BBC Olympic presenters

greg66_tri_v2.0
greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
edited August 2012 in Commuting chat
WTF is going in?

Gary Lineker is a nice bloke, but he's a former footballer and sells crisps. Why is he the main evening anchorman? Any of John Inverdale (exiled to Eton Dorney today), Gaby Logan (on the late shift) or Claire Balding (shoehorned round a tiny table at the pool) is a better sports journo and a better anchor. Is this an attempt to woo the chavvy football-addicted element of the GBP to watch the Olys?

And what has Sharron Davies done to offend someone? In previous Games/swim meets, she has had the role of poolside interviewer and pundit. At this Games someone has been told to make sure that nothing other than her right hand with a mic in it appears on camera. It's very odd once you spot it - I can't think of any BBC person who gets less face time (unless they work in radio).

What happened to Hazel Irving? She was kicking around, but now seems to have joined most of Sharron Davies and John Inverdale in exile.

As for that berk Sports editor can go screw himself too. He - I assume - is responsible for reusing other people's tweets as a means of filling up web pages. What a waste of space.
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Comments

  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Agreed. Is Lineker becoming an omnipresenter? The sports equivalent of Holly Willoughby or someone? There doesn't seem to be much of a dynamics between Lineker and Thorpe.

    Hopefully, Michael Johnson will bring some order when the athletics starts.

    Eddie Butler doing archery somehow worked, I thought.
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  • I tend to watch the Olympics for the sports rather than the commentators, using the time when they're speaking to do or watch something else.

    I do like the lack of presenters and pundits and their inane chatter in sports were there's a half time or where events are delayed.
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 14,498
    Could be worse - on the radio, Alan Green is commentating on the rowing.
  • DrLex
    DrLex Posts: 2,142
    Greg66 wrote:
    [...]And what has Sharron Dacies done to offend someone? In previous Games/swim meets, she has had the role of poolside interviewer and pundit. At this Games someone has been told to make sure that nothing other than her right hand with a mic in it appears on camera. [...]


    Shame, really.

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  • msmancunia
    msmancunia Posts: 1,415
    I'm more shocked about how much "work" she's had done. She can barely move her face and looks like she's borrowed a pair of lips off Lesley Ash.

    Rowing commentators on TV aren't too bad (am logging it for archive and stuff so I'm on it all day every day, in a room, with a screen and a PC and a set of headphones). I'm getting a bit sick of one of them commenting "those must be very hard to row in" whenever one of the Iranian or Tunisian girls wearing hijab is on camera.
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  • TheStone
    TheStone Posts: 2,291
    Lineker's the weak link, but generally fairly good. Gaby has improved a lot.

    The sofa full of pundits each evening has been seriously impressive.
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  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    Age more than likely.

    BBC are trying to shoehorn as many younger female presenters in as possible, maybe.

    To many Lineker has become synonymous with sport on TV, maybe.
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  • rubertoe
    rubertoe Posts: 3,994
    Gary is the new Des/Dickie, innit.
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  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,244
    Claire Balding's brilliant.

    Did well to pry her away from the horses.
  • Paulie W
    Paulie W Posts: 1,492
    Barry Davies (hockey) remains a very good commentator. Eddie Butler brings a degree of gravitas to the archery. I'm quite liking John Amaechi as the basketball 'expert' (although given my knowledge of the intricacies of the sport he may be talking rubbish).

    But Moorhouse and Jameson are worse than ever - they consistently misread what's happening in a race and seem less like experts than a couple of giggly teenagers.

    And there does indeed seem something weird going on with Sharon - I do wonder if they have been forced to use an impersonator as the real Sharon is undergoing yet further plastic surgery.
  • twist83
    twist83 Posts: 761
    Cav is helping out for the Track stuff on THursday!
  • Where is Stuart Hall when you need him? Maybe he could commentate on the Badminton players who are made to wear fat suits as penance for not-trying in previous rounds?
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  • Claire Balding's brilliant.
    Did well to pry her away from the horses.

    This!! She's the No.1 presenter I'd love to go and get pissed with. And yes, I know there's no chance.. :wink:

    I think the commentators are all great - Matt Baker in the gymnastics is inspired - he's really up for it (being an ex gymnast) and is good to listen to. His 'Ooo's' and 'Arrrr's' in the mens team comp made it nail biting viewing. The swimming lot are ok - I'm not a swimming fan so their chat is a welcome diversion. I must watch the sailing as apparently the technology in the coverage is really good. Assuming the feed doesn't keep buffering :(
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,244
    Yes. Baker is very good too - as are his co-commentators.

    The rowing commentators are always good (can spot a cox a mile off ;)) and the swimmers are good too (though they're very cliquey / name droppers).

    Edit: Balding is also exceptionally nice to the volunteers too (since my sister is one :))
  • Claire Balding's brilliant.
    Did well to pry her away from the horses.

    This!! She's the No.1 presenter I'd love to go and get pissed with. And yes, I know there's no chance.. :wink:

    I think the commentators are all great - Matt Baker in the gymnastics is inspired - he's really up for it (being an ex gymnast) and is good to listen to. His 'Ooo's' and 'Arrrr's' in the mens team comp made it nail biting viewing. The swimming lot are ok - I'm not a swimming fan so their chat is a welcome diversion. I must watch the sailing as apparently the technology in the coverage is really good. Assuming the feed doesn't keep buffering :(


    For the most part the commentators are good (yes, Hugh fcuking Porter, I'm looking at you!). Eddie Butler (archery) and Ed thingy (beach volleyball) from Ski Sunday pretty well prove that if you can commentate, you can commentate, and you don't need to know an awful lot about the sport itself (still looking at you, Porter).

    It's the studio and OB presenters that seem all screwed up to me.

    I read somewhere that after Athens, where Sharron Davies appeared in a vest top with very clearly visible volume and tuning controls, the BBC moved to face shots only for her in Beijing. God knows what she must have had on her face to move to hand shots only this time.

    And Ian Thorpe is good, if slightly camp, but can someone hold up a big sign for him that says "DO NOT START EVERY SENTENCE WITH THE WORD "LOOK"."
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  • twist83 wrote:
    Cav is helping out for the Track stuff on THursday!

    Let's hope they wheel out David Bond to do a live to camera piece as Cav comes at him wielding a pedal spanner. Maybe something along the lines of Gladiator where they shut the track while Bond has to defend himself with a multi tool whearing look delta cleats while cav encirles him on a Dolan built chariot towed by the pursuit team.

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  • TheStone
    TheStone Posts: 2,291
    Greg66 wrote:
    And Ian Thorpe is good, if slightly camp

    Very camp. I keep expecting him to break into jazz hands.
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  • Paulie W
    Paulie W Posts: 1,492
    TheStone wrote:
    Greg66 wrote:
    And Ian Thorpe is good, if slightly camp

    Very camp. I keep expecting him to break into jazz hands.

    And not sure about the jumper jacket combinations!
  • Paulie W wrote:
    TheStone wrote:
    Greg66 wrote:
    And Ian Thorpe is good, if slightly camp

    Very camp. I keep expecting him to break into jazz hands.

    And not sure about the jumper jacket combinations!

    Will his tan fade through the Games or is he back in for a fresh spray tan each night?
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  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,252
    TheStone wrote:
    Greg66 wrote:
    And Ian Thorpe is good, if slightly camp

    Very camp. I keep expecting him to break into jazz hands.
    I think he is very good with regards to talking about the swimming. Although I did chuckle when he was talking about watching the way Phelps' hips were moving.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,878
    I don't like the tall one.
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