Goodnight, Mr. Burns

North West Tonight’s anchorman and BBC Veteran Gordon Burns is to step down from the news show as of tonight.

Although I haven’t actually had a TV since I moved out in November, I still think he will be missed. News- by its very nature- is usually an unpleasant, harsh affair, but Mr. Burn’s nice-guy persona always lifted the show far above the level of “watchable”.

A few years ago, I went to an open day at BBC Manchester where Mr. Burns gave a talk about journalism and his career- he’s certainly had a fascinating ride in the world of news from the get-go.

It occurred to me recently that I actually spoke to him on the phone some years ago, when I was at uni. I was actually trying to contact his colleague, Martin Henshaw, also a news presenter, with the intention of interviewing him for a radio project. I vaguely recognised Mr. Burns' name and his voice, but for some reason I didn’t act at that moment and ask to interview Mr. Burns himself. I was an idiot. This left me still searching for an interviewee.

I didn't call him back- probably due to embarrassment. Eventually, however, I found a contributor. Euro MP for Oldham and Saddleworth Chris Davies had recently been on the other side of the news after purposefully getting himself arrested for possession of cannabis. That’s another story altogether.

I won’t be watching Northwest Tonight tonight, for the simple reason that I don’t have a TV at my place. However on behalf of the site I’d like to thank Mr. Burns for bringing local news to us north-westerners, and for making us feel like we’re part of something. I’m sure his radio work- which he’s continuing to do with BBC Radio Manchester and BBC Radio Lancashire- will continue to entertain and inform the public to his typically high standard. All the best, Mr. Burns.