ITV Central’s Bob Warman retires

[RDJ]

First Fred… now Bob.

Last programme is on Monday 4th July.

[Fanoftv]

What a legend. Bob has been there throughout my life. Living in the Central region he has delivered the important stories to us in his authoritative style for many years with many co presenters.

I hope that he has a wonderful retirement.

[Kendal87]

First Matt’s move to Meridian now Bob bowing out. I wonder if we shall see a face new, or Steve Clamp take to helm. Or maybe even an outside chance that Wesley Smith will return as main anchor for the whole of the Central region?!

[derek500j]

Not living in the area, my only recollection of Bob is when he hosted Sky's version of The Price is Right in the early nineties. Come on down!!

[Keirinthenorth]

I have lived in Granadaland the past 7 years but being a Brummie I've grown up seeing Bob on the TV every night for the best part of 30 odd years. He will always be Mr. Central to me. Always seemed like such a friendly man. And it's lovely whenever I go 'home' to see my mum, watching the chemistry between Bob and Des. Both legends in their own ways.

Wishing you a very happy retirement, Bob!

[Brekkie]

An absolute legend of the Central region and one of the few who predates it too I think. Does that leave Lucy Meacock as the longest running regional presenter on ITV at least?

[Steve Williams]

An absolute legend of the Central region and one of the few who predates it too I think. Does that leave Lucy Meacock as the longest running regional presenter on ITV at least?

A quick discussion on Twitter suggests that Sally Taylor of South Today is now the longest-serving regional presenter, having started in 1987, though apparently she's had a couple of extended breaks in that period, including one at the moment. After her, it would be Lucy Meacock who joined Granada Reports (as it was then) in 1988, followed by Paul Clark who started on UTV in 1989.

[Inspector Sands]

An absolute legend of the Central region and one of the few who predates it too I think. Does that leave Lucy Meacock as the longest running regional presenter on ITV at least?

A quick discussion on Twitter suggests that Sally Taylor of South Today is now the longest-serving regional presenter, having started in 1987, though apparently she's had a couple of extended breaks in that period, including one at the moment. After her, it would be Lucy Meacock who joined Granada Reports (as it was then) in 1988, followed by Paul Clark who started on UTV in 1989.

What about Sally Magnusson, how long has she been on Reporting Scotland?

[Steve Williams]

What about Sally Magnusson, how long has she been on Reporting Scotland?

Well, Genome suggests she was still presenting Breakfast News three days a week until 1998, which would presumably have meant she wasn't doing Reporting Scotland at the same time.

[RDJ]

These were my estimations that I posted in Fred Dinenage’s leaving thread last year for currently serving regional presenters:

Bob Warman (Yorkshire, ATV, Central): 1976 (45 years - Possibly longer but unsure if Bob presented ATV Today between 1973-1976)
Fred Dinenage (Southern, TVS, Meridian): 1983 (38 years)
David Garmston (BBC West): 1985 (36 years)
Sally Taylor (BBC South): 1987 (34 years)
Lucy Meacock (Granada): 1988 (33 years)
Paul Clark (UTV): 1989 (32 years)

Obviously these were just my estimations, and it’s known now that Bob did start at ATV Today in 1973 so has reached 49 years this year.

For those who didn’t catch it, this was Bob’s leaving announcement on ITV News Central last night:
https://youtu.be/kZtIJrkD-5Q

It also got a mention on BBC Midlands Today by Nick Owen who formerly worked at ATV and Central and is a close school time friend of Bob:
https://youtu.be/wduUeHsfQhs

[Brekkie]

Didn't they do something together a couple of years back? And does that mean Nick is 76 too?

[LiveNews]

Nick is 74, but comes across quite a bit sharper

[Tom]

This is some clips of when Bob was at YTV and hosting Good Morning Calendar in 1977. Also, notice how Bob says he will be back at 1:20pm and at 6pm, that is a long shift.
Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T572HSW47wY
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=konCWo-dmlQ
Also, here is a clip from 2015 of Bob and Nick Owen going back to the school where they first met each other.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzPIUwJyad8

[Meridian MR]

Didn't they do something together a couple of years back?

https://youtu.be/aPplcchnUKM

https://youtu.be/vzPIUwJyad8

[Stanley Matravers]

First Matt’s move to Meridian now Bob bowing out. I wonder if we shall see a face new, or Steve Clamp take to helm. Or maybe even an outside chance that Wesley Smith will return as main anchor for the whole of the Central region?!

Most of the areas where Wesley has/had legendary status as a long-running anchor (i.e. the old CN South sub-region) have of course no longer been under "Central" at all for well over a decade, having now variously ended up under West (Country) and Meridian (via the short-lived ITV Thames Valley).

So, apart from with Herefordshire viewers over a certain age, Wesley is essentially an unknown quantity across the current combined CN East & West areas. Yes, he's occasionally popped up as short bulletin cover on random ITV regions including Central in more recent history and/or on the multi-region "aggregate" fluff items. But to viewers outside of ex-CNSouth land, he would just be a "random nobody" to whom no significance is attached whenever such occasional appearances have occurred.