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Axed Tommo’s goodbye ban
Dumped Channel 4 racing veteran Derek Thompson says he and fellow broadcaster John McCririck, 72, have been ‘banned’ from saying farewell to viewers when they present for the last time on Boxing Day.
Thompson, 62, known as Tommo, found his axing all the harder because he is fighting bowel cancer.
‘I felt let down by the way it was done,’ he says. ‘I had a two-minute phone call from Jamie Aitchison, the head of Channel 4 sport, and he gave me the details but he didn’t once ask how I was. Not once, and I thought, “disappointing”.
‘We’re not even allowed to say goodbye on air. That’s what Channel 4 told us, and nobody has said:
‘Let’s have a drink, or go out for dinner.” You’d think after 30 years, somebody might do something.
Perhaps they’re organising a surprise — that’s what it is, a surprise party! I love it.’
Meanwhile, he offers an intriguing insight into the off-screen antics of Emma, who eats three bags of sweets every show.
‘Her party trick is that you can throw a Liquorice Allsort into her mouth from four feet,’ Tommo tells the Racing Post. ‘I told her she should join a circus if she lost her job, but that didn’t go down well!’
Funny how Lesley Graham got a video lookback send off this morning and most of the morning line was her leaving.
The comments from Tommo recycled in the Daily Mail were a straight lift by Richard Kay in his column a couple of weeks ago from the Racing Post interview that was done for the Sunday paper.
There’s nothing new that wasn’t said in the Post interview.
Having said that, if what Tommo said is right, it was a bit rich for Lesley Graham to be given (today on the Morning Line) a glowing, not to mention nauseating, video tribute to her career with Channel 4, mainly focusing, it seemed, on her appalling hats and outfits.
Why she deserved this tribute but Tommo and Big Mac have supposedly been banned from saying goodbye, I can’t fathom.
I wonder what tribute will be paid, if any, to Alastair Down, who is much more worthy of a proper tribute. Or will he just slip away unmentioned?
It’s all very shabby, but, if your face fits, as Lesley Graham’s seems to because she is leaving voluntarily, different rules seem to apply.
There was an opportunity today to mention McCririck and Francome, who were both sitting there, amid the tearful farewell to Lesley but the departure of neither was mentioned.
Admittedly, both have still got appearances to make. Will Francome get a similar look-back because he is leaving voluntarily while the two who are supposedly being banned from saying goodbye, Tommo and Big Mac, are denied this courtesy?
It’s strange that we had people moaning about C4 needing new blood. Now it’s come we’re moaning about those who’ve been axed.
Did Thommo and Down’s health issues have anything to do with it? It’s easy to say it shouldn’t matter, but what if both of them are off for a long time at the same time?
Big Mac has always been outspoken. He’s getting old and as people get older they tend to come out with even stronger stuff. May be C4 are worried what Mac’s going to come out with and whether C4 will end up paying out compensation.
Cat is a good presenter, but if it’s true he doesn’t get on with Ms Balding, it would be difficult for them to work together. A good rapport isn’t easy to fake and it’s far easier to work with a happy team. So sadly, if one comes in the other has to go.
May be C4 are just scared of what Tommo and Mac will say in their goodbye speech.
Value Is EverythingJohnny Mac was the only reason the ML was worth watching. An unpolished gem among similar, dull, stones.
You wouldn’t want your sister to marry the fella – but he was good TV.
It’s strange that we had people moaning about C4 needing new blood. Now it’s come we’re moaning about those who’ve been axed.
I think it’s because the wrong people have been axed.
Competent, professional presenters like Mike Cattermole and Alastair Down have been rebuffed but Tanya Stevenson has been kept on.
She has got friends in high places, though, as even the Racing Post was unwilling to criticise her in a recent story about a poll of presenters, referring only fleetingly and tactfully to her "lack of broadcasting polish".
Others on this forum, but not me, seem to think that Emma Spencer should have been booted off but she is actually a good broadcaster who often gets unfairly criticised, probably motivated by her lightweight reputation and her clothes-dominated, dolly bird image.
Opinions vary as to whether she actually is pretty.
I prefer her to Alice Plunkett, who’s always telling the people she interviews "listen…well done" etc.
Big Mac and Tommo were ripe for the axe, whatever their merits, and neither can really complain. They’ve had a good innings on the gravy train.
Good job we can look forward to Gina Bryce, Rishi Persad and Graham Cunningham….
"Opinions vary as to whether she actually is pretty."
She’s tidy, surely this is not debatable?
Have to agree it was a bit strange to see that segment given over to Lesley Graham and her hats, but it was great to see that "19" joke with Mike Catt again, those were the days when the Morning Line was fun and worth watching.
Have to say that having Lesley in charge today made the Morning Line better than when humourless Nick Luck is the host.
Have to agree it was a bit strange to see that segment given over to Lesley Graham and her hats, but it was great to see that "19" joke with Mike Catt again, those were the days when the Morning Line was fun and worth watching.
Have to say that having Lesley in charge today made the Morning Line better than when humourless Nick Luck is the host.It was the same when Tommo presented it.
It was always enjoyable, even though Tommo made an absolute prat of himself with his excruciating and embarrassing messing about, leaving himself the butt of jokes by Francome and others.
Even though I hated it when Tommo always referred to himself in the third person, such as in the charity bets with "Tommo goes for number three…", it was worth watching.
Now I video it every week and am always left disappointed and wondering why I bothered. It’s a pale, shallow apology for itself now.
Simon Holt, John Francome and Robert (sorry, Choc) Thornton were all in ties this week. They can’t seem to make their minds up whether to dress smartly or not.
More used to Simon Holt and Jim McGrath in pink open-neck shirts on the Morning Line…
"Opinions vary as to whether she actually is pretty."
She’s tidy, surely this is not debatable?
I would say very debatable
Just my personal opinion of course
"Opinions vary as to whether she actually is pretty."
She’s tidy, surely this is not debatable?I would say very debatable
I think mother-of-three Emma, the Pouting Heiress, can look very pretty sometimes but then, other times, I’m not so sure and she manages to spoil herself with some unsuitable hairstyle, too much fake tan and unflattering, outlandish outfits. She
has
got a winning smile though…
She’s definitely better than the Saucy Minx, Alice Plunkett, who I’m not keen on. I wouldn’t say she was pretty, even when she wears the leather trousers, and she certainly appears to have overdone the Botox….
Luckily, Alice is on maternity leave. The programmes have been so much better with just Alastair Down presenting them recently instead of the previous Two Ronnies Gone Wrong act we had to endure with the two of them last winter.
Having seen both Alice and Emma in the flesh (ie not on TV but at the racecourse) I prefer Alice. Especially in those leather trousers. Emma is "attractive" in her way, but too skinny…
Although must be said, "looks" shouldn’t have a great deal to do with being a racing presenter.
Value Is EverythingHaving seen both Alice and Emma in the flesh (ie not on TV but at the racecourse) I prefer Alice. Especially in those leather trousers. Emma is "attractive" in her way, but too skinny…
I’ve still got that vision of Emma standing next to portly and heavily gelled John Hunt years ago while they were presenting together at a racecourse.
I couldn’t believe how skinny her legs were. As I’ve mentioned before, the last time I saw legs that slender, they were on a flamingo.
The image was spoiled a couple of years ago when she started losing her undies as she was walking along at Doncaster doing a post-race TV interview with a jockey.
I agree that looks should not be important in a TV racing presenter. Good job that looks certainly played no part in Emma and Alice keeping their jobs while all those aged men lost theirs!
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