Paper Trail
Aug 7th 2007, 07:29 PM
Daily Mail (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=473823&in_page_id=1770&ito=newsnow)
A regional TV anchorman battled through his evening news bulletin - despite a bout of food poisoning caused by his mother's cheese pie.
Presenter Kenny Toal managed to keep his composure in front of the camera throughout last night's Tyne Tees programme.
But off screen, the off-colour Scot was sick in a waste paper bin beneath his desk.
The 34-year-old was presenting the south edition of North East Tonight with co-host Pam Royle.
Moments before they went live at six o'clock, Toal picked up a waste paper bin and vomited, before vowing to carry on with the show.
He managed to read the introduction into the lead story but then continued to be sick during a film report. Co-presenter Pam Royle took over the news-reading and battled on herself, despite sitting next to her retching co-anchor.
Acting head of news, Andrew Friend, who was in the gallery producing the show, said: "Kenny seemed to pull round as we went on air and he gave us the thumbs-up. But as we continued, it became clear that he was struggling.
"Kenny was reading a script and I saw him put his hand up to his mouth - I knew then things were getting serious."
As sports presenter Chris Ford started to read his script, Toal finally had to call it a day and was taken out of the studio, leaving Pam to host the rest of the show on her own until Bob Johnson arrived for the weather forecast.
Toal said: "Five minutes before the show I felt really sick. Two minutes before the show I asked for a bucket.
"I managed to hold on while on-screen but I was very sick during news reports. I was starting to put Chris off his stride so had to call it a day."
He is putting the bout of food poisoning down to a cheese pie that his mother had cooked for him.
But he was quick to point out that it was more to do with his de-frosting skills than his mother's culinary expertise.
"I ate the pudding for my lunch. It had been in the freezer at home and I left it on my desk to defrost," he said.
"My mother says I should have left it in the fridge to defrost. Cheese puddings are something she has made for me since I was a kid."
Toal added: "This has never happened to me before and Pam Royle said it has never happened to her in 24 years of broadcasting.
"Everybody has been quite nice about it but I have had a bit of Mickey taking."
A regional TV anchorman battled through his evening news bulletin - despite a bout of food poisoning caused by his mother's cheese pie.
Presenter Kenny Toal managed to keep his composure in front of the camera throughout last night's Tyne Tees programme.
But off screen, the off-colour Scot was sick in a waste paper bin beneath his desk.
The 34-year-old was presenting the south edition of North East Tonight with co-host Pam Royle.
Moments before they went live at six o'clock, Toal picked up a waste paper bin and vomited, before vowing to carry on with the show.
He managed to read the introduction into the lead story but then continued to be sick during a film report. Co-presenter Pam Royle took over the news-reading and battled on herself, despite sitting next to her retching co-anchor.
Acting head of news, Andrew Friend, who was in the gallery producing the show, said: "Kenny seemed to pull round as we went on air and he gave us the thumbs-up. But as we continued, it became clear that he was struggling.
"Kenny was reading a script and I saw him put his hand up to his mouth - I knew then things were getting serious."
As sports presenter Chris Ford started to read his script, Toal finally had to call it a day and was taken out of the studio, leaving Pam to host the rest of the show on her own until Bob Johnson arrived for the weather forecast.
Toal said: "Five minutes before the show I felt really sick. Two minutes before the show I asked for a bucket.
"I managed to hold on while on-screen but I was very sick during news reports. I was starting to put Chris off his stride so had to call it a day."
He is putting the bout of food poisoning down to a cheese pie that his mother had cooked for him.
But he was quick to point out that it was more to do with his de-frosting skills than his mother's culinary expertise.
"I ate the pudding for my lunch. It had been in the freezer at home and I left it on my desk to defrost," he said.
"My mother says I should have left it in the fridge to defrost. Cheese puddings are something she has made for me since I was a kid."
Toal added: "This has never happened to me before and Pam Royle said it has never happened to her in 24 years of broadcasting.
"Everybody has been quite nice about it but I have had a bit of Mickey taking."