ITN News at One - 1985

The lunch-time news with Leonard Parkin.
January 1985

[@ifrtutor]

I was lucky enough to have sat in the control room on one broadcast of News at One with Mr Parkin presenting. A truly fascinating experience and exemplifies true teamwork and how you turn a seemingly infinite stream of news into a concise and targeted show

[@mjstefansson7466]

The best ITN news anchorman ever. RIP. The quality of his presentation and demeanour will never be surpassed.

[@grahampearson5670]

Leonard Parkin was chief presenter of the ITV Lunchtime National News from 1976 until 1978 when Peter Sissons took over. The departure of Peter to Channel Four's Early Evening News bulletin meant from late 1982 meant Leonard was back on ITV Lunchtime News duty most weeks until his retirement from regular news reading duties at 58 in July 1987.

[@shaunlaws6521]

I wish there was a time machine to go back to these good old days so much better than today boy o boy I still miss these days now and I always will

[@GeorgeASFTHM]

1980s lunchtimes on ITV - Leonard Parkin with the News at One (television's answer to BBC Radio 4's World at One); followed by a Central News bulletin afterwards, and then a film on a Monday or a Friday, leading up to The Young Doctors or Sons and Daughters. Len always looked young for his age unlike a lot of men of that era, and he passed away far too young as well.

[@dunkiep]

This always was and always will be one HELL of a tune. Would love to hear it in an club with a dance beat.

[@rajnirvan3336]

The most unique and well respected newsreader of all time. Thank you Leonard Parkin unlike BBC readers you made lunchtime so welcoming whether u came from school or be on holidays etc. He always acknowledged the younger viewers as well as adults

[@DaveAndBeth1978]

Loved Leonard Parkin... As well as News At One he also regularly hosted News At 5:45... I always remember him making a point of welcoming children to the news, especially during school holidays

[@johnfitzpatrick8191]

I was fortunate to meet Leonard Parkin in 1982 when I first started work I worked just around the corner from the ITN studios in Wells Street W1 and also Langham Place where the radio studios were radio 1 radio 2 etc I will say one thing it is true what they all say about Leonard Parkin a true gentleman who had time for his viewers especially the youngest ones who were on school holidays RIP Mr Parkin you are missed after so many years god bless you.xx

[@TheGuvOfWythenshawe]

No Jeremy Kyle or Judge Rinder! Just proper telly and ITN being ITN...not ITV News of today! The opening titles and theme to News at One reminds me of lunchtime, being of sick (or playing hooky and getting away with it!!) and/or school holidays! It's just a shame those days are long gone but we will ALWAYS have the happy memories!

[@dvidclapperton]

Bring back the ITN News at One, the ITN News at 545, and the proper ITN News at Ten. Yes the News is still on at 10pm on ITV, but it's still not the same as it was in the days when you saw the ITN ident in the titles.

[@peterwilliamskelhorn6675]

​@@dvidclappertonthe news at ten that ended in 1999.

[@shaunlaws6521]

Sorry to learn the sad passing of a great legendary the absolutely awsome reporter and the fantastic it is Ken Rees he ad amazing voice and true profession in everysence much much better the ones today

[@hermitageboy]

love the old 80's intros- not the same as new ones!

[@jamesnicholson2503]

Very sad news about the voice over to the News at one in the 70's Stev Wright has passed away at 69.Outstanding DJ on Radio One.

[@Kapricorn1]

Lenoard Parkin, good god this takes me back to sickies off school, Wonder if the Galloping Gourmet is on next, or is it Crown Court, ah them were the days.

[@imcadam121]

That theme tune reminds me of school dinner hours,when i used to nip home for me dinner!.

[@ChrisATV301]

That theme meant we had to get skates on & get back to school

[@HenryMcGuinnessGuitar]

Leonard Parkin - thought I'd never see him again. I quite like his style actually :) And I think you're right about Crown Court coming afterwards - don't remember Galloping Gourmet

[@jamesbomd3503]

If you're ill or off school It was the most daunting and testing time of your childhood news at one Followed by Crown Court we had to sweat it out until 4:00 o'clock and play school

[@HenryMcGuinnessGuitar]

@@jamesbomd3503 Weirdly, I quite enjoyed Crown Court. As a kid I spent a lot of time with a family who'd always watch these shows & things like Weekend world...and a lot of soap operas too. As for being off school - I loved it; I just ploughed through Dr Who books

[@grahampearson5670]

There are two reports in this ITV Lunchtime News bulletin from Scotland. The first one is from Ken Rees on the two mountain climbers missing in the Cairngorms and the second one from Mike McMillan on the weather chaos.

[@Voxac100b]

I couldn't agree with you more I think its the typewriter jingling! The BBC had a similar tune around 1981 Len Parkin was a top newscaster

[@jamesbomd3503]

If you're ill or off school It was the most daunting and testing time of your childhood Sesame St. News at One Followed by Crown Court so we had to sweat it out until 4:00 o'clock and play school, If you were lucky decent B&W film on BBC 2 between 2 o'clock and 4:00 o'clock

[@shaunlaws6521]

And RIP Ken Ress

[@rimmersgirl81]

25 years later and the weather is the same as it was back in 1985! i wish the snow would fuck right off!!!! roll on the spring and the summer!!!! good weather instead of bad weather!!!!!

[@anthonyperkins7556]

Always saw it at my Grandads on school holidays after lunch, while my dad was out at work

[@grahampearson5670]

I tended to watch the ITV Lunchtime News at the time Leonard Parkin was the chief presenter but usually during the school holidays.

[@97channel]

Wow, the BBC didn't half rip off their set, when it introduced its own One O'Clock News.

[@peterwilliamskelhorn6675]

+97channel I'm too young to remember the lunchtime news on itv at 1pm and a year after this bulletin bbc 1's one o clock news started but i only remember the bbc virtual look from 1993 onwards

[@97channel]

@@peterwilliamskelhorn6675 I vividly remember the BBC's One O'clock news from the mid 80's, but I don't seem to have any memory of ITV's lunchtime offering until maybe the early 90's. But I certainly remember the ITN News At 545 from as far back as perhaps 1983, along with News At Ten. The BBC's virtual set of the 90's was a really strong style, perhaps the best look they've ever had. The modern day BBC News has a good look to it, but I think they trapped themselves, in terms of change and creativity, with the pips music and countdown sequences.

[@peterwilliamskelhorn6675]

@@97channel I'm the same with the lunchtime news at 12.30 on itv from 1995 onwards when Dermot Murnaghan and Julia Somerville presented the bulletin. And John Suchet presented the Early Evening News at 5.40pm

[@abhudson14]

This bring back memories from school hoildays parents would always have News at one on never Newsafternoon

[@jasonl5967]

Very Catchy Intro Tune, just excellent

[@MrMegaSlaphead]

+jason long My dog used to howl at this music. Nothing else, just this music. And he did it every time it came on.

[@ChrisATV301]

I have it as mine & my alarm tone.

[@MightySouthpaw]

the music always reminds me of being ill and off school ... and the taste of cough mixture

[@unicentre6967]

sfuhere,your right,same music but the news was hosted by robert kee & the programme was called first report,the music would hold up well even today.

[@truckerboy93]

want that music as my ring tone.

[@michaelneill9825]

this all seems like yesterday not 30 years ago

[@gbhxu]

I remember another opening for News At One. It had the music was the same but with hands typing on a typewriter and pictures around the side. Does anyone have any information about the music used?

[@pistonbroke0461]

You mean this one ? kzbin.info/www/bejne/nqWrZZhud89laLs

[@Gandim45]

Mum, mum......I'm ill....honestly, I'm really ill. I go in to school later if I feel better.

[@florencesissy9492]

Just in case you don’t know where the Cairngorms are. Clue - they’re in Scotch land. 🇪🇺🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@darren2514fv]

The big freeze of January 1985

[@davidgrahamscott]

Haha! I just realised I was on my mates pc and logged in under his name (just in case yer confused)

[@Pitmirk_]

One thousand million is mentioned... back when billions weren't yet fully devalued

[@Matt571]

I used to be scared of Leonard Parkin as a child. I remember watching News at One through a crack in the door waiting for the "scary man" to finish the news

[@jamesnicholson2503]

I remenber news at one very well all was on htv wales at 100 o clock everyday im from south wales I prefer back then to what it is to all to fast titles are to fast im nealy in my 40s im bit of a old fashion guy

[@ChrisATV301]

Who is saying "This is the News at One from ITN with Leonard Parkin"?

[@davidgrahamscott]

Tomato and crouton flavour...posh bastard then?