Kelsey Redmore is a journalist and weather presenter for ITV Cymru Wales with experience in news presenting, weather presenting, live presenting and reporting. In 1998 Granada paid 2 million, in two cases, to three Metropolitan Police officers who were wrongly accused of covering up a murder[106] and Marks and Spencer for alleging M&S knew one of its suppliers was using child labour. What happens if you put jelly in the freezer? Sooner she's fired the better. Formerly of GMTV, she currently presents for several ITV regions, mainly Central and Granada. Men & Motors was a male-orientated channel which launched on the same day as Granada Plus, sharing transponder space with Plus and broadcasting for three hours a day in the late evening. Denis Forman, chairman 1974-87, and David Plowright, chairman 198792, were the executives who led Granada Television during its most successful years. Even after being diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2019, he carried on working through painful treatment. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=ITV_Weather&oldid=1141563479, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. A bit of a foodie who loves cooking, and maybe learning a new language in her spare time, she also likes to unwind by watching a comedy, musical or keeping balanced with a spot of reformer pilates. Granada Television was founded by Sidney Bernstein at Granada Studios on Quay Street in Manchester and is the only surviving franchisee of the original four Independent Television Authority franchisees from 1954. From 1 November 2004, Granada productions were credited "Granada Manchester", the brand of the unified in-house production arm but on 21 September 2005, it was announced that Granada's name would no longer appear at the end of programmes. The programme introduced the idea of discussing what the newspapers were reporting, continued by Sunday Supplement and The Wright Stuff. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire but only on weekdays as ABC Weekend Television was its weekend counterpart. Required fields are marked *. Frequently recognised for her sunny Bye Bye sign-off, Emma is one of the longest serving weather presenters at ITV. [8], The opening night featured Meet The People hosted by Quentin Reynolds and comedian Arthur Askey. Granada's parent company Granada plc later bought several other regional ITV stations and, in 2004, merged with Carlton . The studios were operated by 3sixtymedia, ITV Studios' joint-venture company with BBC Resources Ltd from 2000. Amazon Prime NFL Presenters & Commentators. TV stations tend to call anyone doing the weather on air a Meteorologist, even though many have little formal training in Science. Mitchell resides in Burley in Wharfedale, a small village near Bradford, West Yorkshire, England with his wife and two daughters. [46] In the 2009 ITV regional news cutbacks, Granada was one of three regions unaffected by changes, except for extending its coverage area to include the Isle of Man, which had previously been served by ITV Border.[47]. Granada Television was considered "bolder", "gritty" and more "Socialist" in its identity than the other more "sedate" and "Conservative" ITV franchisees and the BBC,[64] and placed great emphasis displaying the northern style which distinguished it from them. [78] In the 1970s, Granada produced situation comedies, often based around life in the north-west, including Nearest and Dearest, The Lovers and The Cuckoo Waltz, followed by Brothers McGregor and Watching in the 1980s. Charles Turner after James Lonsdale/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain. Granada made a hostile bid for LWT in December 1993, but LWT believed Granada had "little to offer" despite having three times the market capitalisation;[28] Granada, however, completed the take-over in 1994. "One day while working as a producer, the newsreader couldn't get to the studio," he said. Would hydrogen chloride be a gas at room temperature? She is Head of ITV Weather. Most ITV franchisees viewed their territories as stopgaps before winning a coveted London franchise. Another flagship programme, the long-running quiz show, University Challenge was originally aired between 1962 and 1987. The company's opening promotion was to give every new customer a small, Hiawatha-style figurine to stand on top of their new TV set. Emma Jesson is a familiar and popular face of ITV Weather. On 1 September 1986, Granada Television reverted to using a caption featuring a gold or chrome 3D pointed "G" on a graded blue background. ITV 's Weather has been presented by blonde bombshell Becky Mantin on and off since 2005. Most shows were presented from a large conservatory studio outside the Coronation Street studio which was later used for daytime ITV Play programming. This is true of just about everyone who does weather on TV. Gamal, who is no stranger to the newsroom, will join Lucy Meacock from 11 January to present the evening programme, marking a. "[1] Peter Salmon, of the BBC said: "Granada Television made TV programmes in the north west; for northerners, reflecting northern culture and attitudes."[65]. Who won the battle of Stalingrad and why? [66], On 2 January 1995, the stripe theme was modified; the pointed "G" was larger on the blue stripe against a computer generated multicoloured background and the "G" was created by filming a large perspex "G" with motion control photography. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); For requests, complaints, suggestions or queries, contact us via E-mail below, Sarah Farmer BBC Wiki, Age, Bio, Married, Husband, Wikipedia, Abbie Dewhurst BBC Weather : Wiki, Bio, Married, Height, Age, Husband, Anna Church BBC Weather :: Wiki, Age, Bio, Children, Baby, Husband, Mel Coles Age, Wikipedia Bio, Married, Husband, BBC Weather Presenter, Sara Blizzard BBC, Wikipedia, Age, Married, Husband, Family, Bio, Cecilia Daly Wiki, Age, Married, Husband, Partner, Wikipedia (BBC). pic.twitter.com/imvfZ4DlXC Victoria Grimes (@victoriagITV) March 22, 2013. In its prime as an independent franchisee, prior to its parent company merging with Carlton Communications to form ITV plc, it was the largest Independent Television producer in the UK, accounting for 25% of the total broadcasting output of the ITV network. Coronation Street became the longest running serial soap in 2010 when it celebrated its 50th anniversary, and the Seven Up documentary series was voted the greatest documentary in a Channel 4 programme by film makers. What kind of poem is on the Ning Nang Nong? Meteorologist Carol Kirkwood has been at the BBC for more than 20 years, and normally presents the weather forecast to viewers of BBC Breakfast. Competition from Sky Digital launched in 1998 was too great and ITV Digital ceased broadcasting on 1 May 2002. Bulletins are usually broadcast after every ITV News and ITV regional bulletin, although during ITV News at 6.30pm national weather is broadcast live from the news studio. Bulletins are usually broadcast after every ITV News and ITV regional bulletin, although during ITV News at 6.30pm national weather is broadcast live from the news studio. When the first ITV generic look was launched, Granada Television refused to adopt it, because the Granada Television logo was incorrectly inserted into the "V" segment of the logo. In the 1968 franchise round, Granada's contract was changed from weekdays across the northern England region to the whole week in the North West from Winter Hill transmitting station. Rebecca Becky Mantin, (born 18 October 1980 in Norwich, Norfolk) is an English TV presenter and weather presenter and forecaster for ITV Weather. Youens, Bernard I think John is the Chief Meteorologist and Becky is on the ITV National Team (in London) Martin Phillp Posts: 31,800. I think that what Manchester sees today, London will see eventually. For other uses, see, For Granada Television produced programmes, see, Criticisms of perceived Manchester-centric bias, List of television programmes set, produced or filmed in Manchester, greatest documentary in a Channel 4 programme, "Party People returns as presenter Rob McLoughlin celebrates thirtieth year at ITV", "Meet The People Launch Night from 1956", "Bernstein genial tyrant of Granada: Jeremy Isaacs recalls his former boss and founder of the Granada group, who died at 94", "Bank of England | Education and Museum | Inflation Calculator", "David Plowright: Old-guard chairman of Granada who championed quality programming in commercial television", "LWT may seek foreign buyer to stop Granada: French group is a possible white knight", "Granada wins bitter battle to own LWT: Chairman regrets loss of independence", "Granada set to buy Yorkshire for pounds 652m", "Hollick's TV empire is sold in a 'friendly' deal", "Name dropping signals end of an era for Granada", "Granada name to disappear from ITV businesses", "ITV cuts: Manchester won't be hardest hit, Countdown comes to Quay Street", "Seventeen regions into nine: How the updated ITV local news services will run", "3SixtyMedia: The North's Production Facility", "A sign of the times Granada TV goes missing from Quay Street", "Doubts over future of Granada TV sign in Manchester", "Granada TV Sign "Will Return" To Manchester Skyline", "MOSI offers new home for iconic Granada TV sign", "Ident television branding Granada TV network", "Television and radio: Picture remains bright as BBC gears up for move", "Manchester on TV: Ghosts of Winter Hill", "The 1950s TV election yet another first for pioneering town", "World in Action British news documentary", "Coronation Street goes into anti-leak lockdown", "Michael Parkinson: Macca, Madonna and me", "Who wants to own a million-hits-a-day website? This forum has been very helpful to me in planning our time in the city so many thanks to all of you for your contributions. He will join Lucy Meacock from Monday 11th January 2021 to present the evening programme, marking a return to two presenters. Granada retained its franchise in the 1980 franchise review, and invested in multimillion-pound dramatic serial productions such as The Jewel in the Crown and Brideshead Revisited. Tony, who died of cancer in August 2020, was recognised for his life and career by the University of Salford. Kenneth Clark, of the ITA, which let the franchise, remarked: "We did not quite foresee how much Granada Television would develop a character which distinguishes it most markedly from the other programmes companies and from the BBC. Granada was in a poor financial state and closed the Granada Studios Tour in 2001, citing decreasing visitor figures. By 2002, Granada had established an effective duopoly of ITV with Carlton Television, owning all the ITV companies in England and Wales. Granada launched a range of television channels broadcasting the Granada archive on the Sky satellite television platform and other digital platforms such as ITV Digital which closed in 2002 due to administration, NTL and Telewest (which merged to form Virgin Media). The programme was a social experiment which followed the lives of 14 British children aged seven. [72] Granada's coverage was broad in scope, and it also broadcast two candidate debates. And, of course, if you look at a map of the concentration of population in the north and a rainfall map, you will see that the north is an ideal place for television". On average, a Bachelors Degree is the highest level of education for a Weather Forecaster. Wedding & Marriage / Spouse / Husband / Engaged. All four ITA franchisees were expected to make losses in the first few years of operation, but Granada's was a significant sum of 175,000[13] (nearly 3.5m in 2011). During the early days, the pointed G logo was used on two other subsidiary businesses. Home ITV Granada ITV Granada Weather Presenters. "A truly remarkable broadcaster, a wonderful colleague and a great friend.". He read his last bulletin a little more than a month before he died. You are here: Home When Who are the ITV Weather presenters? Would absolutely love to meet the most beautiful weather girl Emma Jesson. 10 Day Weather-Frederik Hendrikbuurt Noord, North Holland, Netherlands. [70], On 5 June 1989, Granada Television launched a look featuring a translucent pointed G, which rotated into place in time to the music against a natural scene. ITV National Weather Current on air staff. It planned to build a studio to produce Coronation Street on the opposite bank of the ship canal on Trafford Wharf. Amazon Prime NFL Presenters & Commentators. It tracked their lives at seven-year intervals to discover whether their hopes and aspirations had been achieved. [25] John Birt, Harold Pinter and Alan Bennett all supported Plowright for his quality programming.[26]. 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). Shop!, launched in 1998, was a partnership between Granada and Littlewoods. Philippa Drew age might be between 35-39. Formerly of GMTV, she currently presents for several ITV regions, mainly Central and Granada. Dermot Murnaghan signs off at Sky News Sky News . Posted in ITV Granada Presenters. How do you cook store bought stuffed pork chops? An example is the 2003 documentary Living with Michael Jackson (a Tonight special). [14] When it first became profitable, it had the lowest profits of the quartet. The investment in new studios in 1954 contributed to Granada struggling financially, and the company was close to insolvency by late 1956. With the increase in income, Granada tried to renegotiate the contract; Associated-Rediffusion refused, souring relations for many years. Get your a*** in the room and figure it out!". Will you still be able to buy Godiva chocolate? Enjoy The Ride - Sky Sports F1 Promo 2023 Sky Sports . [35] The failure of ITV Digital cost Granada and Carlton losses estimated at over 1 billion[36] reducing the company's value from 2001 to 2003.[37]. Do you need liquid in slow cooker for pulled pork? Flexible and impactful finance careers. Tobin currently presents the weather bulletins for the programme. MediaCityUK in Salford, Greater Manchester. So good she is about to celebrate her 25th anniversary on Granada Reports. Channel 4 Football Presenters, Pundits & Commentators. The daytime show This Morning broadcast from Liverpool's Albert Dock for many years before it moved to the London Studios in 1996, as it was difficult to get celebrity guests to travel from London to Liverpool.[105]. This is your one-stop encyclopedia that has numerous frequently asked questions answered. The Granada Television logo continued on end boards until this date. The documentary was voted the greatest ever by esteemed film-makers and its latest installment, 63 Up, premiered in 2019. Exceptionally talented with a great personalityso very lovely and adorable. [2][3][4] Nine Granada programmes were listed in the BFI TV 100 in 2000. She . Introduction : Emma Jesson (maiden name Emma Louise Hargreaves) is a British TV personality best known for being a weather presenter on ITV. Growing up in the Peak District gave Kerrie an early love for the outdoors and so she jumped at the chance to join the weather team way back in 2002, and has been there ever since. This business was less successful. Follow Kerrie on Twitter: @kerriegosneyTV. Check the full bio for relationship details. The broadcaster's long standing co-presenter, Lucy Meacock, is now Chancellor of the University of Salford. In contrast, Granada determined to develop a strong northern identity northern voices, northern programmes, northern idents with phrases such as Granada from the north, From the north Granada and Granadaland. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. She is an experienced weather forecaster, having previously worked in the Met Office (the United Kingdom Meteorological Office) for ten years now. [20] By the late 1990s the UK commercial broadcasters were considered too small to compete in the global market, and the ITV franchises began to consolidate with the aim of creating a single company with a larger budget.[21]. On weekdays, Lorraine runs through the franchise end time of 9:25am, when ITV Breakfast hands over control to the . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 18/09/09 - 11:41 #1. [66][69], On 3 January 1994, Granada Television introduced a series of films featuring flags with its logo against various scenes in the region, accompanied by the slogan 'Setting the Standard'. How much break Should I get on a 10 hour shift? [99] The opponents claimed to the regulatory bodies that existed at the time (the ITA in 1967, the IBA in 1981, and the ITC in 1991) in these successive franchise rounds that Granada was too Manchester-centric at the expense of the Liverpool area and need to cater for the whole of north west England. Granada had increased investment in Liverpool moving its regional news service to the Albert Dock complex in 1986,[104] before moving back to Quay Street sometime in the early 2000s. Please could you email me back to let me know where i can get a picture of Emma Jesson for my mobile phone and i look forward to hearing back from you with a reply to my enqiry in the near future. Houston is also a yoga and mindfulness teacher. [107][108] World in Action was axed in 1998 and replaced by the Tonight programme in 1999. Our experts have done a research to get accurate and detailed answers for you. 2014 - 2023 Marathi.TV - All Rights Reserved. Home . Sky News presenter Gamal Fahnbulleh has been named Granada Reports new presenter. Granada Studios produced The Weekenders (1992), a surreal comedy episode featuring Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer. He has an inactive American Meteorological Society Television Seal #238. In September 2010, the noted 1950s red landmark "Granada TV" sign on the roof and entrance of Granada Studios on Quay Street was removed[52] for safety reasons after maintenance found it was badly corroded. ITV Breakfast Broadcasting Limited (previously known as GMTV Limited) is the national ITV breakfast television licensee, broadcasting in the United Kingdom. Frequently recognised for her chirpy Bye Bye sign-off, she originally trained to be a vet, but side-stepped into TV in her year off. Kelsey has appeared on ITV Cymru Wales' 'Wales at Six' news programme, news bulletins, 'Sharp End' and ITV's 'Good Morning Britain'. [13][15], Granada sought the help of Associated-Rediffusion, the London weekday station, which agreed to underwrite Granada's debts in exchange for a percentage of its profits, without the consent of the ITA, who would have blocked it. (video: openers & close) Tony Morris will present the first bulletin from Granadas new home in MediaCityUK, Salford at 6.35pm on Sunday evening. As of 2023, she is around 53 years old. Granada Weather - 2002 Jon Mitchell provides Granada's Weather forecast invision in 2002, with the region by now sharing the same generic GMG weather graphics as well as just Yorkshire's presenters. It was marked by a distinctive northern identity, and used a stylised letter "G" logo forming an arrow pointing north, often with the tagline "Granada: from the North". ONdigital was rebranded ITV Digital in summer 2001, but opposed by SMG plc, UTV, and Channel Television, who felt it would damage the ITV brand. After landing a trainee job at ITV shortly after university, Kerrie has been with ITV since 2000. An article in The Sun newspaper and an episode of the TV series Most Haunted seem to be the only sources for this claim in 2009. Frequently recognised for her chirpy Bye Bye sign-off, she originally trained to be a vet, but side-stepped into TV in her year off. Hello - We are heading to Amsterdam May 13 to spend a few days there prior to embarking on a two week river cruise that will take us from Amsterdam to Budapest. Some of its most notable programmes include Sherlock Holmes, Coronation Street, Seven Up!, The Royle Family, The Jewel in the Crown, Brideshead Revisited, World in Action, University Challenge and The Krypton Factor. The late Granada Reports presenter, Tony Morris, has been honoured with a posthumous doctorate. The company produced The Krypton Factor between 1977 and 1995 (revived by ITV in 2009). Natasha Kaplinsky soon comes to the end of her short term contract with ITV and Nina Hossain should be returning from maternity leave. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc in November 2009. Originally Granada Good Life, Granada Breeze was another GSB venture which also launched on 1 October 1996. Granada Reports has broadcast its last bulletin from its famous studios in Quay Street this evening. Jon Mitchell is the longest serving forecaster after 31 years with ITV Weather. Planning permission was granted, and building work began on 6 September 2011[60] with the goal of completion in 2012. [54] The Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) has registered an interest in inheriting the sign, deeming it important to Manchester's cultural heritage.[55]. Last Update: Jan 03, 2023 The channel, launched on 1 October 1996 as Granada Plus, was later known as G Plus and finally Plus. When she's not on presenting duty there's nothing more Kerrie likes to do than go for 'All The P's' - a pootle, a ponder, a pie and a pint! It covers Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, and parts of Derbyshire, Cumbria, North Yorkshire and North Wales. Jo has presented the weather on ITV since 2001. Welcome to Sharing Culture! Since April 2014, she has been presenting national ITV Weather forecasts. This was to be the corporate logo for the Granada Group as a whole (also seen as the logo for Granada's TV rentals firm), so it was introduced to their ITV franchise as a matter of course rather than the ITV franchise choosing to adopt the new branding. Now, we have got the complete detailed explanation and answer for everyone, who is interested! Lucys career. "One very important piece of Tony Morris advice: Do not be put off by what the job description says. [97] Local news coverage was branded Granada News except for the main 18.00 Granada Reports bulletin. A well-known and well-loved face to viewers, he presented ITV's North West regional news programme for 17 years. Your email address will not be published. Granada Television was broadcast by the ITA on VHF Channel 9 (405 lines, monochrome) from the Winter Hill transmitter starting on 3 May 1956, and from 3 November 1956 on VHF channel 10 (405 lines, monochrome) from the Emley Moor transmitter. Contents 1 National weather 1.1 National weather sponsors 2 Regional weather [63] TalkTV Presenters. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. The Latest Five. Bernstein selected a base from Leeds and Manchester. Seven Up was part of the World in Action documentary series between 1963 and 1998, which won awards but was controversial. ITV is obliged by UK communications regulator Ofcom to produce 50% of its programmes outside London, something it failed to achieve in 2007 and 2008. Piers Morgan scolds new weatherman Des Coleman before recognising him from, Kerrie Gosney succeeds Jon Mitchell as ITV Calendar weather presenter, Introducing our new weather presenter Holly Green, Meet our new weather presenter Charlie Powell, ITV Calendar weather forecaster Jon Mitchell to retire after 33 years, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_ITV_Weather_on_air_staff&oldid=1141277715, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. The North West region is regarded as ITV's most successful franchise. On 28 October 2002, in a network-wide relaunch, Granada was rebranded as ITV1 Granada. With Andrew Castle, Kate Garraway, Lorraine Kelly, Ben Shephard. 26/08/07 - 17:56 #14. tom0101 wrote: . Her exact date of birth is yet to unfold on the internet. In 2009, ITV removed the Granada brand from all departments including its international production arm, Granada America which became ITV Studios America. The national weather for ITV and STV has had commercial sponsors from the outset, as listed in the chart below. After the ITV merger in 2004, the possibility of selling the Quay Street site was considered, with staff, studios and offices moved into the adjacent bonded warehouse building. This requirement disadvantaged companies with no previous franchise experience. Actor and ITV presenter Charles Foster, who was one of the faces of the North West's Granada TV channel in the 70s, 80s and 90, has died. a person who forecasts and reports the weather; Personal life. Our team has collected thousands of questions that people keep asking in forums, blogs and in Google questions. These shows were sold overseas by Granada Television International. Hot Job We have an exciting opportunity for a Weekend Weather Presenter to join our ITV Weather team to research, produce and present bulletins across | 30 comments on LinkedIn [38] Since rebranding, all continuity announcements are made from London. Granada Reports (TV Series 1992- ) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Channel 4 Football Presenters, Pundits & Commentators. The best thing since sliced bread. Tony Morris, the longstanding presenter of ITV's North West news programme Granada Reports, has died aged 57. This led to sweeping cuts in the organisation, including cutting budgets for flagship drama serials and productions[91] and loss of jobs at the Manchester headquarters.[91]. She recently took part in the BBC2 documentary Being Frank about her partner. He will join Lucy Meacock from Monday 11th January 2021 to present the evening programme, marking a return to two presenters. At heart, Emmas a home and family girl. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Granada accepted the deal, but the popularity of ITV increased and profitability followed. What is the meaning of propositional knowledge? Blythe is famous for her energetic presence and stylish attire. It garnered a reputation for hard-hitting investigative journalism and its producer Gus Macdonald commented that the programme was "born brash". Tributes to ITV Granada Reports presenter Tony Morris, who has died aged 57, Grieving for a colleague: a year without Mozzer - a personal reflection, From foster kid to award-winning newsreader: Tony Morris obituary. Granada produced The Stars Look Down (1975), Laurence Olivier Presents (197678), Brideshead Revisited (1981), the multi-award-winning Disappearing World series (between 1969 and 1993) and, from 1984, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and The Jewel in the Crown for an international audience. Introduction : Helen Plint is a Welsh journalist who also works as a weather presenter for the ITV Network. Not having a relationship with a male? What is the difference between an angle and a Saxon? ITV Granada Weather Presenters. The so-called "Big Five" ITV franchisees, Thames, LWT, Central, Granada, and Yorkshire were expected to take over the ten smaller franchises. Turkey-Syria Earthquakes News Coverage . Each region has at least one dedicated presenter. Manali Lukha has been working for the Met Office for 10 years and was recently promoted to manage the Met Office Media Team where she provides weather services to ITV and Channel 4. The Latest Five. Lucy Verasamy, 33, from King's Lynn, Norfolk, is a stunning ITV weather girl who often sends viewers into a spin with her sexy outfits on programmes such as Good Morning Britain. In 2019 she's been causing a stir as viewers couldn't work out if she was pregnant or not, with some even creating an online forum to discuss the topic. It was founded in Dover in 1930 by Sidney Bernstein and his brother Cecil; it was named after the Spanish city of Granada, which Sidney had visited on a holiday. She led the ceremony by paying tribute to the man who began reporting the news alongside her in 2003. By Tuesday, hail, sleet and snow showers will be mostly . Originally working for the BBC, she joined ITV's Daybreak back in 2012. Personal Life, Parents and Family Details : Career Success : Emma Jesson Net Worth and Salary. Mid-May weather. Is Emma engaged, I see she is wearing a ring on her engagement ring finger? Granada) rather than HTV. The Granada logo appeared at the end of its own programmes until 31 October 2004. [32] A year later, it acquired Border from Capital Radio Group. Granada Weather (Shower V2) - 2002 Another shower from a later batch of United Utilities sponsorship ads. She isn't married and is said to be single and living in South West London. Back on land,she has strong connections with horse racing her father a former top steeplechaser so hosting ladies' days at the races are a natural and enjoyable fit. In a speech, he described how Tony grew up on a tough estate in Portsmouth, went from the foster care system into the RAF and eventually became a trainee at the BBC.