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Wincey Willis, Pioneering ITV Weather Presenter, Dies at 76

Kept private since December, her passing was announced this week to widespread industry tributes for her impact on broadcasting and conservation.

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Overview

  • Willis became ITV’s first female national weather presenter in 1983 when she joined Good Morning Britain and helped rescue TV-am’s early ratings slump.
  • Her vibrant on-screen persona and signature colorful jumpers reshaped breakfast television and inspired future generations of female meteorologists.
  • From 1984 to 1989 she served as adjudicator on Channel 4’s Treasure Hunt before leaving full-time TV in 1987 over a contract dispute.
  • After a 2015 diagnosis of fronto-temporal dementia, she returned to Sunderland and died on December 18, 2024.
  • Screenwriter Russell T Davies and other industry figures have paid tribute to her warmth, humor and lifelong commitment to animal welfare.