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She hasn’t done aswell on c4 as she did on the BBC imo. I think she needs to be at the centre of the program, doing what she does but also sat in Nick Luck’s chair yapping to Cunningham and blinky.
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
This signals a change of direction for Ch 4 methinks , Miss Balding is taking the right decision
How long more for racing coverage on terrestrial tv ??
Why would you devote hours of tv sponsorship to a program which draws less viewers than a old robin hood movie ??
As the biggest drop in viewing figures have happened when she’s be on then I think it will be a good thing as the show needs a presenter that’s always there not one that bothered to turn up when she feels like it
Mind you after last weeks pathetic lammtarra w-f-a gaff it’s going to take a lot more to turn things aroundI think there are too many presenters on C4 Racing at the moment, so some slimming down would suit the product. There’s nothing to stop them looking for a replacement if Clare does leave, though.
I’m surprised that she cites her other commitments as a reason for possibly leaving C4. You’d think that racing, her first love, would take priority.
As the biggest drop in viewing figures have happened when she’s be on then I think it will be a good thing as the show needs a presenter that’s always there not one that bothered to turn up when she feels like it
Mind you after last weeks pathetic lammtarra w-f-a gaff it’s going to take a lot more to turn things aroundWrong – Clare Balding already had commitments in place before she was offered the par-time-role- it was never going to be every week.
Probably, in the minority here but I wouldn’t mind seeing the back of Luck – I don’t know why but he always reminds me of a car salesman!
How long more for racing coverage on terrestrial tv ??
Why would you devote hours of tv sponsorship to a program which draws less viewers than a old robin hood movie ??
Have you any figures for this oft-quoted ‘fact’ Ricky? I would say it’s very unlikely to be the case. Channel 4’s overall market share is around 5.8% which jumps considerably with big race meetings. As Saturday afternoon is generally a low-viewing time anyway, I would be highly surprised if an ‘old movie’ gained more viewers than C4 Racing.
Not that that’s particularly relevant anyway. The average viewing figures for racing are about the same as for Channel Four News, so why not get rid of that as well? The channel has recently run the superlative and original
Utopia
– who’s viewing figures were similar. No drama either then, just replace
everything
with an ‘old movie’!
Remember, Channel 4 is a not-for-profit, publicly-owned body which therefore has a remit to produce and broadcast a wide variety of entertainment. It also gets low viewing figures for
everything
.
Having said all that, you may yet be right!
Racing punches massively above it’s weight in terms of media coverage for the interest it has and sports generally are drifting to a digital subscription model. Channel Four’s 2005 coverage of The Ashes peaked at a staggering 8.1 million for the final Test. Two months later they dropped it and we haven’t seen cricket on terrestrial television since.
And cricket has a considerably greater following than racing!
Mike
Clare doesn’t need Channel 4 but does Channel 4 need Clare?
The can easily get away with a cheaper presenter who can do a majority of the weekly shows, even the awful Luck is probably a lot cheaper and willingly braodcasts most Satudays as well as Racing UK.
So just find a suitable alternative and no one will miss her.
Wouldn’t be at all disappointed if we didn’t see her on television again. Really struggling to see what she brings to any programme.
The same goes for Luck & co.
Producers will either need to accept they will only ever attract a certain amount of diehards or make drastic changes.
Racing isn’t a sport that easily lends itself to the masses, many of whom might have the attention span of a gnat. A two-hour programme contains just a few minutes action and interviews are generally conducted in a deferential style with little or no criticism. Feathers are left well and truly unruffled. In short to the casual observer it is not edge of the seat entertainment.
The most likely halfway house would be to bring Chapman in and see if he can somehow recreate the Monday night at Windsor feel.
Maybe they need to go back to having a race every 15 mins not one special meeting with a race every 30 or 35 mins.
Go from one race to next keep the pace going.
And cricket has a considerably greater following than racing!
Mike
How do you know that and what is it based on?
I’ll be sorry to see Clare quit Channel 4, she brings a professionalism that is unmatched by any of the presenters and the fact that she grew up amongst a lot of the trainers and jockeys adds a personal touch to some of her interviews. I loved her interview with Mick Easterby and his son at last weeks York Ebor coverage. Mick really opened up to her and we got an insight into this quirky eccentric legend and what makes him loath to retire and hand the reigns over to his son.
You could pension off Tanya, Tom Lee and Mick Fitz, I too would not be sorry to say goodbye to Nick Luck, put Graham Cunningham in the lead seat along with Clare. Emma Spencer for pre and post race interviews and Gina Bryce could also go on the back burner.
I’m half way through Clare Balding’s bestselling autobiography My Animals and Other Family and loving every minute. pictures of her sitting on Mill Reef at 18 months old, riding winners at Goodwood as an amateur jockey and even a photo of the Queen Mother sitting down to tea in their Dining Room.
I don’t think Clare ever felt comfortable in the swop from BBC to Channel 4, it’s a completely different format and interrupted every 10 minutes with stupid betting adds, most annoyingly just before the off. Whatever she does next I wish her well, she’s a good sport and has raised lots of money for charity as well as fighting illness herself.
I wish her good luck.
Jac
Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...And cricket has a considerably greater following than racing!
Mike
How do you know that and what is it based on?
When they were trying to regain some rights in 2009, the BBC put the estimated number of cricket ‘followers’ (based on website hits) at 12 million (20%+ of the nation, excluding very young children) which would surely dwarf that of racing. There’s also mass coverage whenever England are playing, particularly on the news, which obviously implies a broad following.
The telling stat though is the £260 million SKY paid for four year’s coverage in 2017. Wonder what they’d pay for racing’s rights?
Racing has a knowledgeable and enthusiastic following but my own experience as a fan of both sports is that I know a huge amount more cricket fans than racing fans (in fact I hardly know any racing fans!).
My overarching point was that Ricky may well be right about racing disappearing off our terrestrial screens if cricket can.
Mike
Why do people think Nick Luck is so bad?
He’s just the front man isn’t he? As long as he can cue everything up without ‘umming’ and ‘aahring’ (which he does) I don’t see the problem.
I think he’s fine. Fluent, chatty, just like most competent TV presenters in sport and beyond really.
Mike
Mike
your make my point a lot better in fairness ….bottom line for me , I cannot see racing being a sustainable model for terrestrial tv
BTW …I thought cricket was covered really well by Ch 4 …and as you say gone ….could racing go the same way ….I am pretty sure it will
Why do people think Nick Luck is so bad?
He’s just the front man isn’t he? As long as he can cue everything up without ‘umming’ and ‘aahring’ (which he does) I don’t see the problem.
I think he’s fine. Fluent, chatty, just like most competent TV presenters in sport and beyond really.
Mike
He does umm and ahh, he is up himself and thinks he is amusing he is also smarmy and is not someone you can warm too.
Why do people think Nick Luck is so bad?
He’s just the front man isn’t he? As long as he can cue everything up without ‘umming’ and ‘aahring’ (which he does) I don’t see the problem.
I think he’s fine. Fluent, chatty, just like most competent TV presenters in sport and beyond really.
Mike
Whenever I see him I can’t help thinking Lord Snooty. If you are just broadcasting to George Osborne and his mates that might be a very appealing image but to the general masses?
Racing is a rich man’s pastime that is beyond the reach the vast majority. Having a ‘toff’ presenter just emphasises the difference.
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