New Meridian, BBC South & South East Thread

Does the camera physically move (i.e. track or crab) - or just zoom and depress? If it does then it is likely there is a person behind it...

It looks like it goes down and zooms in, but not sure if it goes closer. I believe Central has the same cameras, but we never get any moving shots, only boring zooms, well the way Central does it anyway.

Just seen the South East Today "This is What We do" promo. It seems more personal to the program rather than the slighly edited versions i have seen in the other regions.

And yet more opting problems tonight for the ident and headlines and titles for the 10!

Did anyone see Meridian Tonight (South East) last night? It was Charlotte Hawkins' last show!

Anyone know where she is off to?

It was her final edition tonight. I think I rightly read somewhere that Charlotte's off to Sky News, so she won't be disappearing.

Meridian Tonight (South East) had Phil Hornby in New York, with Gemma Humphries and Charlotte in Rochester (I think). They were all dressed in Victorian wear (a la Charles Dickins Christmas Carol). Andy Steggall was in the news studio doing the main news.

Farewell to Charlotte.

Meridian SE has had many female presenters starting off with Alison Holloway who presented with Mike Debens in 1993.

Sarah Lockett then took over as main co-presenter with Geoff Clark in 1996 to about 1998 and...

Sue Kinnear from 1998 to 2002.

Sky poached them all as well.

Correction - Sue Kinnear never went to Sky News. She followed her husband to the Midlands were he produces the Central East news service!

I don't know yet who will take over from Charlotte as Phil's co-anchor. However I know Gemma Humphries (weather) said that she hopes she's into shopping like Charlotte is! I wonder if Martyn Davies or even Robin Lermitte have the same kinda luck with Phil!

You just know its going to probably be Helen James, who has covered for Charlotte's absences on occasions this year.

They didn't seem very festive on Meridian South last night.

Fred did his best to wish everyone a merry Christmas, but the female presenter and Paul Belverstone were so half-hearted about it that it sounded really odd.

Carolyn Sim was Fred's co-anchor last night. You are right though about it not feeling festive. Meridian South always seems to be the same. Last year Meridian South East covered the panto Gemma Humphries and Jeff Moody appeared in, and both Phil and Charlotte were in the mood for it. Last night they had a Charles Dickins-themed edition. What do Meridian South do? Nothing really. I really should move east along the coast!

Wheres Sue at these days then? No tv work?