ITV National Weather

The ITV National Weather was launched in early 1989 and shortly afterwards became one of the first things to be sponsored on UK Television in what would then go on to become one of the longest sponsorship deals too. Powergen sponsored the forecasts from 1989 through until 2007, surviving past the name change to EON after the company was bought, before they finally dropped their involvement. Since then, a variety of different companies have taken on much shorter sponsorship deals with ITV. Thanks to Ashley B for a lot of content on this page.

ITV Weather - 1989

From 1989, and who wouldn't want to know what the weather on LWT's birthday weekend was like? The national forecast from ITV was still very new at this point having only been introduced in February of that year. There were still no visible signs of Powergen as a sponsor this early in life, and the 'ITV National Weather' text at the start would be updated a few months later to incorporate the new corporate ITV logo. Alex Hill presents the forecast here.


ITV Weather - 1994

Powergen began sponsorship of the ITV National Weather later in 1989, and continued this relationship throughout all of the 90s. A weather sequence from 1994 here, using an onscreen graphic set introduced a few years prior as well as a large Powergen logo with notes from the 1989 'Get Ready' jingle playing. By the mid 90s, this was one of the few places where most regions who had dropped the ITV generic look (such as Scottish Television here who'd kept the idents for mere months) would still hear this.


ITV Weather - 1995

Into 1995, and although the sponsorship and intro stings remain the same, new graphics for the forecast have been introduced which would last through until 2001. The intro this time features the Powergen logo cast against material to represent wind, once again with notes of the 1989 'Get Ready' jingle playing.


ITV Weather - 1996

Another intro sequence from the pre-weathergen ITV National Weather days with hints of the 1989 David Dundas theme, although by now into their last month of use. This time adding lightning in addition to just the rain, what with some stormy conditions being expected in the next few days.


ITV Weather (Cloudy Rain/Nimbella) - 1998

First commissioned in November 1996, one of the most memorable set of sponsorship sequences produced during Powergen's era were the Weathergens. A bunch of elaborately dressed people, each designed to represent a particular weather condition. In this forecast, Nimbella, the Weathergen representing cloudy with rain, leads into a forecast with Martin Davies. The Powergen stings all still featured the initial rendition of the IT\* logo at this point.


ITV Weather (Wind/Norwin) - 1999

Here Norwin, representing wind, leads into a windy weather report for Christmas Eve 1999.


ITV Weather (Sun/Gilda) - 1999

From before the Weathergen stings were cropped to pieces, Gilda, responsible for Sun (with some clouds) leads in to the weather forecast from Martin Davies.


ITV Weather (Rain/Brellina) - 2000

Rain with Brellina leads into in a 2000 bulletin for ITV Weather from John Hammond. The weather was still in 4:3 at this point meaning the Weathergen stings had so far still escaped the worst of the re-edits.


ITV Weather (Rain/Brellina) - 2001

The move to widescreen saw some more brutal re-edits of the Weathergen stings, with changes both to the ITV logo and what Powergen were looking to promote, as well as a reduction in the length of the film itself. Brellina features again in the last set of edits from 2001, representing rain.


ITV Weather (Snow/Shivra) - 2001

Shivra from 2001, representing the snow.


ITV Weather (Sun/Gilda) - 2001

Some sequences contained a mix of weather, sensible with the variable UK climate. In this one is Gilda from 2001, normally bringing with her rays of sunshine, although a mix of showers creeps in at the end.


ITV Weather (Jon Mitchell) - 2001

Yorkshire Weather presenter Jon Mitchell makes an unusual appearance (for the time) on the ITV National Bulletin in June 2001. Weathergen Nimbella is used in and out of the forecast.


ITV Weather (Gilda/Cyan - Sun/Cold) - 2001

A combination of two weathergens for this ITV Weather forecast, with Gilda (for sun) giving way to Cyan (for colder weather), as we get into the Autumn months of the year. The rest of the forecast from 2001 is presented by Martyn Davies.


ITV Weather (Emotion - Clouds) - 2001

When the Weathergens were finally consigned to history in October 2001, this is one of a series of new sponsor ads that were brought in to replace them. Now the weather is depicted as reacting to the emotions of various 'normal' people onscreen. These replacement sequences were to have a much shorter shelf life than their predecessor - probably because, as all broadcasters will tell you, that 'emotion' branding schtick has such a good success rate!


ITV Weather End (Emotion - Clouds) - 2001

Continuing from the opening sequence, the clouds clear and the sun comes out.


ITV Weather (Snow) - Christmas 2001

ITV Weather sees a few festive additions for Christmas 2001 with weather presenters blowing magic stars and snow in the background. The forecast itself, presented here by Sian, remains a little more traditional, although the graphics have been updated and moved to 16:9 production by now. Even the Powergen sponsorship stings feature the snow here.


ITV Weather (Spider) - 2002

2002 and another set of sequences, although it's not always the clearest what some are supposed to represent. A spider features in this one, possibly to represent either frosty or misty weather... or perhaps its just winter in general - really who knows!


ITV Weather (Spider - Long) - 2002

How many different ways can you film a spider? Another spider opening, only this time longer and with some different camera angles used.


ITV Weather (Spider) - 2002

The counterpart closing sequence for the Powergen spider.


ITV Weather (Boat) - 2002

Still from the 2002 set and this time a small child plays with a paper boat by the beach. I presume this sequence is supposed to represent rainy weather.


ITV Weather End (Boat) - 2002

The closing part for the paper boat sequence. I had hoped we'd see the boat sink, but alas no.


ITV Weather (Fog) - 2002

An ITV Weather forecast from 2002, under the 'people' Powergen sponsorship. A third of the forecast this time is also given over to promoting the channel's Formula 1 coverage.


ITV Weather (Wind) - 2002

Another 2002 ITV national weather forecast from the Powergen 'people' era. This time sponsorship stings indicate gale force wind through the use of an office fan.


ITV Weather (Hose) - 2003

A kid spaying water from a hose, possibly to represent either Sun or Showers. Or perhaps hosepipe bans, just for ironic value.


ITV Weather End (Hose) - 2003

The ending bumper for the hose theme.


ITV Weather (Windmill) - 2003

Later on in Summer 2003, a minor re-edit was made to the same sequences. Whilst the film remained unchanged, the endboard had a more prominent logo added. A windmill features this time, presumably representing wind.


ITV Weather End (Windmill) - 2003

The accompanying ending to the windmill version.


ITV Weather (Wind) - 2004

Into 2004 and a complete change of sequences for the weather again. This one represents the wind and we're using windmills again albeit a bit bigger.


ITV Weather End (Wind) - 2004

The ending to the wind sequence.


ITV Weather - 2005

A full ITV forecast from 2005 presented by Martyn Davies, still using the same Powergen stings to top and tail the spot. Flatter, bold colours are in for the channel's weather graphics themselves by now.


ITV Weather (Snow) - 2006

Lasting longer than some of their other efforts from the 2000s, this style was still around by Christmas 2006. Albeit now updated to bring in the parent company E.on's logo too ahead of a later full rebrand. In this version it's a snowy party.


ITV Weather End (Snow) - 2006

The associated ending to the snow sequence.


ITV Weather (Sheilas' Wheels) - 2009

After the Powergen/E.on sponsorship came to an end, it was taken over by insurance company Esure. Out with those dull and old sequences, and in their place some classy, high brow sponsorship ads as they push one of their other brands Sheilas' Wheels...


ITV Weather End (Sheilas' Wheels) - 2009

The ending sequence to one of the Sheilas' Wheels sequences!


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