ITN News at 545, 9 January 1986 - Michael Heseltine resigns from Thatcher's cabinet

As shown on TVS, with tail end of Blockbusters, trailer for Catchphrase, adverts for British Gas, Nescafé, Walkers crisps, Toffee Crisp and others. Bulletin also covers Dustin Gee's funeral and Kodak/Polaroid legal case

[@mpf6514]

Sad for Dustin Gee’s mum, seeing this. She looks frail, and the media appear to be acting far too intrusively. Dustin was a very talented impressionist, and (by all accounts) a really nice guy - God Bless.

[@alanberkeley7282]

Even worse for Dustin Gee - he died!

[@mpf6514]

You make a fair point, Alan!!

[@Revelian1982]

I'm sure she would rather have died than lived to see her son die.

[@davidtownson1476]

Only 4 days later, the Trade and Industry Secretary, Leon Brittain, also resigned.

[@jasonwood3377]

R.I.P Phil Lynott, the pride of Dublin

[@jamesnicholson2503]

Martin Lewis here reading,from Swansea South Wales,not far form me in Merthyr Tydfil 40 miles away, don't know if any one knows,or heared of Merthyr Tydfil?

[@jamesnicholson2503]

I'm sure that was Simon Batts the voice over to the News At 545.But I thought he was only the voice over in the 70s??

[@Candolad]

There were several voiceovers got the "News at 5:45" and ITN alternated them.

[@jamesnicholson2503]

@@Candolad but who was the voice over when Peter Sissions was on the News At One in 83?

[@jamesnicholson2503]

@@Candolad all done in ITN Well street??

[@dominewimbury2039]

RIP Andrew Riley. Poor little lad

[@jamesnicholson2503]

It is Simon Batts.

[@rajnirvan3336]

Martyn Lewis last months of ITN before defected to BBC. Preferred him on ITN as with Peter Sissons

[@ajs41]

Why? Did they present differently on ITN compared to BBC?

[@EssexNonLeague]

​@ajs41 Sissons always said his happiest days were with ITN. Still stayed with the beeb for about 20 years, however.

[@angelacooper2661]

Aged not yet sixteen, I was preparing to take my O Levels that year. Remember Bob Holness and Dustin Gee- both now deceased!

[@eamonnevans8005]

I love that advert at 0:54

[@jonathanbuss7538]

The govt should have helped the company survive. Just as they did 30 years later with the bank's.

[@robalexander8065]

The voiceover at the start "the news at 5.45 with Martyn Lewis" sounds a bit like Simon Bates.

[@Candolad]

It is Simon Bates. He did lots of voiceover work.

[@mshroye2]

Funny thing is both blockbusters and catch phrase is that they had extremely short runs in the us but they had longer run in the uk

[@pak8606]

TVS was referred to on screen as Television South between sometime in 1985 and sometime in 1987 I believe

[@jackmeadows7777]

The Blockbusters episode is quite behind most regions as TVS’s Monday And Tuesday slots were filled with an Australian soap opera called Sons and Daughters. Most others had Blockbusters six days a week. TVS and some others only managed four a week.

[@pak8606]

I always thought it strange that Blockbusters was never networked given it was very popular. Was there a reason for this?

[@jackmeadows7777]

@@pak8606 I think when it started some regions led by Thames preferred 15.30 as the start time. They then moved it to 17.15 for series 2 probably due to it's ratings in the other regions and probably because 15.30 seemed to cater well for the fresher Australian soap SAD. Thames, Anglia, TSW, STV and Grampian also had Emmerdale Farm at 17.15 which they opted to keep in that slot therefore reducing BB to only four a week while the others were showing six. TVS also had SAD at 17.15 for three years. From series 2 regions Central, Border, TT, YTV, Granada, HTV and ( possibly UTV) semi networked it and remained the same as each other for BB and Connections until the start of H&A in Feb 1989. Then 18.30 was used for many regions except Anglia and Central who used 17.10 due to H&A at 18.00/18.35. Regions showing it at 18.30 seemed to increase/reduce the frequency of screenings as they wished with some moving it to 17.10 when they moved H&A to 18.00. Some like STV moved it to an afternoon slot and some others followed them. In the end the only two that remained on a sort of "networked" pattern were Border and YTV who screened it through to the end of the 1992 made seriesconsistently at 18.30 Tues-Thurs. TT had had to drop dozens of episodes as they had been screening two a week prior to their merger with YTV who had been at three a week since the 18.30 slot was created in Jan 1990. Again YTV was very reluctatnt to move programmes around 17.15 Mon-Sat and then 18.30 Tues-Thurs for it's duration upto the end of the 1992 series. No other region (except Border) had less changes to the pattern. Same with Prisoner on YTV, and their pre 1993 SAD/TYD changes were only moved due to networked programmes forcing TYD/SAD out. ACP had a few minor changes in it's YTV scheduling over the years.

[@jamesnicholson2503]

The government was bent then.But say something for Maggie,she would have a private meeting next thing "sacked." And no excuses out"

[@jamesnicholson2503]

British gas was top dog then.Uter rubbish now,what a change in a society and getting worst.

[@iand.3544]

This was the political row that almost sank Margaret Thatcher's career

[@EssexNonLeague]

It took a few years, but it ultimately did.

[@jamesnicholson2503]

They couldn't find nobody for the job of voice over with ITN,thats what I think.

[@jamesnicholson2503]

She looks like her dad,with the nose.As he used to say The Price is Right.

[@chriswaring5565]

MICHAEL TARZAN HEZELTINE WHEN HE RESIGNED DID HE GO BACK TO THE JUNGLE WITH JANE?

[@jamesnicholson2503]

Il have to Google this

[@BossySwan]

Hichael Meseltine

[@danfarrelly113]

Not true

[@jamesnicholson2503]

To think 38 years ago,in my opinion 80s was great yes things happened industrial disputes,but all in all, brilliant decade.There is something different in the 80s to 2024, society has gone more horrible,dog,eat dog,80s was totally different in my opinion the way people acted.

[@angelacooper2661]

Yes, I was a fresh-faced teenager back then (preparing to take my O Levels that year) and life was less complicated. Perhaps just as well there was no social media or mobile phones to contend with!

[@jamesnicholson2503]

@@angelacooper2661 It was less complicated your right.I passed noting in school didn't like it that much.

[@Revelian1982]

07:22 - Louis CK

[@jamesnicholson2503]

Swansea boy.

[@jamesnicholson2503]

Swansea boy Hesltine.

[@chriswaring5565]

IF YOU GO ROUND SHAKING COFFEE BEANS LIKE THAT YOU WOULD GET BEATEN UP ACCUSED OF CALLING SOMEONE A WANKER THE BLOKE IN DIMOTAPP AD LOOKS LIKE ELTON JOHN

[@ahmeddhagahofficial9034]

2nd January 1986

[@djbobhoskins]

Michael Heseltine resigned from the cabinet on the 9th January 1986, so the stated date is correct.

[@dominewimbury2039]

The original date (9th) is correct. Phil Lynott died on 4th

[@jamesnicholson2503]

All had good cars then.When the working glass was struggling.And its worst now in 2024,with this no good government in power,and the prime minister il say no more rubbish out,and out rubbish.

[@BorisBoris-sl1sf]

Well the spelling standards have gone to hell, that's for sure.

[@jamesnicholson2503]

@@BorisBoris-sl1sf Spelling mistakes? Hope you don't mean me? Just red mine,all good.👍