''The West Tonight'' is a regional news programme that served the West of England, produced by

ITV West ITV or iTV may refer to: Television TV stations/networks/channels ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network and company, including: **ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network in the United Kingd ...

History

The launch of Harlech Television 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'', and then ''ITV West News'' in 2004 following the rebranding of all English and Welsh ITV franchises. ''The West Tonight'' was however reintroduced in 2005 when Lisa Aziz rejoined ITV West from

Sky News Sky News is a British free-to-air television news channel, live stream news network and news 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 ...

. 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 Independent Television franchisee in the English Midlands. It was created following ...

disbanded its South Midlands sub-region and the parts of

Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( , ; abbreviated Glos.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Herefordshire to the north-west, Worcestershire to the north, Warwickshire to the north-east, Oxfordshire ...

served by ''Central News South'' joined the majority of the county already covered by

and began receiving ''The West Tonight''. In February 2009, ITV West was merged with ITV Westcountry 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 was restored in September 2013.

Presenters/reporters

* Lisa Aziz * Alex Beresford (

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 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 '' Moral Maze'' since 1990. He was also the presenter of BBC One's docudrama ...

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

) * Alastair Hignell (sports presenter) *

Alison Holloway Alison Holloway (born 2 February 1961) is an English journalist and Television producer, producer, now living in the United States. She was the original presenter of British Sky Broadcasting, Sky Television's ''Sky World News Tonight'' and is now a ...

* Jackie Kabler (

QVC QVC (short for "Quality Value Convenience") is an American free-to-air television network and a flagship shopping channel specializing in televised Shopping channel, home shopping, owned by QVC Group (formerly Qurate Retail Group). Founded in 19 ...

) * 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 British English-language television shows ITV regional news shows Mass media in Bristol Television series by ITV Studios Television news in England Television shows produced by Harlech Television