She attended Holt County Girls' Grammar School (since September 1974 the comprehensive The Holt School) in Wokingham, where in 1970 she gained A-levels in Economics, English Literature, and History.

She was the editor of the Newcastle University student newspaper from October to November 1972, where in 1973 she gained a degree in economics and politics. She was president of the Newcastle University Students' Union from 1973 to 1974.

She started as a writer for the Newcastle Journal.

BBC edit

She was with the BBC for four years from 1978 to 1983, with Look North at Newcastle. She joined Granada in 1983.^[2]

Granada edit

At Granada she was responsible for Stars in their Eyes and You've Been Framed.^[3][4]

In January 1992 she became head of news and regional programmes for ITV in the south and south-east.^[5] But in late 1992, she returned to Granada, becoming head of a new factual department, replacing Stuart Prebble.^[6] Stuart Prebble had also been student union president of Newcastle University, and Dianne had replaced him, when he had moved on from Look North; Prebble had been the student newspaper editor in October 1971.^[7] in this new department she worked with Charles Tremayne.^[8]

In autumn 1996 she launched Granada Sky Broadcasting (since 2004 it was called ITV Digital Channels).^[9]

ITV edit

In late 1997 she became ITV's head of daytime broadcasting, introducing many new programmes on 23 March 1998.^[10]

In March 2000 became head of documentaries at ITV, being replaced by Maureen Duffy, from the BBC, as head of ITV Daytime from July 2000.^[11]

She married another ITV producer in 1986.^[12]

• Newcastle University