Wendy Austin, Noel Thompson, Seamus McKee and Karen Patterson to stand down from daily presentation on BBC Radio Ulster

I have immense respect and gratitude for each of them and their contributions to the BBC. While they leave daily presenting duties, we hope they won’t be strangers. Until then, we’ll miss their voices, their talent and, not least, their sense of humour and fun.

Seamus McKee, Noel Thompson, Karen Patterson and Wendy Austin have taken the opportunity to stand down as part of a recent review into BBC News NI schedules and programmes, in which all news presenters were invited to express an interest in leaving their daily presentation duties.

Noel and Karen currently present BBC Radio Ulster’s breakfast news programme Good Morning Ulster, Seamus presents drive-time news programme Evening Extra and Wendy hosts the business affairs programme Inside Business. The acclaimed, award-winning presenters - who have been part of the fabric of BBC Radio Ulster for decades - will leave their current roles early in the new year.

Adam Smyth, Head of BBC News NI, says: “I’m immensely proud to have worked with each of these extremely talented broadcasters. They are not only consummate professionals who live and breathe news, but they brought versatility, personality and warmth to their broadcasting roles, making them a trusted friend and guide to listeners. They will be missed by colleagues and audiences alike as they move on to new chapters. I’m sure this won’t be the last we hear from them and I certainly hope to work with them again in some capacity.”

Noel says: “I have been so fortunate to have had a fascinating and rewarding four decades as a journalist with the world's finest news organisation. But now I feel the time has come to allow a new generation of broadcasters to experience some of the opportunities I have had. I hope it's not the end of my relationship with the BBC and that I shall still be welcomed into Broadcasting House from time to time in one guise or another.”

Karen says: “For 20 years, it has been my privilege and pleasure to bring breaking news stories to viewers and listeners of BBC NI. After 10 years hosting the flagship Good Morning Ulster programme and winning the 2019 IMRO News Broadcaster of the Year Award, I have decided to step back from the programme and embrace new opportunities. I wish to thank everyone who has shared my on-air journey so far. I have covered the election of two Presidents, the mixed fortunes of five Prime Ministers, the restoration of devolution, the fall of Stormont and, it goes without saying, Brexit in all its forms. There have, of course, been many lighter moments, but my 4am alarm call was not one of them!”

Seamus says: “After 10 years on Evening Extra, which have been among the most fulfilling of my entire time with the BBC, I have decided it’s time to step back from daily presenting. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved with Evening Extra and I wish the programme well as I start a new phase in my life, in which I hope journalism and broadcasting will play some part.”

Wendy says: “At the start of my radio career a wise colleague told me ‘when someone turns the radio on, they're inviting you into their home. They want to hear the story you have to tell, or they want to have company, not to be talked down to or shouted at.’ That's what I've tried to do - it’s been a privilege, and (most of the time!) a pleasure. Thanks to all the listeners and my excellent colleagues - and perhaps I'll be back the odd time.”

Peter Johnston, Director, BBC Northern Ireland, says: “Wendy, Noel, Seamus and Karen have been part of BBC Northern Ireland and, in particular, BBC Radio Ulster for as long as I can remember, so this really feels like the end of an era. But what a remarkable era it has been. Over their respective careers they have guided listeners through countless big events and stories and some of Northern Ireland’s darkest days. I have immense respect and gratitude for each of them and their contributions to the BBC. While they leave daily presenting duties, we hope they won’t be strangers. Until then, we’ll miss their voices, their talent and, not least, their sense of humour and fun.”

Wendy joined the BBC in 1976. In 1981 she became presenter of BBC Radio Ulster’s morning news programme Breakfast Special before becoming the face of BBC Breakfast Time in Northern Ireland. She then presented the BBC Radio Ulster programmes Wendy After Lunch, Morning Extra and The Good Arts Guide and BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour from both Belfast and London. Wendy also presented the PM programme on BBC Radio 4 for a number of years and in 1993 became presenter of Good Morning Ulster on BBC Radio Ulster which she continued with for 15 years before becoming the third ever presenter of the long-running Talkback programme in 2008. She has presented BBC Radio Ulster’s flagship business affairs programme Inside Business for the past five years. On television, Wendy has hosted the television news programmes Scene Around Six and Inside Ulster, BBC NI television series including Open House and In Your Corner and documentaries such as Hillsborough Revisited and Goliath Go To Sea. She also presented BBC Children In Need for 14 years.

Noel began his BBC career 40 years ago in 1979. Since 2012 he has presented BBC Radio Ulster’s Good Morning Ulster and BBC Northern Ireland’s Spotlight Special programmes. Prior to this Noel was anchor of BBC NI’s television news programme BBC Newsline and for 16 years presented the award-winning political debate programme Hearts And Minds. He has also been compere of BBC Northern Ireland’s annual Proms In The Park event since it began in 2002. Noel started his broadcasting career on the BBC Nationwide programme which was based in Belfast, Manchester and London and has worked across a wide range of programmes on BBC Northern Ireland television as a presenter, reporter and producer. On BBC network television he has been a regular face on BBC Breakfast and the HardTalk programme.

Seamus started his BBC career in 1971 as a freelance broadcast journalist reporting across sport, arts and current affairs while he continued to teach part time. In 1981 he joined the BBC full time as presenter on Good Morning Ulster. Seamus presented Good Morning Ulster for almost 30 years before becoming presenter of Evening Extra in 2009, which he has presented for the past 10 years. Acclaimed documentaries Seamus has presented for BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Radio 4 have explored the topics such as disappearance of Lord Lucan and the life and times of Gerry Fitt. He has also presented the Radio 2 Arts Programme for BBC Radio 2. Seamus has been a recurring face on BBC Northern Ireland television having presented programmes such as Spotlight, Hearts And Minds and Songs Of Praise.

Karen Patterson joined the BBC nearly 20 years ago and has presented BBC Radio Ulster’s breakfast news programme Good Morning Ulster for over a decade. Prior to this Karen presented BBC Northern Ireland’s television news programme BBC Newsline, fronting its breakfast, lunchtime, evening and late night bulletins for more than nine years. During this period, Karen also hosted the Sunday news programme Seven Days on BBC Radio Ulster for several years and also presented BBC Radio Ulster’s drivetime news programme Evening Extra between 2006 and 2009. Away from news presentation, Karen was known to audiences as a presenter of the annual Balmoral Show programming on BBC Northern Ireland television and was a regular presenter of the motorcycle racing programme Bikes! for BBC Sport NI. She also presented BBC NI television series such as Wild On Water and Fair Play.

BBC Northern Ireland will mark each of the long-standing presenter’s contribution to broadcasting later in the year. Decisions around presentation on BBC Radio Ulster’s breakfast, drive-time and business news programmes will be announced at a later date.

KM2

Please see below for more detailed biographies on each broadcaster:

 

Wendy Austin

Journalist and broadcaster Wendy Austin is one of the most recognisable voices on BBC Radio Ulster - no wonder after having joined more than 40 years ago.

A former newspaper reporter and columnist on the East Antrim Times, Belfast Telegraph and Ireland’s Saturday Night, Wendy joined the BBC in 1976 after a brief stint at Downtown Radio.

Her career has seen her cover some of the biggest stories in Northern Ireland throughout the Troubles, events such as the Le Mon restaurant bombing that killed a dozen people in 1978; the hunger strikes in 1981 and the Omagh Bomb in 1998.

In 1981 she became a presenter of the new Breakfast Special (which soon reverted to its Good Morning Ulster title) but when breakfast television began she moved on screen to become the face of BBC Breakfast Time in Northern Ireland. There followed Wendy After Lunch on BBC Radio Ulster, then Morning Extra, and The Good Arts Guide.

At the same time Wendy was presenting Woman’s Hour for BBC Radio 4 both from Northern Ireland and London. This took her to Cambodia, where she recorded the documentaries The Killing Fields.

A lengthy stint on BBC Radio 4’s PM programme followed, including broadcasts on John McCarthy’s release in Beirut, Margaret Thatcher’s downfall, and Nelson Mandela’s release from prison. Some years later she covered Princess Diana’s funeral for BBC Radio 4, and subsequently Prince William’s wedding to Catherine Middleton, as well as being a regular on Pick Of The Week.

In 1993 Wendy returned to again become part of the broadcasting fabric of Northern Ireland as presenter of BBC Radio Ulster’s breakfast news programme Good Morning Ulster until 2008.

She then became the third ever presenter of BBC Radio Ulster’s long-running Talkback programme from 2008-2014.

Wendy has presented BBC Radio Ulster’s flagship business programme Inside Business, which can be heard on Saturdays at 12.30pm, for the past five years charting the highs and lows of businesses in Northern Ireland - and speaking to around a thousand people in the process.

Away from radio, Wendy has also been a regular face on BBC television. As well as hosting the television news programme Scene Around Six and then Inside Ulster, she has fronted series such as Open House and In Your Corner, documentaries including Hillsborough Revisited; Goliath Go To Sea, about the last ship built in Harland and Wolff - and for 14 years, BBC Children in Need.

A well-respected individual in her field, in 2005 Wendy was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters (Dlitt) by Ulster University for her contribution to broadcasting. Wendy was also been named the Northern Ireland Radio Broadcaster of the Year at the CIPR Awards in 2006 and received an MBE in the 2012 Queen's birthday Honours List.

Dr Wendy Austin MBE lives with her husband Frank Hewitt and their flat coated retriever. She has a son and two daughters, three grandsons, two stepdaughters and five step grandchildren.

Karen Patterson

Karen Patterson joined the BBC nearly 20 years ago and has been co-presenter of BBC Radio Ulster’s flagship breakfast news programme Good Morning Ulster for more than 10 years.

As presenter of BBC Radio Ulster’s breakfast news programmes, she has broken the news of major events to listeners across Northern Ireland, including the Brexit referendum result, Donald Trump’s election, the Grenfell Tower tragedy and the death of Martin McGuinness.

This year she was awarded News Broadcaster of the year at the IMRO (Irish Music Rights Organisation) Radio Awards for her reporting on the fire at Belfast’s Primark store.

Karen presented BBC News NI’s television news programme BBC Newsline for nine years, fronting its breakfast, lunchtime, evening and late night bulletins. During this period, Karen also hosted the Sunday news programme Seven Days on BBC Radio Ulster for several years and also presented BBC Radio Ulster’s drive-time news programme Evening Extra from 2006-2009.

Karen has also presented a range of television output outside of news. She was synonymous with television coverage of the Balmoral Show for many years and was a regular presenter of Bikes! for BBC Sport NI. Among her other television presenting roles were Wild On Water, which celebrated natural life in and around Strangford Lough and the consumer affairs programme Fair Play.

Before joining the BBC, Karen worked for the County Down Spectator in 1990 and as a reporter with Downtown Radio and Cool FM from 1996 to 2000. In 1996 she was named the IPR Provincial Journalist of the Year.

Born in Bangor, Karen attended Kilmaine Primary School and Princess Gardens Grammar School (now Hunterhouse College), and studied, for her NCTJ Journalism qualification at Belfast’s College of Business.

Karen is married to Martin and they have one son, Max.

Noel Thompson

Noel Thompson is one of BBC Northern Ireland’s best known broadcasters having joined the BBC 40 years ago in 1979.

Since 2012 he has presented BBC Radio Ulster’s flagship breakfast news programme Good Morning Ulster and chaired debates on BBC Northern Ireland television’s Spotlight Special.

Before moving to Good Morning Ulster, Noel anchored BBC Northern Ireland’s television news programme BBC Newsline and for 16 years he presented the award-winning political discussion programme Hearts And Minds.

He has also been the compere of Northern Ireland’s annual Proms in the Park concert since it began in 2002.

Noel is a two-time winner of the Royal Television Society’s Regional Presenter of the Year Award. He has won two prestigious IPR Awards, News Broadcaster of The Year and Journalist of The Year. With BBC Newsline he won the Irish Film and Television Award for Best News Programme, while Hearts and Minds received an award from the Flax Trust.

In 2007 Noel received an Award of Distinction from Belfast Metropolitan College for his services to journalism and in 2010 he was awarded an Honorary Master’s Degree from the Open University.

Noel has spent most of his career based in Belfast, where he was born. He attended Campbell College in Belfast and St Catharine’s College, Cambridge where he studied French and German, and Social and Political Sciences.

He began his broadcasting career with the BBC Nationwide programme, based in Belfast, Manchester and London. He has worked across a wide range of programmes in Northern Ireland television and radio, as a reporter, presenter and producer. On BBC network television, he has been a regular face on BBC Breakfast and the HardTalk programme.

Away from the studio Noel is an enthusiastic opera and choral singer. His other passions are the Mourne Mountains and photography, which he has managed to combine in a series of photographic landscape exhibitions around Northern Ireland.

He is married to Sharon and has two sons, Matthew and Patrick.

Seamus McKee

Seamus McKee is a lead presenter and broadcast journalist who has presented BBC Radio Ulster’s Evening Extra since 2009. Earlier this year he was inducted into the IMRO (Irish Music Rights Organisation) Radio Hall of Fame.

Before moving to Evening Extra, Seamus presented BBC Radio Ulster’s Good Morning Ulster programme for almost 30 years.
Seamus has also presented a number of BBC NI programmes including Spotlight, Hearts And Minds and Songs Of Praise.

High profile documentaries Seamus has worked on for BBC NI and BBC Radio 4 include the disappearance of Lord Lucan and the life and times of the late Gerry Fitt. He has also presented the Radio 2 Arts Programme for BBC Radio 2.

Seamus has been the BBC NI commentator at a number of outside broadcasts including President Clinton’s visits and the Omagh Commemoration as well as the 1916 centenary commemorations in Dublin and at the Somme. He also provided commentary for the Centenary Armistice Day Service in St Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast in 2018.

Seamus attended Queen’s University in Belfast and previously taught English and French at Our Lady and Saint Patrick’s College, Knock in Belfast.

Seamus started his BBC career as a freelance broadcast journalist reporting on sports, arts and current affairs, while he continued to teach part time. Seamus started working part time with the BBC in 1971 and in 1981 he became a full time presenter on Good Morning Ulster.

Born in Belfast, Seamus still lives in the city with wife Brenda and has two daughters and two grandchildren.