UTV news team to do own make-up after workers are cut

The News Letter learned on Monday that the station is planning to axe workers who prepare both presenters and guests with cosmetics before they go on air.

In October last year, it was revealed that UTV’s television business was being sold to English media giant ITV for roughly £100m.

The sale was approved in February.

In a statement confirming the cuts to the make-up team, UTV told the News Letter: “In line with the rest of the ITV News regions, UTV’s onscreen team will manage their own make-up requirements from July onwards.”

It is understod that two regular make-up artists are employed to work on the 6pm and 10.30pm UTV Live news slots throughout the week.

Their services will be dispensed with for the news shows.

However, it is also understood that whilst make-up classes will be made available to staff, the bulk of presenters already apply their own make-up anyway.

UTV has been broadcasting in the Province since 1959.

The buy-out by ITV came after UTV had launched a new channel in the Republic in January 2015 (called UTV Ireland), which went on to lose £7.5m in six months.

At the time the ITV takeover was first announced, former UTV broadcaster Mike Nesbitt said that he “cannot see anything good coming from the sale, certainly in the medium to long term.”