BBC News at Ten

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Not to be confused with ITV News at Ten.

BBC News at Ten
BBC News at Ten.png
Also known asBBC Ten O'Clock News
Created byBBC News
Presented byHuw Edwards
Sophie Raworth
Clive Myrie
Mishal Husain
Theme music composerDavid Lowe
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
Production
Production locationsStudio N6 BBC Television Centre (1986–2013)
Studio E, Broadcasting House, London (2013–present)
Running time25 minutes (Weekdays)
20 minutes (Weekends)
Release
Original networkBBC One
Picture format
Original release16 October 2000 (2000-10-16) –
present
Chronology
Preceded byBBC Nine O'Clock News
Related shows
External links
Website

BBC News at Ten — formerly known as the BBC Ten O'Clock News or the Ten O'Clock News — is the flagship evening news programme for British television channel BBC One and the BBC News channel. The weekday presenters consist of; Huw Edwards, Sophie Raworth, and Clive Myrie. The weekend edition of the programme is presented by either Mishal Husain or Clive Myrie. The programme was controversially moved from 9:00pm on 16 October 2000. The main presenter simultaneously holds the lead presenter role for major events, election night (from 2015) and breaking news for BBC News.

From February 2015 to 2019, the programme had a 45-minute format, with a half-hour segment focusing on British national and international news (with an emphasis on the latter), a 12-minute segment of local news from the BBC's regions around the country, and concluding with the national weather forecast. The programme used a shortened, 35-minute format on Friday nights to accommodate The Graham Norton Show. On 4 February 2019, in order to accommodate a new time slot focusing on youth programmes from BBC Three, the shortened format was adopted on a nightly basis. The programme was re-extended during the 2019 general election and during the COVID-19 pandemic it was extended back to its 45-minute format, with Newsnight moving to 10:45pm on BBC Two.

During the first three months of its revival, ITV News at Ten averaged 2.2 million viewers compared with an average of 4.8 million viewers watching the BBC bulletin over the same period.[1]

History[]

The programme was launched on 16 October 2000, replacing the BBC Nine O'Clock News which had been on the air since 14 September 1970. Its launch presenters were Michael Buerk and Peter Sissons. The move to 10:00pm was a response to the controversial axing of rival broadcaster ITV's News at Ten. ITV reinstated a 20-minute news bulletin at 10:00pm on 22 January 2001, instigating a head-to-head clash with the BBC. The BBC's Ten O'Clock News eventually became the more popular programme, establishing itself on the BBC One schedule for at least six days a week. ITV's bulletin suffered as a result of poor scheduling, and on 2 February 2004 the bulletin moved to 10:30pm.[2] In 2008, ITV reinstated News at Ten which remains the BBC's main competitor.

Michael Buerk presenting in 2000

Buerk and Sissons left the BBC Ten O'Clock News on 19 January 2003 to make way for presenters Huw Edwards and Fiona Bruce. To mark this presenter reshuffle, on Monday 20 January 2003 as Edwards and Bruce took over, the bulletin and the rest of BBC One news bulletins were relaunched with a new studio.

Since 5 February 2006, the bulletin has been simulcast on the BBC News channel. Following the BBC One bulletin, the remaining portion of the BBC Ten O'Clock News Hour is followed by Sports News and 'The Papers'.[clarification needed]

On 21 April 2008, the programme, along with the rest of BBC News, underwent a graphical refresh and moved into a refurbished studio (N6). It also changed its name to BBC News at Ten.

After the regional news, there is a weather forecast from the BBC Weather Centre: presenters include Tomasz Schafernaker, Ben Rich and Philip Avery.

BBC News at Ten was named News Programme of the Year at the RTS Television Journalism Awards in 2005, 2009 and 2010.

The programme, along with the BBC News channel and the other BBC One bulletins, moved to Broadcasting House and began broadcasting in high-definition on 18 March 2013.[3]

Following a five-month trial during the run-up to the 2015 general election, it was announced that the programme would be permanently extended to 45 minutes on Mondays through Thursdays from January 2016 (with the Friday-night edition retaining its original length to accommodate The Graham Norton Show).[4]

After 16 years in the role, on 4 January 2019, Bruce stepped down as the programme's main presenter on Fridays in order to replace David Dimbleby on Question Time. Sophie Raworth and Clive Myrie serve as the regular presenters on Fridays with Bruce occasionally appearing on the programme as a relief presenter.

On 4 February 2019, it was announced that the programme would be shortened back to 35 minutes beginning 4 March 2019, to accommodate a new broadcast of BBC Three programmes on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights. The decision faced criticism from those who believed this was the result of cuts. BBC staff denied that this was the case, arguing that the time slot could help attract BBC Three's target audience, and would also remove the scheduling overlap with Newsnight on BBC Two.[5]

On 16 March 2020, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the programme was extended to a 45-minute bulletin until further notice to avoid competing with Newsnight. The 10 o'clock news bulletin is on for 30 minutes, with news bulletins from the BBC's regional services lasting for 15 minutes.

Out-of-studio presenting[]

As well as presenting from the main studio, the main presenters are called upon to present on location when major stories break. For example, Huw Edwards reported live from Washington for the 2008, 2012 and 2016 US presidential elections and has presented live from Basra at the withdrawal ceremony. He also regularly presented from Westminster, as well as from Edinburgh (at times when the referendum for Scottish independence was being developed).

During the 2012 Summer Olympics, presenters also made use of BBC's makeshift studios overlooking the Olympic Park at Stratford. George Alagiah presented from L'Aquila in April 2009, Haiti in 2010, Egypt in 2011 and Tacloban in 2013.

On 10 October 2018, due to technical problems at the Broadcasting House, Huw Edwards presented at BBC Millbank Studios.

Staff[]

Editor[]

Paul Royall has been the editor of BBC News at Ten and BBC News at Six since July 2013.[6] Royall joined the BBC from ITV Meridian in 1997, working on News 24. He later became deputy editor of BBC Breakfast in January 2004, to the editor Mark Grannell.[7] In May 2009, he became the deputy editor of the News at Ten and News at Six. He became editor on 22 July 2013, replacing James Stephenson who became Head of BBC World News.[6]

Presenters[]

Years Presenter Current Role
2003–present Huw Edwards Main Presenter (Monday-Wednesday) & Backup Relief Presenter
2003–present Sophie Raworth Main Presenter (Thursday/Friday) & Relief Presenter*
2009–present Clive Myrie Deputy Presenter (Friday) & Relief Presenter
2014–present Reeta Chakrabarti Relief Presenter
2014–present Jane Hill Backup Relief Presenter
2007–present Ben Brown

*Sophie Raworth is not currently presenting the BBC News at Ten, as she is now the interim presenter of the new ‘Sunday Morning’ programme on BBC One, which replaced ‘The Andrew Marr Show’, as well as covering for George Alagiah on the BBC News at Six. Her cover is being provided by Clive Myrie. When he is unavailable, Reeta Chakrabarti and Jane Hill.

If there is no position before the years of being a presenter, then this newsreader was either a relief presenter or occasional guest presenter.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Tara Conlandate=17 April 2008. "BBC 10pm news audience is double ITV's". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  2. ^ Fitzwalter, Raymond (1 January 2008). The Dream That Died: The Rise and Fall of ITV. Troubador Publishing. ISBN 9781906221836 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ "BBC News' television output moves to new studios at Broadcasting House". BBC. 18 March 2013. Archived from the original on 5 May 2019. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  4. ^ "BBC News at Ten to extend by 10 minutes". BBC. 10 December 2015. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  5. ^ "BBC Three programming returns to linear TV". TVBEurope. 11 February 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
    - Waterson, Jim (14 February 2019). "Anger over BBC plan to cut News at Ten by 10 minutes". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  6. ^ a b William Turvill (16 July 2013). "Paul Royall made editor of BBC News at Six and Ten". Press Gazette. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  7. ^ "Paul Royall appointed new Editor of BBC News at Six and Ten". BBC Press Centre. 12 July 2013. Retrieved 10 May 2021.

External links[]

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