The Sarah-Jane Mee Show

The Sarah-Jane Mee Show (currently branded as Sky News with Sarah Hewson) is a weekday news programme in the United Kingdom on Sky News, presented by Sarah-Jane Mee. The slot has been part of the Sky News schedule since 2005, most notably with Kay Burley as presenter until October 2019. It combines rolling-news coverage with debates and interviews on the day's issues plus human interest stories. The show airs between 2 pm–5 pm Monday to Friday. On Fridays, the show title is not used on air, however a similar format is used and presented by Sarah Hewson.

The Sarah-Jane Mee Show
Genre	News
Presented by	Sarah-Jane Mee (Monday-Thursday) Sarah Hewson (Friday)
Opening theme	Sky News theme
Country of origin	UK - Broadcast Internationally
Original language	English
Production
Production locations	Studio 21, Sky Central Osterley, London
Camera setup	Multi-camera
Running time	180 minutes (Since 2018)
Release
Original network	Sky News
Picture format	1080i (HDTV)
Original release	24 October 2005 – present
External links
Sky News

Broadcasts

The show began in its current format in October 2019 when Kay Burley and Sarah-Jane Mee swapped time slots. Kay took over a shorter self titled breakfast programme whilst Sarah-Jane moved to afternoons at the earlier 2 pm-5 pm slot, with The News Hour with Mark Austin following from 5 pm til 7 pm.[1]

The show is currently broadcast from the "Glass Box", actually Studio 21, Sky Central, Osterley. It has also been broadcast from the UK party conferences.[2]

The Sarah-Jane Mee Show is currently branded in programme guides as Sky News with Sarah Hewson as Mee is currently on maternity leave from Sky News. During this time the typical Friday format is being used each weekday (i.e. the programme title isn't been used and Sarah Hewson is presenting). Isabel Webster is hosting the slot on Fridays during this time.

History

Until October 2007, the programme ran for two hours, and aired between 12 pm–2 pm, under the name of Lunchtime Live.[3] Thereafter the programme, known as Afternoon Live[4] ran for 4 hours (1 pm–5 pm) until the launch of The Live Desk in September 2008. From October 2016, the programme was moved to run from 3 pm–6:30 pm, as part of a new schedule. On Friday, as a result of no Ian King Live from 6:30 pm–7 pm, the show ran until 7 pm.

On 11 April 2011 the Afternoon Live name was axed as part of a wider refresh at Sky News; the strand was then simply known as Sky News. It was presented by Sarah Hewson on Friday, or Gamal Fahnbulleh when she is unavailable. Afternoon Live is also the name of a news programme on BBC News between 2 pm–5 pm on weekdays since 9 October 2017, usually presented by Simon McCoy.[5]

From September 2018, the afternoon slot on the channel was again rebranded to The Kay Burley Show, broadcast between 2 pm–5 pm, Kay hosted Monday to Thursday, while on Fridays the slot wasn't named The Kay Burley Show as such, but a similar format is used and presented by Sarah Hewson.[6]

In September 2019, Sky News announced changes to their schedule, including Burley moving to present a new breakfast show. As part of the reorganisation, Sunrise presenter Sarah-Jane Mee would move to presenting the afternoon show in Burley's place. The programme was renamed The Sarah-Jane Mee Show on Monday 14 October 2019.[7] Sarah Hewson continues on Friday.

Former names

• The Kay Burley Show September 2018 – October 2019
• Sky News with Kay Burley April 2011 – September 2018
• Afternoon Live October 2007 – April 2011
• Lunchtime Live October 2005 – October 2007

References

1. "Sky's Kay Burley and Mark Austin launch new shows". Sky News. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
2. "CITY WELCOMES LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE". Marketing Liverpool. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
3. "Sky News - Lunchtime Live 2005". YouTube. 31 January 2009. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
4. "Sky News - 2-5pm Titles and Stings (Afternoon Live / 29 Mar, 2010) English news". YouTube. 12 December 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
5. "BBC News Channel - Afternoon Live". BBC.
6. "Sky News announces new daytime Kay Burley Show and other schedule changes in bid to give channel 'more personality'". Press Gazette. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
7. Mayhew, Freddy (23 September 2019). "Sky News announces new morning slate as Kay Burley moves to breakfast show". Press Gazette. Retrieved 12 October 2019.