The following year, in 1982, he produced the award-winning edition again – this time with "South Today" in Southampton. In 1987 he became head of news at BBC Bristol before becoming home editor BBC News and current affairs, responsible for all television network newsgathering coverage across the UK. There he led the BBC's coverage of the Clapham rail crash, the Kegworth M1 air crash, the Lockerbie bombing, the Hillsborough football tragedy, and the "Marchioness" riverboat disaster. In 1990 he returned to Leeds as head of centre. In 1991 he became controller of regional broadcasting.