Launched with a sole main presenter Laurie Mayer, the programme was briefly the centre of a minor BBC scandal, after Mayer resigned amid accusations of management bullying.[1]
The show then became double-headed, with Beverley Thompson (formerly the programme's health correspondent) and Giles Dilnot presenting. In 2004, Geoff Clark joined the programme . Clark and Thompson presented the programme together for five years until their departure in September 2009.[2] Long-serving weather presenter Kaddy Lee-Preston, who had been with South East Today since its launch left the programme in March 2012.[3]
The main presenter is Natalie Graham with weather presenters Nina Ridge and Sara Thornton.[4] The programme's editor is Quentin Smith and the sports producer is Ben Moore. Rob Smith left the programme in November 2020.
The main transmitters that carry the regional news are Heathfield, Bluebell Hill and Dover, with associated relays including Hastings, Tunbridge Wells and Whitehawk Hill. As of 7 March 2012 (following digital switchover), the Whitehawk Hill relay transmitter (which serves the Brighton & Hove area) now carries BBC South East output instead of BBC South, and the region extends as far west as Worthing.[5]
In 2020, the weekday lunchtime bulletin of South East Today merged with that of BBC London News to join forces with the latest on COVID-19 as BBC London and South East, hosted by the South East Today team in Tunbridge Wells. All other bulletins remained separate between the two regions. The two separate newsrooms were restored in September 2020. Very occasionally a joint bulletin will still be broadcast, usually due to staff shortages in one newsroom or the other. On 27 December 2021, South East Today merged with BBC London News and South Today to create BBC London, South and South East Today due to staff shortages over the 2021 Christmas holidays.
On 31 March 2023, South East Today merged with South Today to create BBC South and South East Today for one late night only.
