''The West Tonight'' was a regional news programme for the West of England, produced by ITV West.

History

The launch of

Harlech Television ITV Wales and West, previously known as Harlech Television (HTV), was an ITV franchise area in the United Kingdom until 31 December 2013, licensed to a broadcaster by the regulator Ofcom. There is no channel, past or present, named "ITV Wales ...

in May 1968 led to the launch of a full half-hour evening news programme, ''Report'', broadcast to South Wales and the West of England. Previously, former ITV franchise holder for Wales and the West of England TWW had provided short evening bulletins known as ''TWW Reports'', presented jointly from studios in Cardiff and Bristol, where the station ran a joint news operation covering the two areas. The opening of a colour service from the Mendip transmitter in May 1970 led to the creation of a separate HTV West service and the launch of a full evening news programme for the region, ''Report West''. Up until the early 1980s, the first half of the programme also aired on HTV's 'General Service', followed by a full edition of ''Report Wales''. During 1982, ''Report West'' was relaunched as ''HTV News''. For 28 years, the main anchor of HTV West's news programmes was former TWW reporter Bruce Hockin, who went on to become one of the longest serving presenters of any ITV news programme. He retired from the station in May 1996, shortly after his 60th birthday. Shorter daytime, late night and weekend bulletins were gradually introduced - some of which were generally presented by HTV West's continuity announcers, and until 1987, were broadcast from HTV's Cardiff playout centre serving both Wales and the West. The opening of a digital broadcast centre at HTV's Bristol studios in 1997 led to the relaunch of the main evening programme as ''The West Tonight''. The branding was discontinued two years later and returned as ''HTV News'' then ''ITV West News'' in 2002 following the rebranding of all English and Welsh ITV franchises. The West Tonight was however reintroduced in 2005 when

Lisa Aziz Lisa Soraya Aziz (born 19 June 1962) is a British news presenter. She is best known as the presenter of the Morning News on LBC. Before this she worked for ITV Westcountry as a co-presenter for the evening news programme: The West Country Toni ...

rejoined ITV West from

Sky News Sky News is a British free-to-air television news channel and organisation. Sky News is distributed via an English-language radio news service, and through online channels. It is owned by Sky Group, a division of Comcast. John Ryley is the he ...

. On 4 December 2006,

ITV Central ITV Central, previously known as Central Independent Television, Carlton Central, ITV1 for Central England and commonly referred to as simply Central, is the ITV (TV network), Independent Television franchisee for Midlands, the Midlands. It was ...

disbanded its South Midlands sub-region and the parts of

Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) is a Counties of England, county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn and the entire Forest of Dean. The county town ...

served by ''Central News South'' joined the majority of the county already covered by ITV West and began receiving ''The West Tonight''. In February 2009, ITV West was merged with

ITV Westcountry ITV Westcountry, formerly known as Westcountry Television and Carlton Westcountry, was the ITV franchise holder for the south west of England, covering Cornwall, Devon, Isles of Scilly, southern and western Somerset and western Dorset. The co ...

to form ITV West & Westcountry, a new dual-regional service with shorter opt-outs for both areas on weeknights. ''The Westcountry Tonight'' was launched on Monday 16 February 2009, although a full regional news service for the West

ITV News West Country ''ITV News West Country'' is a British television news service broadcast and produced by ITV West Country. Overview ''ITV News West Country'' is broadcast from studios in Brislington, Bristol, with district reporters and camera crews based in ...

was restored in September 2013.

Presenters/reporters

Alex Beresford Alexander Isaac Beresford (born 17 October 1980) is an English weather presenter employed by ITV.

(

freelance ''Freelance'' (sometimes spelled ''free-lance'' or ''free lance''), ''freelancer'', or ''freelance worker'', are terms commonly used for a person who is self-employed and not necessarily committed to a particular employer long-term. Freelance w ...

with '' Good Morning Britain'',

ITV Weather ITV Weather is the national and regional forecast shown on UK terrestrial network ITV, and is provided by the Met Office (except the Channel Islands forecast, which is provided by the Jersey Meteorological Department). Bulletins are usually bro ...

& ''ITV News West Country'') *

Michael Buerk Michael Duncan Buerk (born 18 February 1946) is a British journalist and newsreader. He presented BBC News from 1973 to 2002 and has been the host of BBC Radio 4's ''The Moral Maze'' since 1990. He was also the presenter of BBC One's docudrama ...

Bob Crampton Bob Crampton is a British former journalist and TV presenter. Early life and career Crampton was born in South Africa. His father was the country's first radio DJ to introduce piano music. At the age of 11, Crampton wanted to become a rugby pla ...

(''ITV News West Country'') * Nazaneen Ghaffar (

) * Alastair Hignell (sports presenter) * Alison Holloway * Jackie Kabler (

QVC QVC (short for "Quality Value Convenience") is an American free-to-air television network, and flagship shopping channel specializing in televised home shopping, owned by Qurate Retail Group. Founded in 1986 by Joseph Segel in West Chester, Pen ...

) * Jan Leeming * Charlie Neil * Kevin Owen ( RT) * Peter Rowell (jailed)Ex-BBC presenter Peter Rowell jailed for abusing girls
/ref> * Steve Scott (''ITV News'') * Annie St John (deceased)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:West Tonight, The 1968 British television series debuts 1960s British television series 1970s British television series 1980s British television series 1990s British television series 2009 British television series endings ITV regional news shows Mass media in Bristol Television series by ITV Studios Television news in England Television shows produced by Harlech Television (HTV) English-language television shows