ITV News West Country

ITV News West Country is a regional news service covering Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, produced by ITV West Country.

Overview
The nightly regional news programme was launched on 16 February 2009 as The West Country Tonight, following the merger of two regional news services - The West Tonight (ITV West) and Westcountry Live (ITV Westcountry).

ITV News West Country is broadcast from the ITV West Country studios in Bristol with reporters and camera crews also based in newsrooms at Plymouth, Exeter, Truro, Taunton, and Gloucester.

When the programme first launched, it was presented by ITV West presenters Lisa Aziz and Steve Scott (formerly of The West Tonight). However, Aziz was suspended in June 2009 from her position and officially left ITV West Country in February 2010. Scott left his position to become Sports Editor for ITV News in May 2010. The programme is now fronted by former Meridian Tonight presenter Ian Axton and former Westcountry Live freelancer Vanessa Cuddeford. Cordelia Lynch is standing in as presenter while Cuddeford is on maternity leave.

Broadcast times
ITV News West Country airs on ITV West and ITV Westcountry seven days a week.

On weekdays, three short bulletins are broadcast during Daybreak at 6:07am, 7:07am and 8:07am with a six-minute lunchtime bulletin at 1:55pm, following the ITV News at 1:30. The main half-hour programme airs at 6pm with a late bulletin for both regions at 10:30pm, following the ITV News at Ten.

At weekends, two 15-minute editions of ITV News West Country are broadcast - one later on Saturday afternoons and another on Sunday evenings.

Sub-regional service
As part of The West Country Tonight's launch in February 2009, two opt-out services for the ITV West and ITV Westcountry regions were retained, incorporating the first half of the main evening programme on weeknights at 6pm, the full late bulletins after News at Ten on weeknights and sports news on Mondays and Fridays. These are known as East and West respectively.

On Monday 5 September 2011, separate weekday daytime bulletins for the two regions (during Daybreak and at lunchtime) were reintroduced. Both sub-regional services utilise the same presenter(s) and studio/set in Bristol, therefore one of the two opt-outs - depending on the day's news - is pre-recorded 'as live' shortly before transmission.

Presenters
Note: Cordelia Lynch and Jonty Messer are maternity leave cover for Vanessa Cuddeford and Ellie Barker.

Former on air team

 * Lisa Aziz
 * Gillian Davies
 * Dan Downs (freelance with BBC South West)
 * Carrie Garrard
 * Dave Mason (freelance journalist)
 * Shelley Roberts


 * Peter Rowell (jailed)
 * Ed Saunt (ITV News Granada)
 * Balvinder Sidhu (ITV News Central)
 * Steve Scott (ITV News)
 * Mark Tyler