced the majority of ITV networked programmes during this period.
Associated-Rediffusion, later Rediffusion London, was the British ITV franchise holder for London and parts of the surrounding counties, on weekdays between 22 September 1955 and 29 July 1968. It was the first ITA franchisee to go on air, and one of the "Big Four" companies that between them produced the majority of ITV networked programmes during this period.
Carlton Television was the ITV franchise holder for London and the surrounding counties from 9.25am every Monday to 5.15pm every Friday. The company is now managed with London Weekend Television as a single entity, but the two companies are still separately licensed. The station is owned and operated by ITV plc under the licensee of "ITV Broadcasting Limited". Carlton has been branded on air as "ITV1" since 28 October 2002. Carlton Television Ltd, the original holder of the licence, has since been dissolved. Carlton UK Television Limited however is now known as ITV Consumer Limited and legally operates ITV plc's websites. As Carlton's name has no relation to its region, its on-screen identity has been completely removed. Other regions have kept their original company name as a region name and in their local news name.
Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a franchise holder for a region of the British ITV television network serving London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until the night of 31 December 1992. Thames Television broadcast from 09:25 Monday morning to 17:15 Friday afternoon at which time it would hand over to London Weekend Television (LWT).
London Weekend Television (LWT) was the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties at weekends, broadcasting from Fridays at 5.15 pm to Monday mornings at 6:00. From 1968 until 1992, when LWT's weekday counterpart was Thames Television, there was an on-screen handover to LWT on Friday nights. From 1993 to 2002, when LWT's weekday counterpart was Carlton Television, the transfer usually occurred invisibly during a commercial break, for Carlton and LWT shared studio and transmission facilities.
Paul Coia is a Scottish television presenter and continuity announcer who was the first voice to be heard on Channel 4 on its launch in 1982. His career originally began in the late 1970s as a DJ and in the early 1980s he became an announcer. He has presented many television shows including Pebble Mill at One and Catchword. He is currently covering shows for BBC Radio Berkshire and London's Radio Jackie, and coaches executives around the world in Communications. In November 2023 The Guardian named him as one of ten people who changed UK TV forever.
Julian Lanus Simmons is a Northern Irish broadcaster, best known for his work as a long-serving continuity announcer on UTV.
Bill Steel is a broadcaster and actor from North East England, best known for his work at Tyne Tees Television and Metro Radio.
David Allan is an English broadcaster and journalist, best known for his work as a television continuity announcer and radio presenter.
Redvers Buller Kyle was a South African-born British broadcaster, voice over artist, actor and composer, best known for his work on the ITV network in the United Kingdom over forty years.
Simon Micawber Prebble is a British-American narrator. Initially a stage actor, he has a wide-ranging career in television drama, was a game show announcer in Britain, and a voice-over narrator for film and television. In recent years, he has narrated a large number of audiobooks and received an Audie in 2010.
Night Network, Night Time and Night Shift were names given to the overnight schedule of the ITV network in the United Kingdom. The first ITV company began 24-hour broadcasting in 1986, with all of the companies broadcasting through the night by the end of 1988. At first, individual companies created their own services; however, before too long, many of the smaller ITV stations began simulcasting or networking services from others.
Colin Weston, is an English broadcaster, best known for his work at Granada Television and Tyne Tees Television.
In the United Kingdom, continuity announcers are people who are employed to introduce programmes on radio and television networks, to promote forthcoming programmes on the station, to cross-promote programmes on the broadcaster's other stations where applicable and, sometimes, to provide information relating to the programme just broadcast.
Annie St John was a British television broadcaster.
Peter Lewis is a former British television continuity announcer. He was the first person to broadcast from London Weekend Television's new centre on the south bank of the River Thames, when it opened in 1971. He was promoted to senior announcer in 1977 and stayed in this role until 1997 when he left the station to pursue a management consultancy career in the United States.
Ian Stirling was a British actor and television presenter, best known for his work with Westward Television and TSW.
Robin Houston is a British voiceover artist and former announcer, radio and television newsreader and quiz show host. After starting his career as an announcer and stage manager, he became one of the pioneers of commercial radio in the United Kingdom. He went on to read the news on television for 15 years and to become one of the most well known announcers in television entertainment. For many years he was a host of television quiz shows, and is now a veteran voiceover artist with over 50 years' experience in the field.
Neville Wanless was an English broadcaster from North East England, best known for his work at Tyne Tees Television.
