Hugh Porter replaced at BBC :-(

Booner69

Replaced by Simon Brotherton, who I think is pretty good and an all round cycling nut, but the way they've moved Hugh aside, seems to me to be both disrespectful and at the very least smacks of a general unawareness of his standing in the cycling world.
I hope I'm not repeating anything that has previously been posted here, but I need to vent some frustration, cheers.
Here's the article I read...
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/c ... 19392.html

rick_chasey

Which one's Simon Brotherton?

I was never keen on Hugh Porter at all.

When you start to question if someone's parodying their own terrible sayings like I was at revolutions when he said Laura Trott was 'literally on fire' or whether it was just more terrible chat....

ddraver

Interesting, many people were/are saying that Phil and Paul should have been put out to pasture earlier. Arguably they re trying to prevent another Murray Walker situation...I dunno really...ho hum...

Simon Brotherton is very good though, I kinda hoped he might be a future David Harmon or Phil Liggett

Edit - Rick-does the 5 live stuff now (and has been for many a year), it wasnt really a big enough position for someone who is clearly very knowledgable about the sport

Richmond Racer

Hugh Porter was getting a bit confuzzled and making too many mistakes. The last straw for the Beeb was when he called the wrong winner of the women's Kierin at the London Olys..

Lanterne_Rogue

I wouldn't go a bundle on the Telegraph or Standard's line, to be honest - they're pretty anti-BBC at the best of times. Chris Boardman's 'shock' turns out to be the somewhat milder 'surprised' in the actual quotes, for example, and the 'ageism' angle seems contrived.

Brotherton commentating seems like a good move to me - he's pretty good on the radio, and might well be better with pictures to save him having to tell the whole story.

argyllflyer

Booner69 wrote:

Replaced by Simon Brotherton, who I think is pretty good and an all round cycling nut, but the way they've moved Hugh aside, seems to me to be both disrespectful and at the very least smacks of a general unawareness of his standing in the cycling world.
I hope I'm not repeating anything that has previously been posted here, but I need to vent some frustration, cheers.
Here's the article I read...
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/c ... 19392.html

Yeah I recall the story at the time but since then he has been used by the BBC. He did parts of the London-Surrey Classic and did the speedskating in Sochi.

In the merry-go-round world of commentary, he benefited from Harmon's walkout from Eurosport as it meant Declan Quigley was called upon to do the Giro. That freed up a mic for the Tour Series which Hugh got.

Daz555

But but, who is going to ignite the burners in future?

Booner69

I agree, he was very 'cliche' prone and am very aware that he wasn't everyone's 'cup of tea' , but there are respectful ways of handling someone of his standing. He was in the middle of booking flights to Minsk.

Richmond Racer

Booner69 wrote:

I agree, he was very 'cliche' prone and am very aware that he wasn't everyone's 'cup of tea' , but there are respectful ways of handling someone of his standing. He was in the middle of booking flights to Minsk.

Hmm. As it turned out, HP was laying it on a bit thick in his account of events.Truth as it turned out was that the Beeb sent senior peeps to meet with him as his home, to let him know that the time had come etc, but offered him the chance to go out to Minsk for one last gig. In a huff HP said stuff it, and turned it into a slightly different story for the papers.

stanislav

Rick Chasey wrote:

Which one's Simon Brotherton?

I was never keen on Hugh Porter at all.

When you start to question if someone's parodying their own terrible sayings like I was at revolutions when he said Laura Trott was 'literally on fire' or whether it was just more terrible chat....

Brothertons just done Dancing on ice on a sunday night,So he's available.

poweredbyidris

I imagine the BBC are still peeved that they can't use the footage of the final lap of the Olympic women's keirin from 2012 as doddery old HP kept referring to Pendleton as Anna Meares

RichN95.

Hugh Porter is 74. No-one goes on forever.
And Brotherton is a better commentator.

The other person who occasionally does BBC commentary - Alistair Bruce-Ball - I think I played hockey with at university. (When I say 'played with' he was in a higher team).

carbonclem

Hughs had his time, noone should go on for ever and I imagine theres a queue of retired cyclists forming for such jobs now. I don't care much for Brotherton, he seems to overplay the man in the street approach, but I appreciate its needed.

I guess now HP's gone we may never hear the 'Manx Express' win another sprint!

argyllflyer

CarbonClem wrote:

Hughs had his time, noone should go on for ever and I imagine theres a queue of retired cyclists forming for such jobs now. I don't care much for Brotherton, he seems to overplay the man in the street approach, but I appreciate its needed.

I guess now HP's gone we may never hear the 'Manx Express' win another sprint!

Like I said though, he did London-Surrey on the BBC red button in August.

He also did the Tour Series and then the British championships in June for ITV4. Was amusing to see hear him commentate and at the same time hear his voice MC'img at the finish line in the background!

He also did the Tour of Britain for ITV4 last season, 6 months ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYhllJktGrI (Stage 8 - Manx Missile released!)

There's every likelihood that he'll be commentating on cycling this season somewhere.

Not gone just yet! And he was on good form in Sochi a few weeks ago.

lc1981

Booner69 wrote:

Here's the article I read...
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/c ... 19392.html

You do realise that that article is from March 2013?

Abdoujaparov

Brotherton is good, but it jars a little to have someone I associate more with football commentating on cycling. That will fade though - him and a knowledgeable ex pro would be a good combo. Someone like millar when he retires.

Le Commentateur

lc1981 wrote:

Booner69 wrote:

Here's the article I read...
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/c ... 19392.html

You do realise that that article is from March 2013?

I thought I heard this news before....

ddraver

Abdoujaparov wrote:

Brotherton is good, but it jars a little to have someone I associate more with football commentating on cycling. That will fade though - him and a knowledgeable ex pro would be a good combo. Someone like millar when he retires.

like Ned Boulting?

Richmond Racer

Abdoujaparov wrote:

Brotherton is good, but it jars a little to have someone I associate more with football commentating on cycling. That will fade though - him and a knowledgeable ex pro would be a good combo. Someone like millar when he retires.

Quite like Brotherton but wish they'd pair him up with someone other than Rob Hayles, whose voice is so slow and monotone. Hayles track pedigree is impeccable, and I know he rode with Cofidis for a while in the early 00s but I just get the feeling that he's got the road commentating gig because of his relationship with Cav.

ddraver

Can you think of anyone though? We need David Millar to retire pronto (Though I suspect Millar might dissapear off on a hippy/hipster-esque tour of the world with JV when he goes...)

Richmond Racer

ddraver wrote:

Can you think of anyone though? We need David Millar to retire pronto (Though I suspect Millar might dissapear off on a hippy/hipster-esque tour of the world with JV when he goes...)

Roger Hammond, perhaps? Though managing Madison-Genesis is a full time job. Big Maggy? I know Maggy sometimes does an ES gig, but maybe could do some Beeb work too (on top of shaking the ground by running in triathlons)

Also we tend to confine ourselves to just thinking of British ex-pros. How about a European who's fluent in English?

phil s

Abdoujaparov wrote:

Brotherton is good, but it jars a little to have someone I associate more with football commentating on cycling. That will fade though - him and a knowledgeable ex pro would be a good combo. Someone like millar when he retires.

Simon Brotherton has been doing the Tour de France since 1994. Might want to check your facts.

Abdoujaparov

ddraver wrote:

Can you think of anyone though? We need David Millar to retire pronto (Though I suspect Millar might dissapear off on a hippy/hipster-esque tour of the world with JV when he goes...)

Dan Lloyd is pretty good, but I'd prefer Millar.

ddraver

Richmond Racer wrote:

ddraver wrote:

Can you think of anyone though? We need David Millar to retire pronto (Though I suspect Millar might dissapear off on a hippy/hipster-esque tour of the world with JV when he goes...)

Roger Hammond, perhaps? Though managing Madison-Genesis is a full time job. Big Maggy? I know Maggy sometimes does an ES gig, but maybe could do some Beeb work too (on top of shaking the ground by running in triathlons)

Also we tend to confine ourselves to just thinking of British ex-pros. How about a European who's fluent in English?

Terribly un BBC dahling - those sort of people are only suitable for studio punditry when they can be quietened down sharpish!

Abdoujaparov

phil s wrote:

Abdoujaparov wrote:

Brotherton is good, but it jars a little to have someone I associate more with football commentating on cycling. That will fade though - him and a knowledgeable ex pro would be a good combo. Someone like millar when he retires.

Simon Brotherton has been doing the Tour de France since 1994. Might want to check your facts.

I have checked my facts and they still show that I associate him with football!

His Tour de France stuff has been for radio hasn't it? I never listen to cycling on the radio nor listen to radio 5 live.

DeVlaeminck

I didn't find Porter too bad, not obviously over the hill doing the speed skating anyway I tend to watch the cycling on Eurosport. Simon Brotherton isn't a bad replacement but if he's available the obvious name would be David Harmon.

spenb

Met Hugh Porter numerous times when I used to race around the midlands. He even compaired races that I was in.
He is a gentleman and very knowledgeable.

How about a return for David Duffield - I thought he was good on the old Eurosport slot. He gave good acounts of the regions and thier historys during his commentry of races that were going through quite spells.

ddraver

phil s wrote:

DeVlaeminck wrote:

If true that's a shame.

Not really, especially not when the reason for him not being on telly is his sob story he peddled last year. Odious man.

Eh?

r0bh

spenb wrote:

How about a return for David Duffield - I thought he was good on the old Eurosport slot. He gave good acounts of the regions and thier historys during his commentry of races that were going through quite spells.

Duffers will be 83 in May, so probably not.

My favourite bits of recent commentary were when Ned Boulting and Matt Rendell were doing the early parts of the race in la Vuelta the first year they showed it live on ITV4 (2011 I think). It was like the Real Peloton on your telly-box

Richmond Racer

spenb wrote:

Met Hugh Porter numerous times when I used to race around the midlands. He even compaired races that I was in.
He is a gentleman and very knowledgeable.

How about a return for David Duffield - I thought he was good on the old Eurosport slot. He gave good acounts of the regions and thier historys during his commentry of races that were going through quite spells.

That would be Duffers who's now 83? :shock:

Has anyone told him that Lemond is still the only American official winner of the Tour?

There's nowt wrong with Brotherton, he knows his stuff fairly well as the non-expert commentator half of a pairing. Boardman's with him for the track stuff, I'd just like an alternative to Hayles for the road co-commentary personally

Booner69

spenb wrote:

Met Hugh Porter numerous times when I used to race around the midlands. He even compaired races that I was in.
He is a gentleman and very knowledgeable.

How about a return for David Duffield - I thought he was good on the old Eurosport slot. He gave good acounts of the regions and thier historys during his commentry of races that were going through quite spells.

Unfortunately Duffield is now 83 years old. If the reason for moving Hugh Porter aside at 73 was his age, I think that unlikely. I agree about Hugh's mistakes, faux pas, whatever they are called, but he was a gent and I don't agree that he was treated either fairly or with due respect.
I stated in my original rant, that I think Brotherton is pretty good though, I have listened to him when at work doing the Tour alongside Graham Jones. He's very knowledgable and an extremely good commentator as well as being a real cycling nut; according to him, since he went to see the Tour on holiday as a child.