Wincey Willis (born Florence Winsome Leighton; 8 August 1948)[1][2] is a British television and radio broadcaster who was most active in the 1980s. She is perhaps best known for being part of the line up at TV-am, the UK's first national operator of a commercial breakfast television franchise.
Wincey Willis | |
|---|---|
| Born | Florence Winsome Leighton 8 August 1948 Gateshead, County Durham, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Television | Good Morning Britain, Treasure Hunt |
| Spouse | Malcolm (?-?) |
Early life and education
Willis was born in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. She grew up in Hartlepool and Barnard Castle.[1][3][4] She was adopted by older parents, for whom she was an only child.[5] In 2011, Willis said that she had never attempted to find her birth parents. Her poem on this subject, "Adoption", was recorded for a CD to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the BBC's Poetry Please radio series. She described herself as having "quite a strict upbringing", with no alcohol in the house and regular Christian worship.[6] As a child, she wanted to be a vet.[7] Willis left school at 16 and took a year out, before going to France and doing the equivalent of A-levels there. She then got a place at Strasbourg University.[8]
Career
Willis began her career as a travel rep, where she worked in North Africa, before moving to the record library and promotions department at Radio Tees in Stockton on Tees.[5][8][9] She joined Tyne Tees Television in September 1981.[5] Willis began presenting the weather for the network, despite admitting that it was not a subject she specialised in.[8] The following year, she hosted her own Granada Television series, Wincey's Pets.[10]
As part of the relaunch of TV-am by its new editor, Greg Dyke, Willis was "poached" from Tyne Tees. She replaced Commander David Philpott as the station's main weekday weather presenter on Good Morning Britain in May 1983.[11] In doing so, she became ITV's first national female weather presenter.[12] In addition to this, Willis hosted other segments on TV-am, such as those featuring pets and animals.[11]
In 1985, she joined the game show Treasure Hunt as an adjudicator, working with Anneka Rice and Kenneth Kendall.[1] Willis's first book, It's Raining Cats and Dogs, written about her animals, was published in 1986, with an introduction by naturalist Gerald Durrell.[13][14] The same year saw the launch of The Weather Game, a board game made by Waddingtons and devised by Willis.[15][16]
In 1987, she left TV-am to focus on other television work and conservation projects.[1][11] She appeared in the title role in the Dick Whittington pantomime at City Hall in St Albans, alongside the Chuckle Brothers, in 1988.[17] In 1989, she co-starred with Simon Groom in Dick Whittington at the Epsom Playhouse.[18] Her second book, Greendays, was published in 1990. This was a diary with facts about environmental issues, featuring suggestions of relevant activities and projects.[19] Her regular appearances on national television came to an end that year.[20]
Willis took several years out to be a conservation volunteer around the world, at one point living in a tent on a Greek beach for six months whilst she guarded the local turtle population. She returned to television as a wildlife presenter in 1993 when she was given a slot on Tyne Tees Weekend.[7][21] In 1999, it was reported that Willis was working for a worm composting company, and had said that her television work "had just dried up".[22]
Willis was the presenter and narrator of Left-handed children: a guide for teachers and parents, a 2010 educational video guide; she herself is left-handed.[23][24] That year, it was announced that she would be presenting The Big Day Out, a Saturday morning radio programme on BBC Hereford & Worcester.[12] Willis hosted the show from August 2010 until September 2012.[25] She appeared as a contestant on the BBC television quiz show Celebrity Eggheads in December 2011.[26]
Personal life
Willis previously lived in the former Winston railway station in County Durham, which was on the closed Barnard Castle line.[27] Known for her love of animals, she had over 50 of them living in her home.[5] While at TV-am, Willis also lived in a flat in Camden, north west London, returning to Barnard Castle every other weekend.[28] She later moved to Hereford.[27] She is an advanced scuba diver.[12]
During her period of television fame, Willis was married to Malcolm, who worked in sales.[8]
Bibliography
- It's Raining Cats and Dogs, Elm Tree (ISBN 9780241118481, 1986)
- Greendays, Red Fox (ISBN 9780099790006, 1990)
- Words, Coleman, Bristow (ISBN 9780953376506, 1998)