The long career of Fred Dinenage

Fred Dinenage’s on-screen career began in 1964 when he was hired on a seven-week contract by Southern Television.

Fred appeared for a short period on Three Go Round before beginning work on How! in 1966. How! went on to become the longest-running children’s programme on ITV.

When TVS took over from Southern in 1982, he managed to survive the major restructuring that ensued. Most of Southern’s programmes were scrapped along with the presenters – but not Fred.

He went on to present a host of programmes including the nightly news show Coast to Coast with Fern Britton from 1984 before going on to co-anchor Meridian Tonight.

It was Fern and Fred that said “thanks for watching” on the last night of TVS when it was taken over by Meridian on January 1, 1993.

(L2R) Diane Keen, Fred Dinenage and Britt Allcroft, all appear in Three Go Round. 1964.

This change bought about more job losses, but Fred survived the cut once again.

He continued to present the station’s news programme with Fern - which became Meridian Tonight - until she went to London News as their entertainment reporter.

Debbie Thrower had been at Meridian from the beginning and when the channel launched, she welcomed viewers from outside Winchester Cathedral.

Fred and Debbie worked together until she left the station in 1994 and Jane Whyatt was promoted to co-anchor.

Fred Dinenage on How! - unknown date.

However, Whyatt’s time on the sofa with Fred was short-lived. The station dropped her in summer 1998.

“I was pretty shocked because I thought I was doing well,” she said. “I felt as if I had been dumped by a boyfriend.”

Her dismissal resulted in a ‘Bring Back Jane Whyatt’ postbag in the Daily Echo office but the 39-year-old was replaced by an ambitious young reporter - 25-year-old Natasha Kaplinsky.

But Natasha’s stay at the station was brief – within a year she left to climb the career ladder as the main presenter for ITV’s new London service LNN.

Fred Dinenage and Debbie Thrower at a talk they gave in aid of Oakhaven Hospice, Forest Arts Centre, New Milton.

Fred was then reunited with Debbie Thrower, who had left Meridian for BBC Radio 2. The pair remained together through the station’s move from its studio at Northam, Southampton, to its current premises in Whiteley.

More redundancies came in 2009 in which Debbie left and Fred remained.

the 51-year-old was replaced by presenter Sangeeta Bhabra and the couple have worked together ever since.

But now Fred, who was appointed MBE for services to broadcasting in 2010, has decided to hang up his news-presenting hat from Christmas this year.

TV Presenter Fred Dinenage during an Investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle where he was made a Member of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II.

The 79-year-old won’t be disappearing from our screens completely though – he intends to carry on presenting How! and other programmes.

Fred, the official biographer of notorious London gangsters the Kray Twins, also plans to busy himself by writing more books.

He told ITV: “After almost 38 years co-presenting the ITV six o'clock show in the south and south-east I've finally decided to hang up my microphone.

"It's been a really tough decision but I now want to spend a few years with my wife, Beverley, and our three dogs smelling the roses in my garden and spending time in the mountains of Austria.

“I will be continuing with my crime programmes and ITV's How! and writing books, including one recently commissioned.

“But now I feel it is the right time to move on. I will miss my dear co-presenter, Sangeeta, and my colleagues at ITV Meridian terribly.

“And, of course, I will miss our wonderful viewers who have given me such incredible love and support for so long.

“I've been so lucky in my life and career – f58 years working non-stop on regional and network programmes with ITV and I've been blessed by having a truly special family.

“So, to everyone - thank you.”