[Scarlett.]

ITV today confirmed that News at Ten will return to ITV1 next year with Sir Trevor McDonald.

The broadcaster is understood to have delayed official confirmation of the move - revealed by MediaGuardian.co.uk last week - to finalise presenter contracts.

Mark Austin, the current presenter of ITV1's 10.30pm bulletin, has signed a new three-year contract with ITV's news provider ITN and will remain part of the News at Ten on-screen team.

Austin is said to have been unsettled by last week's revelation that Sir Trevor was coming back to front News at Ten, but has now agreed a new deal with ITN and ITV.

He will also anchor ITV news' on-location specials and co-present the ITV Evening News with Mary Nightingale.

Julie Etchingham joins ITV from Sky News to complete the lineup for News at Ten.

"News at Ten is part of the architecture of television," said the ITV director of news and sport, Mark Sharman.

"We welcome its return to ITV's schedules and we are confident that the team of Trevor McDonald, Julie Etchingham and Mark Austin, together with our excellent correspondents and production values, will return News at Ten to its place in the nation's affections."

The ITV news editor-in-chief, David Mannion, added: "The return of News at Ten represents a huge vote of confidence in ITV news by ITV. We relish the challenge to return the programme to its former position as Britain's favourite news show."

News at Ten was first axed by ITV in 1999 after the then regulator, the Independent Television Commission, was persuaded that the network could clear the prime time schedules for blockbuster movies, drama and big football matches.

However, the bulletin was dubbed "News at When?" by the network's rivals after ITV kept missing the new 11pm start time.

The ITC later forced ITV to restore the bulletin to 10pm, but in a compromise the network was only required to keep to that slot three nights a week.

After further negotations, ITV moved its evening news to 10.30pm, where it has remained since early 2004.

The confusion allowed the BBC to move its main news bulletin to 10pm, giving BBC1 greater sway in the 9pm prime time hour.

ITV's executive chairman, Michael Grade, said in March that moving News at Ten had been "a shocking mistake ... it damaged ITV more than anything".

[Jackie]

Yeah i've just seen that on the news tonight,i like watching the news.

[Scarlett.]

So do I, and its gonna have Trevor McDonald, Im glad its back

[Jackie]

I thought he retired

[Scarlett.]

Nope he is coming back to present it with Mark Austin (the gray haired bloke)