IT has been an on-screen marriage that has been enjoyed by Hampshire television viewers over the past 16 years.

But from next month the Fred and Debbie show will be no more, as the face of local TV news changes forever.

Veteran Fred Dinenage will remain on the south’s screens but long-time co-presenter Debbie Thrower’s days on Meridian Tonight are numbered.

Instead viewers will see Fred share the studio sofa with new on-screen partner Sangeeta Bhabra for the station’s 6pm flagship news show.

The shake-up is part of Meridian’s plans to slash nearly 100 jobs in its newsrooms, as the region’s three simultaneous news broadcasts – Meridian South, Meridian South East and ITV Thames Valley – become one.

Fred and Debbie were the first faces to greet viewers when Meridian Tonight first aired 16 years ago, after Debbie had launched Meridian on New Year’s Day in 1993.

But even her status as one of the station’s most popular presenters could not save Debbie, 50, as the Hampshire-based broadcasting company tried to reduce costs, in the face of slowing advertising revenues.

It is understood that at least six presenters had to apply for the remaining two jobs with the merging of three programmes into one.

Debbie, who has presented the BBC’s Nine O’Clock News and had her own Radio 2 show, said: “It’s time to go in a fresh direction.

“I hope to combine my freelance work in broadcasting and journalism with my voluntary lay ministry as a Reader in the Church of England.

“It has been a wonderful partnership alongside Fred and I know we shall stay firm friends off screen just as we have been such compatible colleagues on screen.”

Meridian regional director Mark Southgate added: “We are parting on the best of terms and we wish her every success with the new ventures that she is pursuing and very much hope to see her back with us at Meridian from time to time.”

Ninety-seven of Meridian’s 172 staff are to go but the station’s purpose-built Whiteley studios will survive.

The new regional programme, which will be fronted by Fred and Sangeeta from February, will cover Hampshire, Kent, Sussex and parts of Essex, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Dorset and Surrey.

Sangeeta joined Meridian eight years ago covering the Newbury and Thames Valley areas. For the past two years, she has been presenting the South East edition of the programme for viewers in Kent and East Sussex.

Meridian’s head of news Robin Britton said: “Fred is a legend. He’s a hugely experienced presenter with real editorial strength and great audience appeal.

“We think they are going to make a fantastic team.”