Debbie Thrower

Debbie Thrower (born 17 November 1957) is a British journalist and broadcaster who presented ITV Meridian's flagship news programme Meridian Tonight (southern edition) from its inception in 1993 to 2009. She was educated at Edgehill College, formerly a girls' independent school in Bideford, Devon, and the University of London where she obtained a degree in French.[1]

Thrower trained as a newspaper journalist at the Wimbledon Guardian. She began her broadcasting career[2]  at BBC Radio Leicester, before moving to BBC Radio Solent in the early 1980s, and then transferring to television as the co-presenter of BBC South Today. In 1987 for a while, she replaced Jan Leeming reading national BBC news bulletins, primarily at weekends. She also became a regular presenter on Songs of Praise.

Transferring to ITV, Thrower and colleague Fred Dinenage were presenters of Meridian Tonight (South) when it first aired in 1993. In addition, she was the first person seen after the changeover of TV contractor from TVS to Meridian, shortly after the stroke of midnight on New Year's Day 1993, covering the celebrations at Winchester Cathedral, which was celebrating its 900th anniversary. She was latterly the final presenter for Channel 4's popular antiques programme Collectors' Lot, which aired on weekday afternoons, gaining two million viewers a day.

She also had a BBC Radio 2 afternoon show between 1995 and 1998 replacing long-time presenter Gloria Hunniford and before that between 1987 and 1990 she was on BBC Radio 1.

On 13 January 2009, Thrower confirmed in an interview with The News in Portsmouth that she was leaving ITV Meridian to concentrate on freelance work and her voluntary lay ministry as a Church of England reader.[3]  Her final show as presenter of Meridian Tonight was on 6 February 2009.

In November 2009 she was appointed Simeon Chaplain to Older People in Alton, Hampshire.

In 2011, Thrower was involved in the 50th Anniversary celebrations of BBC South.