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£1m-a-year Natasha Kaplinksy pulls in one million viewers for Channel Five news debut
Last updated at 08:27am on 21.02.08Natasha Kaplinsky's new look and £1million-a-year salary to read the Channel Five News have obviously paid off - her debut attracted 1million viewers last night.
Natasha's heavily promoted first Five News show gained an average audience share of 8 per cent between 5pm and 5.30pm, nearly doubling the broadcaster's regular teatime news audience.
And thankfully, there was no sign of the denim she was rumoured to be reporting in.
Instead, a sleek, sophisticated Natasha emerged, allaying fears that the news anchor would be "sexed up", wearing a light lip gloss and slightly smoky eye make-up.
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Debut: Natasha Kaplinsky during her first bulletin as a Channel Five news anchor
Her style of dress wasn't the only thing different for Natasha, who was previously an anchor for the BBC.
In her debut, she brought the nation a story entitled "Life as a Gypsy" about living in a caravan contributed by Brighton viewer Crystal Smith and a report detailing a new television channel called Bedroom TV.
Essentially YouTube for television, the report included one of Channel 5's reporters dressed up as Sinead O'Connor and an interview with a man dressed in women's clothes.
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New look: Television news anchor Natasha Kaplinsky has unveiled a new look
The bulletin also covered all of the day's national news including developments with Northern Rock and the Diana inquest.
The £1million-a-year anchor, 35, has dropped the power-dressing associated with her starched BBC role, and opted for clean, classic separates in a bid to put Five's news programme on the map.
And her previous blonde locks are a shade darker with subtle highlights. However, she still appears to be afflicted with the big, helmet hair of her BBC days.
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Dressed-down: Natasha Kaplinsky was expected to be reading the news for Channel Five in jeans and a plain T-shirt
Good old days: Natasha with former BBC Breakfast host Dermot Murnaghan during their stint on the BBC sofa
"There's a completely different atmosphere here at Five," she said.
"I completely adored working at the BBC and I hope one day I'll go back there but, for the time being, this is a really young, exciting, vibrant, enthusiastic place to be."
