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McCririck not happy.
"Naturally I am devastated at being sacked after covering betting, first on ITV and then Channel 4, for 31 years. It had always been a dream to report from the racecourse betting jungles at Aintree and Ascot."According to Channel 4, I’m being sacked after audience research. Yes, I do antagonise people as reactions to being twice in the Celebrity Big Brother house and also on Coach Trip prove. Yet, as Clare Balding, a terrific choice to lead the new young team, said recently, I’ve become the face of racing alongside Frankie Dettori and now of course Clare herself.
"It is so sad that Channel 4 boss Jay Hunt and production chief Carl Hicks, both long-time BBC executives, have again gone down their well-worn path of ageism. Among the 13 slated to be on screen, only Jimbo McGrath is over 50.
"Without any consultation or being asked to change my presentation style, I was only told by Channel 4’s Head Of Sport Jamie Aitchison half an hour before their press release.
"Racing continues to prosper and is a magnificent sport for all ages and classes of society. I trust those now in power, having shown their macho images as all new producers do by getting rid of their most well-known older performer, don’t forget that racing appeals to all generations."All the ATR connected presenters are dropped except Mick fitzgerald you may have noticed I wonder if ATR wouldn’t let them sign to both channels?
Gina Bryce is from ATR.
Oh dear Gina Bryce included and Jim (Timeform can’t be wrong) McGrath. Thank goodness for Sky + will just be watching race in future and none of the prattling before and pointless interviews after!
Heart warming thoughts from John who in many eyes off screen is a great man who has given the public such a widely recognized figure that tears at the bottom of the emotions carrying a profound and ever lasting connection with Horse Racing.
Unfortunately this is Channel 4, a broadcast that’s socially and ethically aware of the external environment which has pursued plunging into the abyss to collect a dynamic and vastly differentiating characteristic in target audience for decades leading to challenging, insightful and thought provoking documentaries aligned with a well structured and dynamic television listing.
It’s out of "our" hands so to speak, we all know who’s the best for the role and many of us are deeply unsatisfied with the current pick of presenters but if we are as a sport wanting to target the wider audience then as enthusiasts we must take ourselves out of the Horse Racing "shell" and integrate with the wider demands of our current culture and society which the current line up has achieved.
We still have ATR & RUK, their purpose remains justified whilst I suspect the more commercial Channel 4 product has its place.
I know what I’ll be watching and it’s not Channel 4, nothing against them it just doesn’t suit my needs and demands as a Horse Racing fan.
Unfortunately this is Channel 4, a broadcast that’s socially and ethically aware of the external environment which has pursued plunging into the abyss to collect a dynamic and vastly differentiating characteristic in target audience for decades leading to challenging, insightful and thought provoking documentaries aligned with a well structured and dynamic television listing.
Errm…answers on a postcard?
Mike
I guess the professional producers and executives who made the decisions know a zillion times more about broadcasting then I do but for me…
Matt Chapman – could have combined the McCririck/Lee/Stevenson roles on his own and added plenty more besides. He seems to be liked by the professionals (esp. trainers) and is always ready to question things. Which, of course may have been his achilles heel, that loose cannon element someone alluded to in an earlier post. You have to wonder if there weren’t egos at play.
Emma Spencer – I think she does know her stuff, and I think she’ll benefit from not having to do the double act she and MC used to have to do. But I agree with those who’ve said it’s a shame to see him go, he’s a real all-rounder you’d want to keep in the loop I’d have thought. Like Champan, it’d be a shame if he’s lost out because of politicking.
John Francome – big loss. Witty, knowledgable and articulate.
Balding/Luck front line is hard to fault. He’s very quickly become an assured, confident and polished broadcaster – rapidly losing the annoying public schoolboy streak (well, almost losing it). Balding has long been head and shoulders above the rest. And with no Willie to worry about (er….) she’ll be even better.
Much of broadcasting is marmite – you like ’em or you don’t – and, even though some weren’t my cup of tea, I hope all those who will no longer be employed by CH4 go on to do other enjoyable and rewarding things.
There does seem to be a lot of them though….
FWIW – my opinion
Matt Chapman – don’t be fooled by his occassional tomfoolery. He knows he is on ATR and is watched by the same people every day so he plays up a bit. The guy knows his onions and can be spot on when he needs to be. Sir Henry is always happy to be interviewed by him – enough said. Compare him to Boris Johnson – looks a buffoon but most of it is an act. Like Jonathan Pearce in the old days who has now modified his style since becoming part of the BBC team. Shame they didn’t spot his potential.
Mike Cattermole – I like him. He has a touch of the Des Lynams about him. I’ll miss him.
Lesley – I know her and like her but she knows her presenting shelf life is running out and she has found a very good new job.
Emma – eye candy who looks like something out of Dynasty. I would take her more seriously if she dressed more sensibly. It is one thing looking like Joan Collins at Royal Ascot but it looks bloody stupid at Fakenham.
Big Mac – a character that has done much for racing but those Ladboke ads have been the straw that broke the back for me. Can’t really bear him, not a nice guy, good riddance.
Tanya – I switch over as soon as she appears on the screen. She grates.
Nick Luck – brilliant. The consumate professional who should have been given the main job.
Graham Cunningham – same comments. Love him on RUK and would have liked him to be joined by Steve Mellish and Eddie Freemantle who would have added realism and gravitas to the team.
Sam Thomas – a fledgling but a funny guy who could be good one day.
John and Jim – I’ll miss them. I liked them. Especially Jim apart from the fact he always spoke with his eyes shut.
Clare Balding – I think I am the only person on god’s earth who can’t stand her. Sorry but I just cannot abide her. I find her patronising. When I watch her I feel like she is assuming every viewer is watching racing for the very first time – "Strong Suit has spread a plate – what this means is one of his shoes has come off and the farrier or cobbler has to put it back on." "This is a maiden race for 2 year olds – a maiden meaning a race for horses that have never won a race before" – oh Jeez Louise give me a break!!!! Give me SOME credit. Maybe she will be different on Channel 4 where hopefully some sort of basic, rudimentary knowledge of the sport will be a given. Otherwise I will go up the wall.
"this perfect mix of poetry and destruction, this glory of rhythm, power and majesty: the undisputed champion of the world!!!"
I seem to be alone in thinking that Emma Spencer is competent and professional. She deserves to be retained, in my opinion. She is fluent, articulate, is a good broadcaster and has a lot more to offer than she is given credit for.
Agreed. I particularly liked her interviews in ‘Talking Trainers’ a while back. She showed a genuine interest in the conversations and asked sensible questions. I find her pleasant too.
The people who dislike her are probably the ones who liked ol’ misery guts Julian Wilson
Hopefully they’ll find room for Ted Walsh at Cheltenham, always gives an honest opinion and good entertainment value.
Matt Chapman – he plays up a bit.
That’s what done for him. Pratting around is no way to get a new job, with a much wider potential audience.
He has shot himself in the foot again, although I don’t believe he would have been a serious contender to be employed because he is so unpopular with so many people.
He would have been just too big a risk and would have driven a coach and horses through the hoped-for cohesion of the new team.
Mike Cattermole – I like him. He has a touch of the Des Lynams about him. I’ll miss him.
Lesley – she knows her presenting shelf life is running out
Mike will be a big loss but it’s entirely predictable that a consummate broadcaster is dropped but a thoroughly unprofessional, apparently untrainable amateur like Tanya Stevenson is retained.
Lesley is undoubtedly a victim of ageism but also of fake excessive, Cheshire Cat smiling and gurning. Certainly no loss.
Big Mac – a character that has done much for racing but those Ladbroke ads have been the straw that broke the back for me. Can’t really bear him, not a nice guy, good riddance.
His graceless and undignified rant about not being kept on is entirely typical. He has never been known to accept any sacking with grace, even when he was on the Weakest Link and launched a really withering, thoroughly unpleasant and malevolent attack on Anne Robinson, instead of realising that being sent up and teased, even excessively, was part of the programme’s format.
If you can’t stand the mickey-taking, don’t go on the programme.
With racing, his Ladbroke ads, playing on his often unpleasant confrontations with members of the public, were utterly shameless.
There seems to be nothing he will not do for money. He is well past his sell-by date, even though he has been a brilliant campaigner and high-profile critic on many issues.
Some of his performances this year have been disastrous, notably at Glorious Goodwood, although he can’t be blamed for apparently having such a bad cold or whatever it was that he couldn’t even croak at times, let alone speak.
Perhaps he should have been sensible enough to realise his voice wasn’t up to broadcasting standard that week.
He thoroughly deserves to be booted off. In real life, he is an unpleasant, morose, selfish, moody loner who is shunned even in the press room, where he was often to be found sitting alone in total silence, ignoring everyone, and just puffing on his big cigar.
The image of bonhomie he has created for the TV is a total charade. He has been an excellent journalist and, at his best, a very good broadcaster but, now in his 70s, he cannot really rail at being dropped.
If he is "devastated" at being sacked, it is entirely unrealistic.
Tanya – I switch over as soon as she appears on the screen. She grates.
I still fast forward any contributions by her, unless she is talking to a clerk of the course about track conditions etc.
Her continued employment is a damning indictment of how dumbed-down the betting coverage has become under her.
If she has had any media training, it certainly doesn’t show. She must have been thrown off any broadcasting training course as a hopeless case.
She got the job originally purely because she was one of Andrew Franklin’s acolytes.
JONIBAKE WROTE:
Emma – eye candy who looks like something out of Dynasty. I would take her more seriously if she dressed more sensibly. It is one thing looking like Joan Collins at Royal Ascot but it looks bloody stupid at Fakenham.
I though she was more of the Crystal Carrington type Joni..Thankfully Emma seems to have got rid of the ‘tangoed’ look lately and seems to be dressing more appropriately. She’ll have to watch those roots though ‘Joany’ wouldn’t be seen dead with her roots showing.Tanya – I switch over as soon as she appears on the screen. She grates.
Should have gone with Big Mac…Worzel Gummidge and Aunt Sally hand in hand in the cabbage patch.
Two good things though, no mention of Tom Lee – couldn’t stand his know all attitude and quick fire observations and the way he always referred to the horses as ‘creatures’ and hopefully we have seen the end of the dreadful ‘Guest Test’.
I hope we see more of the horses in the paddock and going to post, that’s where the clues to finding a winner are, not from betting stats and so called pundits.
Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...I shall miss John Francome. I found him witty and interesting. I shall also miss very much Alistair Down. His way with words is breathtaking and his enthusiasm for Cheltenham and jump racing in general was infectious. I shall miss Mike Cattermole. Can’t understand why they’ve dropped him.
I’m OK with Emma Spencer and Gina Bryce: it’s mainstream TV, you’ve got to have eye candy and they vaguely know what they’re talking about. They’re both articulate enough.I SHAN’T miss Lesley Graham. Had to turn over when her grinning face came on. Shan’t miss Big Mac although I do feel sorry for him.
Can’t stand Tanya Stevenson with her unbelievable lack of knowledge in how horses names should be pronounced. Thick I suppose.Annoying though Thommo is, he brought some colour and warmth and will be missed. Glad Tango Man hasn’t been included. Good interviewer but a loose cannon and a prat.
Clare Balding…bless her!
The new lineup for Channel 4 from January has made a lot of people feel they have to comment. The big question is: will Claire Balding do well? Balding is a competent, professional racing commentator and it seems strange that there are a lot of comments which are negative on Facebook. I prefer her to Alistair Down, who comes over as pompous and just loves the jumps.
I find it strange that they have kept Jim Mcgrath who is for-ever serious; Alice Plunkett who reminds me of a tweedy, old country housewife and Emma Ramsden. No doubt, Emma is the glamorous thread they need but she looks uncomfortable in front of the camera.
It’s no surprise Mike Cattermole and Derek Thompson have gone because they work for ATR and John McCririck has shot himself in the foot with his loud mouth.
To a point, a change for the better because Nick Luck and Claire Balding will do a good job up front.
I hear what you are saying Crusty but I just think if the "holy grail" is to attract a newer, fresher, younger crowd it might have been worth taking a punt on him.
3 I forgot to mention –
Lydia – am I alone in really liking her? She is all mumsy and makes me feel warm inside – in a non sexual way btw! She also has a great sense of humour and creates rapport with all her co-hosts. I think she deserves a chance at some point.
Rishi – the Rishi we see presenting Snooker or Darts or Bobsleighing is a far cry from the one we see on RUK. The problem is he is viewed as Jack of all Trades Master of None yet I think Racing is his biggest love. You can tell he does actually know his stuff. I am prepared to give the guy a chance on a Racing only show but he really must sort out his interviewing skills. I cringed when he put Sir H on the spot at Ascot.
Sean Boyce – if I am ever really ill, God Forbid, I want Sean to deliver the news. It won’t seem half so bad. Unflappable, calm, intelligent, measured. Probably lacks a tiny bit of the charisma C4 are after which is a shame because he would have been a great addition imo.
"this perfect mix of poetry and destruction, this glory of rhythm, power and majesty: the undisputed champion of the world!!!"
Lydia – am I alone in really liking her? She is all mumsy and makes me feel warm inside – in a non sexual way btw! She also has a great sense of humour and creates rapport with all her co-hosts. I think she deserves a chance at some point.
With Clare Balding as lead presenter it wasn’t going to happen – having two alpha-females in the team just would not work
Sean Boyce – if I am ever really ill, God Forbid, I want Sean to deliver the news. It won’t seem half so bad. Unflappable, calm, intelligent, measured. Probably lacks a tiny bit of the charisma C4 are after which is a shame because he would have been a great addition imo.
Totally agree with you there – I think Sean is wasted in the backwater that is ATR
I though she was more of the Crystal Carrington type Joni..Thankfully Emma seems to have got rid of the ‘tangoed’ look lately and seems to be dressing more appropriately. She’ll have to watch those roots though ‘Joany’ wouldn’t be seen dead with her roots showing.
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