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Philip Elsmore |
 Philip Elsmore (circa 1972)  Philip Elsmore (circa 1983) |
Born in Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire on 16th November 1937,
Philip Elsmore initially trained as an actor. He takes the credit as the longest serving of all the Thames' continuity announcers, having joined Thames before the Company went on air, Philip made the very first opening announcement on the 30th July 1968. Philip remained with Thames until the end of 1992, when its life as a broadcaster ended. Infact Philip also made the very last continuity announcement on 31st December 1992. As well as being very much a resident at the Euston Studios Philip would, on occasions, "pop-up" in programmes made at Thames' Teddington Studios - including "Whodunnit?", "Pauline's Quirkes", "Lytton's Diary" and "Rumpole of the Bailey". In the years since Thames went 'off-air' Philip has been seen in a number of popular series. For an episode of 'The Bill' entitled "Saturday Night's All Right" (broadcast in February 1994) he played a character called Mr Andrews, and in 1995 he played a Judge in the BBC's serial drama 'Eastenders'. He has also played a head waiter in 'Lovejoy', a Headmaster in 'Casualty' and Mr Winchwood in Linda La Plante's 'The Governor'.
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David Hamilton |
 David Hamilton (circa 1969)  Presenting "Miss TV Times" in 1972 |
Born 'David Pilditch' in Manchester, on 10 September 1938, David Hamilton (his mother's maiden-name) at first followed his father into Journalism. While still a student at Glastonbury Grammar School, David (a keen footballer) began writing a weekly column for a national football magazine, and after leaving school in 1956 he took a job with ATV as a documentary script-writer. In 1959, during his 'National Service' in Germany, David joined the 'British Forces Broadcasting Service' and gained valuable experience 'in front of the microphone'. 1961 brought a 'career move' which ultimately changed David's life - he took a job as 'Continuity Announcer'for Tyne Tees Television. A move to ABC TV (Manchester) came the following year, where David remained as both 'Continuity Announcer' and 'Presenter' until 1968 (when the merger with Rediffusion created Thames). Like many ABC (and Rediffusion) staff, David Hamilton transfered to the new company in 1968. In 1973 David accepted an offer from the BBC to become a 'DJ' on Radio 1. This meant that every weekday, after finishing his morning radio programme for the BBC, David would take a taxi from Broadcasting House, and travel the short hop to Euston Studios. There he would take his seat in the Continuity Studio and (with his trusty copy of 'TV Times') introduce ITV programmes to millions of viewers across the London area. In addition to this he would occasionally act as a programme presenter for Thames, notably for programmes like "Miss TV Times".
On radio, David Hamilton moved-on from the BBC in 1986, and took up a post on London's Capital Gold. He can currently be found hosting his own show on Melody FM. |
Peter Marshall |
 Peter Marshall (circa 1983)  Presenting "Miss World" with Alexandra Bastedo |
Born in Londonderry on 11 September 1938, Peter Marshall was originally going to follow his father into teaching, and attended St. Columb's College in Londonderry and St. Joseph's Teacher Training College in Belfast. An interest in acting however led him to take a drama course run by the 'Arts Education Trust', after which he made an unsuccessful application to R.A.D.A.. Following this disappointment, Peter took an acting job with Bournemouth Rep, after which an application to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama proved more successful. During 1967 Peter returned to the land of his birth, and became an Announcer/Presenter for Ulster TV, but by 1970 he'd crossed back over the Irish Sea to take up a post with Anglia , presenting programmes such as 'About Anglia', 'Sports Desk' and 'Police Call'. After a short attatchment to Southern TV, Peter joined Thames TV in 1976, where he became one of the 'new' inhabitants of the Continuity Studio at Thames' Euston Road Studios. During 1976 Peter decided to further his education, and began studying for a B.A. in Psychology with the Open University. He completed his degree in 1980. As with David Hamilton, Peter Marshall also acted as presenter of certain Thames' entertainment programmes. It was one such programme that Peter highlights as one his most memorable moments at Thames - on Wednesday 25 August 1982, the 'Miss United Kingdom' contest, presented by Peter Marshall and Judith Chalmers live from London's Cunard Hotel, was interrupted by animal rights campaigners, protesting against the event's sponsors "Edelon Furs".
Peter Marshall is now working along-side David Hamilton again, since he too hosts his own radio show on Melody FM.
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Tom Edwards |
 Tom Edwards  |
Born in Norwich, in 1945. Tom began his working life as a journalist,
before giving up life as a reporter to become the announcer on Border Television's
"Beat the Border". In September 1965, Tom joining Radio City - an offshore radio station anchored in the Thames Estuary - and moved to Whitstable in Kent. While working at Radio City, Tom held the positions of Senior DJ and Programme Director. The passing of 'The Marine Offences Act' in 1967 made it an offence "...for a broadcast to be made from a ship or aircraft while it is in or over the United Kingdom, or external waters". As a result of this law most offshore radio stations (including Radio City) closed down. After briefly moving to one of the remaining 'Pirate' stations (Radio Caroline) Tom approached the BBC - who had just launched a new national pop music station - and was offered a job. During the 1970s Tom worked for BBC Radio presenting programmes such as 'Night Ride', and in the early 80s he became a familiar face to viewers in the London area when he joined Thames as a continuity announcer. During the late 80s Tom moved to the USA, but he returned home to Norwich in the early 1990s, and presented a regular show for BBC Radio Norfolk.
Tom - always something of a smart dresser - lists his likes as "Clothes, Food and Scotch & Dry Ginger", and his dislikes as "Women who wear Short Skirts and White Stockings combined". (So now you know!!!!)
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Patricia Yorston |
 Patricia Yorston |
Patricia Yorston trained as an actress, but moved into TV presenting after taking a course subsidised by Ken Livingstone's GLC - it cost her one pound! Her first TV work was as a continuity announcer and she worked for Thames in London, Central in Nottingham, and TVS in Southampton,. before moving to HTV where she presented the local evening news for many years. During her time at HTV Patricia met and married her husband Steve Scott. They subsequntly moved to South Africa for two years, and Patricia was appointed ITN's Africa correspondent.
After taking a short break from broadcasting Patricia now works on TV Travel Shop 2, while husband Steve now presents all of Channel 5's live European and international football. In between working for TV Travel Shop 2, and being a mother to son Cameron and daughter Georgia , Patricia runs a small business designing and painting children's toy boxes.
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Victoria Crawford |
 Victoria Crawford |
Can you supply any info about Victoria Crawford? Write to us at The Unofficial Thames TV Page |
Evadne Fisher |
 Evadne Fisher |
Evadne Fisher's background is in the theatre, Public Relations and Advertising, having started her acting career at the Nottingham Playhouse in 1967 on her 18th birthday. She came out of the business between 1973 and 1984, during which time she married her second husband, Michael, and had two sons (Luke and James). In February 1984 Evadne became 'in vision' Continuity Announcer at Central Television, and during the five years she spent working at Central she succeeded in attaining her LLAM Teaching Diploma from London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). Evadne moved to Thames Television in February 1989 to host the Night-time slot, and has the 'dubious' honour of being the very last Continuity Announcer seen 'in vision' at Thames., (an honour she also held at Central).
Evadne now works at Trent College, Long Eaton, as Manager of Year 7. She is also LAMDA co-ordinator and Head of Lower School Drama.
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