SARAH'S SNUBBED

GORGEOUS TV newsreader Sarah Heaney is furious with her bosses after being snubbed for a swanky awards bash.

Her Scotland Today programme is up for a gong at next week's TV Oscars ceremony in London. And STV bosses are flying 20 staff to the posh shindig - but are leaving rising star Heaney, 32, at home.

She is livid at the snub, which she believes is a bid to stop her networking with London TV bosses. Sarah has been lined up to present a new Crimewatch-style show to be screened across the UK - her first big break outside Scotland.

But some Scots TV insiders are jealous at her progress.

A senior STV source said last night: "The company has taken a table of 20 and all the top editorial people will be there. The other seats have been spread out among other members of staff.

"The show has been shortlisted for Britain's best regional news broadcast for the second time in four years at Tuesday's Royal Television Awards night and everyone is cock-a-hoop about it.

"All the movers and shakers are going. There are one or two going who don't even work for Scottish, including Grampian's managing director.

"It is a severe snub. In terms of putting your face around with all the London TV big cheeses there's nothing better than the RTS dinner and awards.

"Sarah was really looking forward to going and making a good impression and was gutted when told she wasn't going."

Scotland Today hopes for a remarkable double at the awards. It won the 2000 gong for its coverage of the Foot and Mouth outbreak, and is this year being nomination for its work on the Jodie Jones murder case.

The source said: "We were nominated four years ago and we won it. The chances of winning it again are quite slim, but to be nominated twice in three years is an unheard of achievement.

"Management are using the excuse that Sarah wasn't presenting on the particular programmes put forward, but make no mistake, it's a snub.

"They want her to stay here because they think people watch the programme because of her - but if she becomes a household name in England then she won't be hanging about up here."

Sarah was recently off work after becoming ill on returning from holiday in Mauritius with her jewellery designer boyfriend Edward Adams. She has also been fronting STV's film review show Movie Juice and did a stint as a guest presenter on GMTV.

Yesterday STV insisted that someone had to stay behind in Scotland to present the show.

A spokesman said: "Sarah, an integral part of the Scotland Today team, is delighted for everyone at this nomination.

"She'll be in the studio making sure the viewers get the high- quality service they expect from Scotland's top news team."

Sarah was unavailable for comment yesterday.

stuart.houston@sundaymirror.co.uk

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