Crimewatch presenters Sue Cook and Nick Ross (Image: BBC)
Crimewatch has marked a staggering 40-year legacy on air, spotlighting thousands of criminal cases and aiding in the pursuit of justice. Throughout its illustrious history, which includes iterations like Crimewatch Roadshow and Crimewatch Live, over 7000 police appearances from UK forces have played pivotal roles on the show.
The programme hasn’t shied away from some of the nations most notorious crimes, featuring the heart-rending cases of Julie Dart’s murder, Stephanie Slaters abduction, the tragic fate of young James Bulger, as well as the harrowing murders of Lin and Megan Russell and little Sarah Payne.
Launching into living rooms back in 1984 with original presenters Nick Ross and Sue Cook at the helm, the show has since rotated through a host of famous faces. Fiona Bruce, Kirsty Young, Matthew Amroliwala, Sian Lloyd, Jeremy Vine, and the much-missed Jill Dando are among those who’ve taken on hosting duties.
Nick Ross, now aged 77, holds the record as Crimewatchs longest-serving presenter, having dedicated 17 years to the show before departing in 2007 to pursue new broadcasting ventures. Fondly remembered for his iconic sign-off “Don’t have nightmares, do sleep well”, Nick worked alongside Sue Cook, Jill Dando, and later Fiona Bruce.
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Crimewatch has been helping solve high-profile murders (Image: BBC)
After steering the show solo following Dandos untimely death, he continued his career with programmes like Secrets of the Crime Museum and The Truth About Crime and was honoured with a CBE in 2021 for his extensive contributions to broadcasting, charity work, and crime prevention efforts, reports .
Nick Ross, reflecting on the 40th anniversary of Crimewatch in a interview, expressed his enduring connection to the programme: “I still have great loyalty to the Crimewatch name even though my long stint on Crimewatch ended 17 years ago. Its original success lay in huge viewing numbers which was relatively easy with only four or five TV channels and made it very likely that potential witnesses would be watching.”
Delving into some of the most poignant memories from the show, he further shared: “As for the cases we featured, so many stand out for me but especially those where we met and spent time with the victims. But of course, none can compare with the tragic irony and horror of the programmes in 1999 when I found myself writing and presenting appeals about my co-presenter, Jill Dando.”
Crimewatch is 40 years old (Image: BBC)
Sue Cook, Nick’s esteemed former colleague, left Crimewatch back in 1995 after contributing a dedicated 11 years, seeking to explore different opportunities within television. Over her prolific career at the broadcaster, she graced audiences with her presence on various programs like You and Yours, Nationwide, Breakfast, We’re Going Places, Daytime Live, Children in Need, and Out of Court.
Her creative endeavours continued as she became an author of two novels and took on the executive producer role for the 2010 film Tracker, featuring the acclaimed Ray Winstone.