A screen kiss from Donny Osmond was my TV high; TELEVISION: Llewela Bailey quits after 20 years with Central News.Byline: By Jon Griffin POPULAR Central Tonight presenter Llewela Bailey is to quit the Birmingham programme after "20 years of showing off" in front of the cameras. The TV star, who turned 50 this week, is leaving in December after years of bringing the news to TV viewers throughout the West Midlands. Llewela is one of dozens of staff taking voluntary redundancy voluntary redundancy n (BRIT) → despido voluntario voluntary redundancy n (Brit) → départ m volontaire (en cas de licenciements) ahead of plans by ITV (1) See interactive TV. (2) (iTV) The code name for Apple's video media hub (see Apple TV). to save costs by merging the Birminghamand Nottingham programmes. The mother of four carved her reputation in Birmingham as a nerveless nerve·less adj. 1. Lacking strength or energy; spiritless; weak. 2. Lacking courage; spineless or cowardly. 3. Calm and controlled in trying circumstances; cool. presenter working alongside the legendary Bob Warman Bob Warman is a British television presenter, born in Walsall, West Midlands. Between the ages of 11 and 18, Bob attended Wrekin College in Shropshire. When he left in the 1970s, he started working for Yorkshire Television. , who is godfather to Llewela's 11-year-old twins Ben and Harry. Llewela, whose barrister husband Martin died of cancer in May 2005 aged 52, said she was leaving with a host of memories of her days in front of the cameras, including a passionate moment with Donny Osmond Donald Clark 'Donny' Osmond (born December 9 1957) is an American entertainer. He is a singer, musician, actor and former teen idol. He has also been a talk show and game show host, record producer, race car driver and author. . "Getting snogged by Donny was a highlight. I just said 'give me a kiss on the cheek' and he grabbed me and threw me to the floor. I'm an Osmond fan now. Another person I remember as being so lovely and normal was Cliff Richard. He was so approachable, like talking to Noun 1. talking to - a lengthy rebuke; "a good lecture was my father's idea of discipline"; "the teacher gave him a talking to" lecture, speech rebuke, reprehension, reprimand, reproof, reproval - an act or expression of criticism and censure; "he had to your next door neighbour. "I also made Gordon Ramsay speechless. I suggested that he might want to move in with me and then he could cook for me." Llewela said one of the hardest tasks was staying cool while Bob Warman sat alongside cracking jokes. "Bob is hilarious to work with. He is the twins' godfather and like a brother to me. I am a terrible giggler and he makes me giggle all the time. He's a great friend." And she recalled the day she went on air with hair curlers attached. "It was an early shift and it went out at 6.45am. I still had a roller in my hair but no viewers complained," she said. "The hardest decision was to decide to go. It is like leaving home. I was quite upset, quite sad about it. "But with all the changes taking place at Central, I think it's a good time to go. I have just turned 50 and I think I have got a few years left in my career. "I am sad, but I think 20 years is a good innings. I have been really lucky to have been paid to show off, as my mother puts it. It's a fantastic job because we get to meet people who you would never meet otherwise. "Leaving is something I have thought about since last year. "I have been doing a lot of corporate work and media training and with all the changes taking place at Central, I thought it was a good time to go. Everything is changing and I do not think that it is necessarily for the worst." She added: "TV's so different from when I first walked through the door." CAPTION(S): FAVOURITE... Llewela Bailey is taking voluntary redundancy from Central News.; MEMORIES... Llewela with her twins in 1999, with her Central Team of Joanne Malin and Bob Warman, and with Des Lynam in 2007. |
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