Relaunched Five News set revealed

Natasha Kaplinsky has been trying out an all-new set - pictured below - as she prepares to front her first news bulletins for Five tonight.

The design was unveiled today ahead of the relaunch, which will see 5pm and 7pm instalments renamed Five News with Natasha Kaplinsky.

The presenter will be at the centre of the new offering that, according to editors, will bring more human interest stories and an "authoritative yet relatively informal" tone.

Kaplinsky will also write a behind-the-scenes-style blog on the Five News website called Natasha’s Newsroom. She has been blogging in the run-up to today's relaunch and the website today features a video tour of the new set.

"I think the new studio pulls off the trick of being totally state-of-the-art, but also warm and inviting," she said. "There’s a great team here and I just can’t wait to get going."

Five News editor David Kermode added: "We’ve dispensed with the virtual, big screen grammar that has become ubiquitous in TV news. The design emphasis is on reality, energy and informality.”

The set design by Chris Webster features 64 LED lighting units with five colour mixing so the appearance can be changed electronically. There is also a freestanding, illuminated Five News logo at the front of the set and a projection screen.

Five News also gets a new logo, theme tune, graphics and titles in the change.

The daytime bulletin has moved to 12.30pm while Kaplinsky's shows are at 5pm and 7pm after a reorganisation last week to make way for Neighbours.





> Click here for editor David Kermode's views on the relaunch