GMTV 1993

Here’s some pre-launch clips

GMTV Launch Day – 1st January 1993

The first edition of GMTV was broadcast on 1st January 1993, presented by Eamonn Holmes and Anne Davies. Its main weekday presenters at launch were Fiona Armstrong and Michael Wilson (Monday – Thursday), broadcast from Studio 5 at The London Studios on the South Bank. Within six weeks the station had lost 2 million viewers. Greg Dyke was appointed chairman and tasked with overhauling the station format shorlty afterwards. Wilson was moved to present a new “news focused” slot from 6 to 7am Fiona Armstrong continued to co-present with Eamonn Holmes until March when she left, and was replaced by Lorraine Kelly.

Examples of studio presentation and graphics from the first day.

Within six weeks of broadcasting, the station had lost 2 million viewers. Mark Lawson of The Independent dubbed the new franchise “Grinning Morons Television”. Greg Dyke was appointed chairman of the GMTV board and tasked with overhauling the station format, which included “more popular journalism”. His role was primarily to bring new and imaginative ideas to the station without taking on full day-to-day running. Within three days, programme Director Lis Howell resigned; Greg Dyke had refused to endorse any of her programming strategy for GMTV. Her replacement was Peter McHugh. On 8 February 1993, following continued poor ratings, Wilson had moved to present a new “news focused” slot from 6 to 7am (which in 1994 became the “Reuters News Hour”). Fiona Armstrong continued to co-present with Eamonn Holmes until 12 March 1993, Armstrong was replaced by Lorraine Kelly, with her former position as presenter of the post nine am slot Top of the Morning taken up by Fern Britton.

Examples of studio presentation and graphics

Promotions