HE’S BEEN the face of television in the south for more than 50 years, and tonight he announced that he is self-isolating due to the coronavirus.
Fred Dinenage, who has hosted news on Southern Television, TVS and Meridian, was told that he would be missed terribly as he announced that he was temporarily vacating his newscasting role.
He made the announcement on the show broadcast on Tuesday, March 17.
He told viewers: “Given the latest guidelines and my advancing years I’ve decided to self-isolate with my somewhat younger wife for however long it takes, because we’re all in this together. And if we’re going to stop the spread (of coronavirus) we all have to start social distancing as best we can and keeping ourselves well.”
His co-host Stacey Poole said: “Obviously we’re extremely sad about that.”
But Fred promised to use Skype “if I can work it” to give viewers updates on his self-enforced quarantine.
And he added that he had no symptoms of the coronavirus, this was a precautionary measure.
“Touch wood, I’m as fit as a flea, I’m really fine, but this virus isn’t going to be stopped unless we all take action,” he said. “I’m doing what I hope is the right thing and I’m all going to miss you terribly.”
Stacey replied: “We’re all going to miss you terribly”.
Fred has been a fixture on our TV screens since Southern Television held the ITV licence for the south.
In that time he has also presented a wealth of entertainment progammes including game shows such as Gambit and Tell The Truth, compered World of Sport, guested on Saturday morning children’s show Tiswas, and been the staple of children’s explainer show How! and its 1990s successor How 2.
He also ghost wrote the autobiographies of the Kray twins.
