Byrne started her journalism and media career as a local radio reporter for Guildford-based
County Sound Radio. She then joined local television station MyTV Portsmouth as a reporter, but when the station was forced to lay off staff, she was promoted to news editor at the station. When Portsmouth TV ceased broadcasting she moved to Oxford's local TV station,
Six TV. Byrne's
ITV career began in 2004 when she joined
Meridian Tonight as a reporter. She later moved to
Thames Valley Tonight as a reporter. It was while here that she produced a series of special reports on the
Royal Air Force, reporting on pilots and their training at
RAF Odiham before they were posted to
Afghanistan, which was also shown nationally on
ITV2 and placed runner-up in the regional
Royal Television Society awards. Following the departure of
Lucy Owen to
BBC Wales' flagship news programme
Wales Today in November 2007, Byrne applied for the resulting vacancy on
Wales at Six. On 17 December, it was announced that she had beaten 80 other applicants to the post, Prior to her debut, Benfield moved from Surrey to
Cardiff Bay. and coverage of the Royal Welsh Show and the National Eisteddfod. Byrne has also acted as a presenter of the
ITV Weekend News , debuting in June 2010. She has previously appeared as an occasional presenter for the
ITV Lunchtime News,
ITV Evening News and
ITV News at Ten, as well as guest appearances for
GMTV and
Daybreak. == References ==