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Pam Royle announces Tyne Tees departure

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Pam Royle announces Tyne Tees departure

The news comes following a long absence for the news host towards the end of 2020.

“Pam’s contribution to Tyne Tees and more latterly ITV Border has been immense and she is a much-loved figure whose warmth and authority radiate off the screen. We are very sad that she has decided that it’s time to leave us and all of us at ITV will miss her, but we wish her the very best of luck in the future.” – Michaela Byrne, Head of News and Programmes for ITV Tyne Tees and Border

Pam Royle, the first lady of North East news, has this evening announced her departure from ITV Tyne Tees and ITV Border after almost 40 years, having first been seen on Tyne Tees screens back in 1983.

The presenter currently hosts Lookaround and Tyne Tees News for ITV in the North East and Cumbria, with one show pre-recorded while the other airs live.

She became the main co-host of Tyne Tees Television’s Northern Life, alongside Paul Frost, in 1989. Pam has been part of every main evening news show ever since including Tyne Tees Today from November 1992, Network North (Teesside news programme) from March 1993, Tyne Tees News from December 1995, North East Tonight from September 1996 and currently ITV News Tyne Tees since 2013.

North East Tonight promo release, 1998

The first edition of Tyne Tees Today, 1992

Since 2009 Pam has also been the lead co-host of Lookaround for Cumbria.

“I feel very privileged to have had the career I’ve had. I have met royalty, Prime Ministers and stars from the worlds of movies, music and television. Often though, it’s been meeting our viewers and telling their stories that has had the biggest impact on me. I am always struck by their resilience and fortitude in often the most dire of circumstances. It’s been an honour to be trusted with telling the story of their lives” – Pam Royle

There has also been a host of other programmes along the way too including Tyne Tees Newsweek, the signed and subtitled regional news show, magazine series’ Primetime, The Richard Whiteley Show and North East Today as well as her own documentary programme Your Town On The Telly and With Voices Raised a religious series that showcased choirs and singing groups from around the region performing a variety of hymns, sacred songs and spirituals. When ITV celebrated its 50th anniversary it was Pam who hosted the TTTV celebratory programme.

Across the years on the local news, she’s worked alongside local personalities including ‘Mr North East’ Mike Neville MBE, Andrew Friend, Stuart McNeil, Andy Kluz, Jonathan Morell and currently Ian Payne.

Over the various news programmes, she’s interviewed many star name and politicians ranging from the cast of Auf Wiedersehen Pet, singer Joe McElderry – one of Pam’s biggest fans, ITV darlings Ant and Dec and even theme tune loving dogs.

Left: Pam Royle in 1983 having a try at continuity announcing, Right: hosting the first-ever edition of LWT News in 1988.

ITV News Tyne Tees publicity shot, 2018

Pam announced her departure at the end of the regional news this evening, noting she will be on-screen until the spring.

She had taken a long period off from the programme last year, sparking concerns from viewers about her absence, such is her popularity with local people.

“Leaving ITV is the hardest decision I have ever had to make. I love bringing the daily news into our viewer’s homes; they are at the heart of everything we do. I will miss my workmates very much.

“However, I think it is time for me to find a better work-life balance and explore other work opportunities. It is good to know that this will give someone else the chance to take on one of the best jobs in the region.” – Pam Royle

Local newspapers report that, like the old Tyne Tees Today format, Pam had been happy to remain with the programme for three days a week. However, this goes against current ITV policy it was noted in the press and not willing to do five days regularly, decided it was time to go.

Pam was awarded Presenter of the Year by the Royal Television Society in the North East and the Border in 2014, 2015 and 2017 and was part of the team that won a BAFTA in 2010 for its coverage of the shootings by Derrick Bird in Cumbria.

She was bestowed the silver heart gong from the Royal Variety club for her outstanding contribution to Television and charity in 2013 and has been a Fellow of Sunderland University since 2015.

Pam joined Tyne Tees Television in 1983, as a weather presenter, before going on to work for Central TV as a continuity announcer, and later in the news teams of TV-am, ITN and was the first anchor of LWT News, launching the London news bulletin in January 1988.

Impressing London Weekend bosses she was also hired to co-host Friday Now alongside Jeni Barnett, Charles Colville and Chris Serle.

She would return to the TTTV studios at the end of the decade as a lead presenter.

Making the headlines herself, along with co-host Paul Frost and weatherman Bob Johnson, 1994

Pam and Ian Payne on ITV News Tyne Tees, 2021. (19/01 announcing her departure.)


Pictured Top of page: L-R: Tyne Tees Today, 1993, North East Tonight, 1996, North East News, 1999.

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