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ITV confirm Granada Reports replacement after presenter Lucy Meacock’s departure

She starts her hosting duties from next week.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 29th November 2024

ITV has finally confirmed their incoming replacement for long-serving presenter Lucy Meacock, who left Granada Reports earlier this year.

An instantly recognisable face across the North West, Meacock helped cover current affairs and local events across the region on their flagship news programme for 36 long years – more than half of the entire time the show has been on the air.

‘Bowing out quietly’ back in August – four years on from the tragic passing of her long-time presenting partner, Tony Morris – Granada has been without a permanent co-anchor to serve alongside Gamal Fahnbulleh ever since, but now the hosting team looks set to be restored back to full strength very soon.

Confirming the news on Friday morning, 29 November, ITV has named rival news presenter Katie Walderman as Meacock’s successor, with her first show set to air next week.

Having been part of BBC’s equivalent North West Tonight (NWT) programme for more than a decade, Walderman is virtually a perfect fit for the role.

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For those unfamiliar, despite being best known for her long and successful spell with the news corporation, she also went viral in May last year after accidentally mistaking a Eurovision fan for Finland’s 2023 entrant, Käärijä.

Lovable gaffes aside, Walderman has been one of the BBC’s most celebrated journalists in recent years, having worked in roles on BBC Breakfast and North West Today before joining NWT. She started on local radio in her hometown of Liverpool before joining Real Radio and Smooth FM in MediaCityUK.

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In fact, it was only last week that she picked up the Journalist of the Year at the 2024 Royal Television Society North West Awards – a perfect parting gift.

Announcing her own departure earlier this month, Meacock shared numerous images as she looked back on her favourite memories on the job.

Speaking on joining ITV, Walderman said: “It’s an absolute dream come true to join Granada Reports. I grew up watching the programme, but never in a million years did I think I’d actually get the chance to present it.

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“I was born and raised in Liverpool and I’m now bringing up three of my own little Scousers. I can’t wait to continue flying the flag for our fantastic region and all the amazing communities here.

“I’m really looking forward to joining the Granada family – both the team in Salford [Quays] and all those watching at home.”

Katie Walderman and Gamal Fahnbulleh will host their first evening show together on Monday, 2 December at 6pm.

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Featured Images — ITV/Screenshot (via YouTube)

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Manchester company set to rescue beloved tea brand Typhoo from administration

Danny Jones Danny Jones Manchester vape company could save Typhoo from administration

Beloved British tea brand Typhoo has unfortunately fallen into administration after 121 years but a Manchester company could be set to save it from the jaws of insolvency.

Undoubtedly one of the biggest and best-known brands in the UK, not to mention the teabag of choice for millions up and down the country, Typhoo is a household name to most and has been a mainstay in supermarkets and newsagents for longer than we’ve been alive.

Despite its long-standing reputation and catering to a market of obsessive tea drinkers who aren’t going anywhere, the brew business has proved difficult for them, with a steady decline in sales and increasing losses year on year, as well as levels of debt creeping up to a now unsustainable point.

Financial advisory firm Kroll has now been appointed to handle the administration and find a buyer for the tea business, with a Manchester-headquartered company currently believed to be the frontrunner.

Supreme PLC is London-listed but has a HQ in Manchester.
The old Tyhpoo factory which closed last year.
Typhoo could be pulled back from the brink of administration. (Credit: Supreme via Facebook)/Rept0n1x via Wikimedia Commons)

Typhoo has been struggling to keep a foothold in the tea markets in recent years – suffering a significant setback when its Merseyside factory on the Wirral was broken into back in August 2023 – however, they have now been given a lifeline by a company just down the road in Stretford.

According to industry news outlet, Proactive Investors, vape and battery distributors Supreme Imports (based over in Trafford Park) are now said to be in ‘advanced talks’ to buy the tea brand and save it from going belly up after well over a century on our shelves.

The Bristol-based veterans were acquired by Zetland Capital back in 2021 which looked to have stabilised finances for a little while, but despite steadying the ship in the immediate, the last three years have seen a return to turbulent times.

While administration should keep them afloat while a sale is secured, there is still the matter of sizeable debt to be contested with; as of September last year, Typhoo owed more than £73 million to creditors – a whole £20m more than the previous year. In contrast, Supreme recently posted pe-tax profits of £14.7m.

Meanwhile, serious dips in revenue haven’t helped, with losses of around 25% recorded in the previous financial year and the closure of the Moreton plant (which contributed to approximately £24.1m worth of “exceptional costs”) leaving them at risk of going total collapse. It isn’t the heavyweight it once was.

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Conversely, with a diverse portfolio including not only vapes and batteries but lightbulbs, protein powder and bars; other e-cigarette items, the Clearly Drinks brand and even Sealions sleep gummies, Supreme are in the position to potentially rescue Typhoo, although a buyout deal is not yet finalised.

It’s unclear what the PLC will ultimately do with the brand should the acquisition be completed but it could prove to be a big coup if they can help it recover.

More importantly, with more than 100 jobs at risk throughout the company, not to mention Tyhpoo’s heritage as a historically significant domestic brand, we would love nothing more than to see the much-loved brew-makers back on their feet and livelihoods kept intact thanks to a local brand of our own.

Fingers crossed.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Image — Amazon UK

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Police release facial reconstruction image of mystery woman whose body was found in River Mersey

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Police release image of mystery woman whose body was found in River Mersey. Credit: GMP

Police have released a facial reconstruction image of a woman who was found in the River Mersey earlier this year, whose identity still remains a mystery.

An appeal for information has been running ever since her body was sadly discovered on Thursday 21 March, close to Chorlton Water Park.

Detailed forensic, DNA and investigative work has been taken place but it’s not yet been possible to determine who the woman is.

She had been in the water for around one or two months before her body was discovered by a member of the public.

GMP had previously released an image of a lime green Primark corset-style crop top that she was wearing, as well as confirming she was also wearing New Look Jenna jeans in a size 8, and non-slip style socks.

The dark green socks are the type sometimes used in hospitals and care facilities, though police added that they can also be purchased in shops and online.

She additionally had an elastic band and hair bobble on her wrist.

Face Lab at Liverpool John Moores University has now created a facial reconstruction to help with the appeal.

Items of clothing the woman found in the River Mersey was wearing. Credit: GMP
Items of clothing the woman found in the River Mersey was wearing. Credit: GMP

The woman was from a European background, around 5’1″ tall, with a slim build, and dark brown hair.

It’s believed she was aged between 26 and 40, though could be older or younger.

Although the woman was found in the River Mersey she may have entered the water elsewhere, with the River Tame and River Goyt both merging into the River Mersey.

Her cause of death is currently still being treated as unexplained.

Detective Inspector Louise Edwards, from GMP’s Major Incident Team, said: “We have worked with numerous experts covering a wide range of forensic examinations and tests available to us, but we have sadly been unable to uncover the woman’s identity.

“We want nothing more than to reunite her with her family and friends. She could be someone’s mother, auntie, sister, or cousin – somebody out there will know who she is and we want to ensure she gets back to her loved ones.

“If you have any information at all, please do get in touch with us. Even the smallest amount of information could greatly benefit in finding out who she is, and the circumstances which led to her sadly being discovered in the river more than eight months ago.”

You can contact police by calling 101, or by using the Live Chat Service at gmp.police.uk, quoting log number 1191 of 21 March 2024. Alternatively contact the Major Incident Team Syndicate 3 directly on 0161 856 9479.

You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. Information can also be provided online using the dedicated Major Incident Public Portal here – Public Portal.

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Featured image: GMP

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