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A totally off the wall suggestion Ant & Dec they know nothing about racing but could bring in more and different viewers.
I think David Mitchell’s name came up when the
Post
did some vox pops on this the other week, for precisely the same reason.
Wouldn’t mind if his wife came along, too! For her perspective as a gambler, of course. Nothing else. No.
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
Derek "Thommo" Thompson – he’s a household name
But PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE not Gina Harding nee Bryce she’s so boring would rather watch Mick Fitzgerald
A totally off the wall suggestion Ant & Dec they know nothing about racing but could bring in more and different viewers.
Incorrect. Ant and Dec are or were owners. Inverdale also involved in ownership with Henry Candy
Has anybody suggested Chris Kamara,…..surely the peoples choice !!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8gKmQ6Hrro
SHL
What’s Des Lynam doing these days? The housewives choice could be brought back in a double act with Jenny Pitman
I think David Mitchell’s name came up when the
Post
did some vox pops on this the other week, for precisely the same reason.
Wouldn’t mind if his wife came along, too! For her perspective as a gambler, of course. Nothing else. No.
gc
Had to google, never heard of him, thought you meant the racing hack from the Daily Mirror.
Peter Kay?
Johnny Vegas?
Didn’t he do a hilarious
show about being a potential jockey one time?Johnny anchoring, and that monkey thing could handle the betting side of it.
Mind you sponsors Crabbies might have a problem with the monkey’s preferred tipple:-
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=johnn … B400%3B300
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
A totally off the wall suggestion Ant & Dec they know nothing about racing but could bring in more and different viewers.
I think David Mitchell’s name came up when the
Post
did some vox pops on this the other week, for precisely the same reason.
Wouldn’t mind if his wife came along, too! For her perspective as a gambler, of course. Nothing else. No.
gc
If she did come along, my husband would take a sudden interest in the National, that’s for sure :roll:
I remember Sue Pollard being interviewed before the race years ago; she’d backed a horse called ‘The Thirsty Farmer’ because he was described as ‘going well in the mud’
she was good fun…..No need for anyone to be parachuted in, the existing team are perfectly capable of doing the job. If I were them, I’d be affronted that someone else was being considered (as I think I’d be affronted that Clare was coming in for only 9 days or so).
I didn’t see the Matt Dawson experiment, but I remember the reaction. We don’t need another embarrassment for jump racing on its showpiece day.
I honestly don’t see why Channel 4 has to pander to the people who say the Grand National coverage has to be presented by someone who is supposedly acceptable to non-racing fans.
Surely the excitement of the race itself should be enough. If people are watching the coverage, presumably it is because they have got some interest in the unique spectacle of the race itself or that they want to watch the race because they have either had a bet themselves or are part of a work sweepstake.
I presume the excellent Nick Luck, with his Harrow public school background and arguably slightly smug or vaguely sinister manner, is deemed by the Channel 4 bosses to be too elitist or patrician in these dumbed-down days where we must pander to the lowest common denominator.
If Channel 4 thinks Gok Wan is the man to add a supposedly welcome populist touch, it would be laughable. His main contribution to the incisive Royal Ascot fashion coverage was to tell every well upholstered woman he saw: "You look absolutely gorgeous, darling."
Nick Luck, with his professionalism, wealth of knowledge and fluency, would do an excellent job presenting the Grand National as the main host, although he admittedly lacks the star quality the bosses are looking for.
If it has to be a non-racing host, John Inverdale, with his easy charm, would be the best bet.
Otherwise a trawl through the Channel 4 list of the great and the good would probably result in a photo finish between comedian Alan Carr, Countdown double act Nick Hewer and Rachel Riley or perhaps Jimmy Carr.
Either that or an early approach to someone at the BBC of the gravitas of Strictly Come Dancing presenters Tess Daly or Claudia Winkleman might be deemed likely to attract the viewing masses. How about Zoe Ball, for that matter? I can hardly wait.
To inject a note of heresy, it’s a great pity that Clare Balding has cut down her Channel 4 racing appearances to just the Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot.
Most of the criticism of her is motivated not by dislike of her supreme presenting skills, professionalism and versatility but mean-minded but unspoken resentment of her undoubtedly privileged family background and connections as well as her sexuality.
Clare is a victim of overexposure I feel. I’ve been her biggest fan right from when she started presenting racing, and she excelled herself when presenting the Olympics. Alas, that’s when even I started to get fed up of turning on the telly and seeing her. I’m also a great fan of Nick Luck; we’ve met him several times, at our racing club and also at Market Rasen, so I’m certainly not against him fronting the National. Don’t suppose RUK would give Lydia the day off to co present?? It’s a difficult balancing act, presenting the National; making light hearted and fun of something that is, by it’s nature, very dangerous [even now]. Very important
to get that balance right these days.
In what sense does Clare Balding possess the "star quality" Nick Luck lacks?
And in what sense is this affable, slightly self deprecating, slightly tongue in cheek, jovial, intelligent, articulate bloke with a sense of theatre about him "arguably slightly sinister?"
But here’s the clincher – My son once held a door open for Nick Luck at Newbury races and got a very gracious "oh, thank you very much!" for his efforts.
Nick Luck is a top bloke and a gentleman – the Grand National gig should be his!
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Clare is a victim of overexposure I feel. I’ve been her biggest fan right from when she started presenting racing, and she excelled herself when presenting the Olympics. Alas, that’s when even I started to get fed up of turning on the telly and seeing her. I’m also a great fan of Nick Luck; we’ve met him several times, at our racing club and also at Market Rasen, so I’m certainly not against him fronting the National. Don’t suppose RUK would give Lydia the day off to co present?? It’s a difficult balancing act, presenting the National; making light hearted and fun of something that is, by it’s nature, very dangerous [even now]. Very important
to get that balance right these days.
I completely agree. Clare was peerless presenting the Olympics, but I feel she’s struggling to keep up the air of genuine excitement she showed at that time, as she’s on the telly so much now. The enthusiasm comes across as a little forced nowadays, which is a shame.
show about being a potential jockey one time?
she was good fun…..
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