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The only thing I don’t like about the BBC hosts is Claire Balding, if I have her name correct. I remember her reaction after the win of Mon Mome on the Grand National when she made a remark on the jockey’s teeeth. They were not good, but I don’t care about that. And in yesterdays broadcast I felt that she made some strange comments about the people in the paddock. I could be me, but I am not a fan of hers. I think the BBC can get better hosts, but then, what does the BBC cares.
I didn’t like the way Claire Balding treated the people in the paddock. She made some movements towards them that showed (for me) that she wasn’t interested in these people at all and her comments stated that. A shame that the BBC hires people like her for jobs like this. I am sure there are better people out there.
That is what I meant. This Claire is running around the paddock and you just have to look at the faces of the people there to see that they don’t really like her presence. Even I, as newbie, can see that.
Are you a jealous rival in disguise? Rishi? Thommo?
Don’t worry about that. I am not a rival at all. I just don’t like her very much, that is all. And I know I am not the only one.
I was really annoyed with Clare over the Liam Treadwell incident; however, that is the only time anything like that has happened in all the time that she has been fronting the racing for the BBC. She was like a breath of fresh air when she took over from Julian Wilson, and took the touble to send me a lovely letter when I was so upset when One Man died at Aintree.
That was a kind thing of her to do. I thought that everybody loved Julian Wilson. I must say that I have heard of him, but I never saw him doing any race commentary. But I think he retired some years ago.
I meant that they loved the way he commentated the races. He was a pretty populair figure, from what I have read.
I meant that they loved the way he commentated the races. He was a pretty populair figure, from what I have read.
You aren’t confusing loved with loathed are you?
Did you by any chance get your impression from reading his autobiography?
Maybe I am being unfair – Julian Wilson, like Tommo, tends to polarise opinion – you either like him or dislike him.
As you may have gathered I was not a great fan of his commentating nor of his presentation style.
I have met him a couple of times and he is a likeable enough person – I just didn’t particularly like him as a broadcaster.
I am not confusing the words. I have never heard any broadcast he did so I can’t tell if he was good at the job or not. I have his biography, but I still didn’t have time to read it. I hope I didn’t step on anyone’s toes here. It is the last thing I want to do. I thought that Julian Wilson was a populair commentator.
I am not confusing the words. I have never heard any broadcast he did so I can’t tell if he was good at the job or not. I have his biography, but I still didn’t have time to read it. I hope I didn’t step on anyone’s toes here. It is the last thing I want to do. I thought that Julian Wilson was a populair commentator.
Debby – I was teasing when I asked if you had confused the words.
Don’t be silly about stepping on peoples toes, of course you aren’t – we all have different opinions and that’s what makes the forum so much fun. If we all agreed the forum would be boring.
If you want to see some good, opposing, views on broadcasters just look at any thread about Tommo.
For me,the most enjoyable part of the whole afternoon’s broadcast – apart from the Derby itself – was the feature about Vincent O’Brien followed by the interview with Sir Peter O’Sullevan, which Claire Balding handled admirably.
I am happy to hear that Paul. As English is not my mother language, I sometimes get confused when people are joking, so to be sure I was hoping not to step on any toes. I am glad that I didn’t. And to get back to the subject. I don’t think that Claire is doing such a bad job, I only think that she sometimes shows some disrespect to the people in the racing world.
Debby,
Julian Wilson was Peter O’Sullevan’s understudy from the late 60’s until the early 90’s when "Croc" McGrath joined the Beeb and upset the pecking order.
If you ever see any old Grand Nationals approx 1970-1992 (they used to be on You-Tube but got removed recently – that’s another thread in itself), you can hear him down at Bechers.
I don’t recall him being particularly popular, however it was hilarious that at the start of every race he called in full you would hear "…and they’re ORF!"
Thanks for the tip. I didn’t found any Grand National thing on You Tube, it seems to be a long story, but as far as I know it has something to do with copyright, but I am not sure. I will look somewhere for the recordings of these Grand Nationals. I never watched any horse races untill the Grand National last year when Comply Or Die won. The year before I missed it as I was in London. By accident I ran into Nathaniel Parker, who is a big race fan and he was nice enough to fill me in on the results of that race. But since then I am hooked and I am happy with whatever race the BBC shows. It is good to see the races life on TV, instead of in front of the computer. That is the good thing about BBC.
The BBC have absolutely no interest in racing and as a result every aspect of their coverage is shambolic. Their presenters are terrible, the commentary is poor and don’t get me started on the camera-work and the crazy sound effects.
Channel 4 for all their faults are miles ahead.
Some of us cannot afford the Sky set up to get ATR and RUk and so are stuck with the terestrials. I love the morning line because it does not take the job too seriously (then again I don’t either) and love the C4 coverage which is miles ahead.
Another thing that was not noticed was that the 6’oclock news bulletin made no mention of the Derby but did mention two football matches – yawn, o how I hate the game. Biggest sporting event in the country that day and not a mention. Dreadful.
I see BBC will again split the coverage of Royal Ascot next week between BBC1 & BBC2 instead of just shifting some programmes from BBC1 over to BBC2 so as to allow continuous coverage on one station. Fine if you have Sky+ (although some rejigging may be required) but I pity those who need to program a DVD recorder!
I mean look at the programmes which would have to be switched from BBC1 to BBC2 for the 4 days – hardly ground-breaking current affairs stuff which merits inclusion on BBC1:
3:20 – 3:25 – News Headlines
3:25 – 3:35 – Martha Speaks (animated series about a dog who can talk after eating alphabet soup)
3:35 – 4:05 – Raven The Dragon’s Eye (children’s fantasy game show)
4:05 – 4:35 – Richard Hammond’s Blast Lab (science game show)
4:35 – 5:00 – Blue Peter
5:00 – 5:05 – My Say (11yo Eden loves everything punk!)
5:05 – 5:15 – Newsround (daily news magazine keeping younger viewers up-to-date blah blah blah)I can’t remember the last time I watched one half of a football match on BBC1 before having to switch over to BBC for the 2nd half!
The BBC do not care abour Racing, i frankly do not care about the BBC. They are a utter joke. You only have to look who they have on as "experts"…
John Parrot…I realise this man likes a bet like any of us, but is he seriously the best that can be put on to read out the prices.
Rishi Persad…I used to like this bloke, but the BBC seem to have told him to play the "clown". His stupid interviews are a insult, half the trainers don’t even want to speak to him.
Willie Carson…Ive never liked this bloke, he talks alot of ……. and is a ignorant and rude man.
Only saving grace for the BBC is the great Clare Balding, but sadly even she can not save the sinking ship.
The coverage of the actual racing meeting is a joke, 2-3 minutes before the off they start talking about the race, constant fashion talk is enough to make me sick. And that other clown they have to mix with the crowd on race days. All in all the usual BBC coverage you get.
But oh wait the best is still to come, one name…….JIM MCGRATH. Is this guy on another planet when calling the races home. Are his pictures on delay?
How often does he call the wrong horses, how often does he not mention a horse flying home till it’s about 10 yards from winning line. How often does he fail to notice a major incident in a race, how often does he not notice a horse falling till a fence or two later when someone tells him.This guy does my nut in, he is seriously one of the worse race callers ever.
Rant over.
i still view the era of julian wilson etc on the bbc as the golden era of broadcasting,for example compare the way peter osullavan commantated on his own horse winning the triumph hurdle to that of clare balding when her brothers horse won the oaks. also interesting to remember that on this pre royal ascot saturday in the early eighties the bbc would show three races from bath.
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