BBC North West Tonight, the flagship regional news program for North West England, relies on a skilled team of weather presenters to deliver forecasts tailored for viewers across Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, and surrounding areas.
These experienced presenters have delivered daily updates on the main 6:30 pm bulletin and other slots, combining expertise with engaging delivery, from long-serving favorites to familiar faces rotating through regional bulletins.
Current Presenters
The core weather team splits duties across the week on BBC North West Tonight.
Molly Brewer
- Current shows: Main weather presenter(Monday, Thursday, and Friday )at BBC North West Tonight
- Previous jobs: Trainee roles at Radio Wave 96.5 (street team), Photo Assistant at Blackpool Zoo, Sales Assistant at Sports Direct.
- Education: BA in Journalism from the University of Central Lancashire, NCTJ accredited with Teeline shorthand, Media Law, and Court Reporting.
- Ethnicity: White British
Molly Brewer, originally from the Lancashire region of England, is the main weather news presenter at BBC One North West Tonight, delivering forecasts on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
Furthermore, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Central Lancashire and full National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) accreditation in media law and court reporting.
The BBC officially introduced Molly Brewer as the new face of BBC One North West Tonight, bringing fresh energy to the evening forecast on February 20, 2026.
“Hello there, I’m Molly, your new weather presenter at BBC North West Tonight. I’ll be with you every Monday, Thursday, and Friday, and you’ll have the lovely Keeley on Tuesday and Wednesday. Now, a couple of facts about me: I love my cats and my animals. I am a cat lady verging on, and I am a Blackpool girl.”
“I now live in Manchester, and I absolutely love where I’m from. I’m so proud I’m from the North West, and I’m really pleased to be bringing you the weather, and I’ll try to bring you a little bit of sunshine.”
Before this, she occasionally appeared as a weather presenter at BBC North West Tonight, where she began as a reporter covering community features and breaking news.
In her current role, she often uses meteorological graphics to visually support her forecasts.
Personal life
Despite her being open and tasteful about her personal life, in an Instagram post in October 2024, she revealed dating Michael Baxter, based in Manchester.
“First@mcrhalf completed with my motivational speaker/ boyfriend@spykebaxter.An absolute darling who puts Joe Wicks to shame,” she wrote.
Keeley Donovan
- Current shows: Main weather presenter (Tuesday and Wednesday) at BBC North West Tonight.
- Previous jobs: Weather presenter for BBC Yorkshire, East Yorkshire & Lincolnshire, North East & Cumbria; reporter on Inside Out; BBC since 2005.
- Education: De Montfort University (broadcasting); postgraduate in Journalism (Grimsby Institute of Further& Higher Education); Met Office College, BBC Weather Centre, Open University Meteorology.
- Ethnicity: White British
Keeley Donovan, born and raised in Grimsby, is the main weather presenter on BBC North West Tonight on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
She developed a passion for broadcasting at the age of 14, working at a local cable TV station.
Donovan studied media at Franklin Sixth Form College and De Montfort University and later pursued a postgraduate training in broadcast journalism.
She joined the BBC in 2005 and built a career in weather reporting, presenting, and journalism.
She began presenting weather forecasts across regional TV and radio networks in the north of England after training in meteorology with the BBC Weather Center and UK Met Office.
Further, she has appeared as a reporter on current affairs programmes and presented shows such as Countryfile Diaries and Break-In Britain, beyond weather bulletins.
Personal life
She married fellow BBC presenter Johnny L’Anson on June 25, 2018, and together they have a daughter born in 2020.
Additionally, in an Instagram post in 2023, she revealed her experience losing a pregnancy, raising awareness about miscarriage, and supporting others going through the same challenges.
“The truth is, I’ve been off with horrid morning sickness. Unfortunately, the day before our 12-week scan, I started to show signs of a miscarriage. At the scan, there was no heartbeat. A few days later, I ended up back in the hospital because of heavy blood loss. It’s been a sad and worrying time,” the post read.
“It’s awful to think that so many people go through this, but I have found comfort in knowing that miscarriages aren’t uncommon. Talking to other women/friends who’ve been through a similar experience has really helped,” she added.
Former Presenters
Several notable figures have shaped North West weather coverage over the years.
Dianne Oxberry
- Current shows: None.
- Previous jobs: BBC North West’s first dedicated weather presenter (1995); BBC Radio Manchester breakfast co-host; relief newsreader for North West Tonight; Inside Out North West; earlier Radio 1/2 assistant.
- Education: Met Office College (meteorology, Berkshire).
- Ethnicity: White British.
Dianne Oxberry was a beloved meteorologist and broadcaster on BBC North West Tonight. She was the BBC’s regional programme’s first dedicated weather presenter and served in the role for over two decades.
Dianne Oxyberry began her career in broadcasting at BBC Radio 1, appearing alongside well-known personalities like Steve Wright and Simon Mayo.
In the mid-1990’s, she moved into television and joined BBC North West after studying meteorology at the Met Office College.
Personal life
She was married to Cameraman Ian Hindle, with whom they had two children. However, she died in January 2019, aged 51, following a short illness due to ovarian cancer.
A charity established in her memory, Dianne Oxyberry Trust, continues to raise awareness and funds to support ovarian cancer causes.
Owain Wyn Evans
- Current shows: Permanent Radio 2 early breakfast host.
- Previous jobs: BBC North West Tonight lead (2019); BBC Look North; BBC Wales Today weather (2012); reporter/presenter BBC Wales; Ffeil children’s news.
- Ethnicity: White Welsh.
Owain Wyn Evans became the lead weather presenter for BBC North West Tonight following the passing of long-serving weather presenter Dianne Oxyberry.
He began his career aged 18 when he presented Ffeil, the Welsh-language children’s program, launching a career that would see him work across BBC radio and television.
Additionally, he presented forecasts for many BBC national and regional programmes, including BBC Breakfast, BBC North West Tonight, and BBC Look North.
He has been a permanent presenter for BBC Radio 2 since 2019. He has received awards, including the Regional Presenter accolade at the Royal Television Society North West Awards and the Best TV Presenter award at the O2 Media Awards.
Personal life
Owain is known for his advocacy and support for the LGBTQ+ community and serves as the patron of the LGBTQ Foundation. He came out as gay to friends and family members as gay at the age of 17.
He married his long-term partner, Arran Trees, on March 11, 2017.
Additionally, he has been drumming as a hobby since he was 7. During the Covid-19 lockdown in April 2020, Evans produced a video drumming the BBC News theme shortly after presenting a weather forecast.
Following the video’s viral success, he was featured in news outlets around the world.
Similarly, the local TV and radio project Owain’s Big House Band saw Evand joined by other musicians who played along with the original video from their homes during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown.