Lynda Bryans

Lynda Bryans
Born Belfast, Northern Ireland
Occupation Television presenter, journalist and producer
Spouse(s) Mike Nesbitt (1992–present)
Children 2 sons
Website Webpage

Lynda Bryans[1] is a Belfast-born television presenter and journalist from Northern Ireland.

She is married to former broadcaster and now politician Mike Nesbitt.[2]

Broadcasting career

Television

Bryans began her career in the media industry in 1981.[3] Her first job was working as a temporary copy typist for UTV that summer which was immediately followed by a job working as a secretary in the Religious Affairs department at BBC Northern Ireland.[3][4] She went on to become a newsreader and reporter on BBC's Inside Ulster, as well as reading daytime news bulletins and briefly covering continuity shifts for BBC NI. Bryans' career as a broadcaster began when she applied, as a staff member, for a screen test at the BBC, and she became a continuity announcer and newsreader for the Corporation in Belfast. In an interview with The News Letter, she stated, "I thought I'd apply for a laugh, and ended up being one of six picked out of 100."[3][5]

Bryans also presented on network BBC programmes. She was a presenter and reporter for the BBC News and Current Affairs series Here and Now,[6] and also co-presented with Rolf Harris on Animal Hospital in 1994[6] and reported for the Holiday programme until its axe in 2007.

Bryans' other television credits include Portrush Sea Rescue,[7] News 40, ITV's recreation of news events from World War II in a contemporary style, and Bethlehem Year Zero and Dateline Jerusalem, recreating the news events at the time of the birth and death of Jesus Christ.[8] From 2001 to 2005, she appeared as an occasional newscaster on the ITV News Channel at weekends.[5]

As well as presenting UTV Live, Bryans and Nesbitt also presented Anglia Television's networked Sunday Morning series from 1999 to 2001[6] and UTV's home and garden series Home Sweet Home in 2004 and 2006.[6]

She was suspended from duty by UTV for a period from February 2010 due to Nesbitt's decision to stand as a candidate in the 2010 general election.[9] In June 2010, it was announced Bryans was leaving UTV after her contract with the station was not renewed.[10][11] She hosted her final edition of UTV Live on 30 June 2010.

Radio

November 2005 saw Bryans become part of the daytime line-up on UTV-owned radio station, U105, hosting the 12.00–15.00 slot, U105 Lunch.[12] She left the station in October 2008.[13]

Personal life

Bryans attended Carryduff Primary School and Ballynahinch Tech.[3]

Bryans is a director of the Northern Irish mental health charity Aware Defeat Depression.[14] She is also a patron of the charity Action Cancer,[15] a patron of the Girls' Brigade Northern Ireland,[16][17] and, along with her husband, is a board member of Youth Lyric.[18]

Bryans co-runs a media production and facilitation company with her husband.

In 2006, Bryans received an award from Belfast Metropolitan College for her contribution to the life of Belfast.[19] She has two children.[2]

She is a practising Christian.[20]

References

  1. ↑ WebArchive.org: Lynda Bryans' profile on u.tv WebArchive, 11 July 2002; accessed 5 April 2009
  2. 1 2 "'I could see myself getting old with Mike'" Belfast Telegraph, 29 February 2004; accessed 6 February 2009.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Memories of a life in broadcasting" News Letter, 2 March 2009, accessed 6 January 2010
  4. ↑ "Mandi Millar's Q & A with UTV producer Sara Bell" Belfast Telegraph, 26 January 2004, retrieved 10 January 2008
  5. 1 2 BBC Northern Ireland announcers Archived 22 July 2012 at Archive.is TV Room Plus, accessed 15 June 2008
  6. 1 2 3 4 Lynda Bryans filmography BFI Film and TV Database; accessed 15 June 2008
  7. ↑ UTV Press Office: "Portrush Sea Rescue launches on UTV" Archived 3 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine. UTV Press Office, 17 June 2008; accessed 6 February 2009
  8. ↑ "News 40 may be Lynda's finest hour on TV to date" Belfast Telegraph, 16 August 2000; accessed 6 February 2009
  9. ↑ UTV drops presenter Lynda Bryans over election period BBC News, 24 February 2010
  10. ↑ Presenter Lynda Bryans set to leave UTV BBC News, 23 June 2010
  11. ↑ "Lynda Bryans axed by UTV" Belfast Telegraph, 23 June 2010
  12. ↑ Presenters: Lynda Bryans Archived 26 July 2006 at the Wayback Machine. U105, accessed 15 June 2008
  13. ↑ "Lynda Bryans parts company with U105" Belfast Telegraph, 9 October 2008; accessed 6 February 2009
  14. ↑ "Lisburn mums urged to think about post-natal depression victims" News Letter, 10 March 2008, accessed 16 June 2008
  15. ↑ "Get glow-ing!" News Letter, 25 January 2008, accessed 17 June 2008
  16. ↑ Structure and Staff Archived 9 March 2006 at the Wayback Machine. Girls Brigade Northern Ireland, accessed 16 June 2008
  17. ↑ "Girls' Brigade's new purpose-built home" News Letter, 28 December 2007, accessed 16 June 2008
  18. ↑ Youth Lyric
  19. ↑ "UTV presenter honoured at ceremony" Belfast Telegraph, 6 December 2006; accessed 6 February 2009
  20. ↑
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