ITV News West Country is a British television news service broadcast and produced by ITV West Country. Overview ITV News West Country is broadcast from studios in Brislington, Bristol, with district reporters and camera crews based in newsrooms at Plymouth, Exeter, Truro, Taunton, Swindon and Gloucester. History The nightly regional news programme was launched on 16 February 2009 as The West Country Tonight, following the merger of two regional news services – The West Tonight (ITV West) and Westcountry Live (ITV Westcountry). From 24 November 2016, ITV News West Country began broadcasting in HD to the ITV West and ITV Westcountry regions on Sky and Freesat only. At present, Freeview and Virgin Media carry the ITV News Central region on ITV HD in the West and Westcountry, requiring these viewers to use the standard definition ITV channel for their regional ITV News West Country service. On air staff When the programme launched, it was presented by ITV West presenters Lisa Aziz and Steve Scott (formerly of The West Tonight). ITV West weather presenters Alex Beresford and Bob Crampton were both retained. Beresford left the programme in a full time capacity to present the weather for Good Morning Britain in 2017; Crampton remained in his role until his retirement in 2018. However, Aziz was suspended in June 2009 from her position and left ITV in February 2010, with former Westcountry Live freelancer Vanessa Cuddeford taking over. Scott left his position to become sports editor for ITV News in May 2010, and was replaced by former Meridian Tonight presenter Ian Axton. Bristol-based district correspondent Cordelia Lynch became a stand-in main presenter for Cuddeford from May 2012 when she went on maternity leave. Both Cuddeford and Lynch announced their departures from ITV West Country a year later. Kylie Pentelow of BBC East Midlands Today replaced Cuddeford from July 2013. On 3 March 2017, it was announced that former Sky News presenter Mark Longhurst would be taking over from Ian Axton, following his promotion to Head of News for ITV West Country in January 2017. Longhurst left the programme seven months later. On 22 January 2018, it was announced that interim presenter Jonty Messer had become Longhurst's replacement. Kylie Pentelow moved to Wales at Six on 4 February 2019, for a one-year secondment. Eli-Louise Wringe is maternity leave cover for Pentelow from April 2022. Messer left ITV on 27 July. Sabet Choudhury succeeds Messer