Herbert Brian Baines (23 May 1931 – 30 June 2006) was an English television newsreader,

continuity announcer In broadcasting, continuity or presentation (or station break in the U.S. and Canada) is announcements, messages and graphics played by the broadcaster between specific programmes. It typically includes programme schedules, announcement of the ...

and character actor. Born in

Bradford Bradford is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in West Yorkshire, England. It became a municipal borough in 1847, received a city charter in 1897 and, since the Local Government Act 1972, 1974 reform, the city status in the United Kingdo ...

West Riding of Yorkshire The West Riding of Yorkshire was one of three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the riding was an administrative county named County of York, West Riding. The Lord Lieutenant of the West Riding of Yorkshire, lieu ...

, he attended Grange Grammar School before trying to make his living as an actor. After struggling to find success, he returned to school at

Bretton Hall College Bretton Hall College of Education was a higher education college in West Bretton in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England. It opened as a teacher training college in 1949 with awards from the University of Leeds. The college merged with the Uni ...

to become a teacher. On the weekends, however, he worked freelance jobs for the BBC in Manchester, becoming full-time in 1970 when the position was made permanent. As well as regular newsreading duties on the early evening ''

Look North ''BBC Look North'' is a name used by the BBC for its regional news programmes in three regions in the North of England: * ''BBC Look North (North East and Cumbria), BBC Look North'' for the BBC North East and Cumbria region * ''BBC Look North (Y ...

'' programme, Baines was also one of the main announcers for

BBC North BBC North (Group) is an operational business division of the BBC. It is also a brand that has been used by the BBC to mean: *The large ''BBC North'' region, centred on Manchester, that was active from the late 1920s until 1968 and was based u ...

television during the 1970s and early 1980s when the BBC's English regions utilised local continuity during peak time. He continued to provide continuity for regional programming and read short ''Look North'' bulletins until April 1988. He also appeared as a character actor in supporting roles for several TV dramas filmed in the north of England. Baines died in a Bradford hospice in 2006, at the age of 75. After he died, colleagues revealed that he frequently read the late night TV news and weather out of vision, sitting motionless so that his motorcycling leathers would not creak, as he was dressed ready for the journey home.

References

External links

*
thetvroomplus.com - BBC North announcers' profiles
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baines, Brian 1931 births 2006 deaths Mass media people from Bradford BBC newsreaders and journalists English television presenters Radio and television announcers Television personalities from West Yorkshire