Which Presenters/Commentators have stood out for you during the Olympics?....

[Worthai Seagull]

I was reading a profile on Balding yesterday, where some people say she is largely owned by the public now. Her partner, who i have to look up not being too aware of radio 4 newsreaders and their appearance, says she feels she has to give her up to all of us, her now being in our hands. Not sure that is quite true, but she is a decent presenter and knowledgeable in dialogue. They mention a few apologies she has had to make in the recent and distant past, whilst throwing in that really, even if insulting, she is speaking the minds of those watching at home, but i suppose someone fairly forthright and loquacious is a better-sounding analyst that the drearier yes-sir-no-sir troop who bore more than reveal.
Yes, i quite like her, in spite of the description in the piece of her being undoubtedly posh and lucky.

Err..what does that all mean ? Gobbldygook !

 

[Worthai Seagull]

Given that Clare Balding has had such rave reviews generally for her work during the Olympics it will be interesting to see what the BBC do to keep her. Since the BBC gave up on horse racing it was thought she would head over to C4 to work on their racing coverage but maybe they will work a bit harder to keep her at Auntie now.

Er..no . BBC signed her up from C4. Hardly likely she will leave now . Shes one of the top people there....radio/tv. And proved she has a huge knowledge of many sports...nothing to do about working a bit harder to keep her at the BBC. She's a BBC employee...its the other way around... whether any other channel could now afford her . The Beeb really dont have to work harder to keep her there..she works for them !!!!

 

[Worthai Seagull]

that really old female was Olga Korbut - the greatest ever gymnast in olympic history

Maybe thats why hes called Junior !!!

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Er..no . BBC signed her up from C4. Hardly likely she will leave now . Shes one of the top people there....radio/tv. And proved she has a huge knowledge of many sports...nothing to do about working a bit harder to keep her at the BBC. She's a BBC employee...its the other way around... whether any other channel could now afford her . The Beeb really dont have to work harder to keep her there..she works for them !!!!

I'm not sure she does: I think she's effectively self employed & works on a contract basis. She's working for C4 at the upcoming Paralympics.

 

[Worthai Seagull]

I'm not sure she does: I think she's effectively self employed & works on a contract basis. She's working for C4 at the upcoming Paralympics.

I apologise. I work in the tv industry and thought i knew. im wrong .

 

[Worthai Seagull]

I'm not sure she does: I think she's effectively self employed & works on a contract basis. She's working for C4 at the upcoming Paralympics.

Forgive me Edna...how do you know shes self employed ?

 

[Worthai Seagull]

You really are the font of all knowledge !

 

[Theatre of Trees]

Michael Johnson I could listen to all day. I was somewhat surprised when BBC first got this giant of the track as a pundit, and continue to be surprised that they continue to do

If I remember correctly Johnson was originally persuaded to give it a go by Jackson who was a friend of his.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

INO Best : Balding, Cram, Michael Johnson and Thorpe.

Worst: On TV - Lineker and Colin Jackson. Radio - Colin Murray on 5Live - Awful.

The BBC has done a quite BRILLIANT job of covering these Olympics.

Justto compare -just AFTER the 10,000 mtrs final started on US television, they had an advert break!!

 

[Badger]

I'm not a fan of boxing but I thought the guys doing the commentary were tremendous, it actually made me want to watch it. Michael Johnson was a really good pundit, I'm sure they're slowly trying to make him British. Barry Davies had his moments and I thought he was going to have a heart attack in the women's semi-final when GB weren't pushing forward at the end. All the cycling guys were good, even Cav with his slightly odd delivery was quite entertaining.

The woman that does the gymnastics can f*** off though, I just want to punch her every time I hear that stupid whiny voice.

 

[Hove Seagull]

The BBC has done a quite BRILLIANT job of covering these Olympics.

Justto compare -just AFTER the 10,000 mtrs final started on US television, they had an advert break!!

Which is why the licence fee is completely justified, and why the BBC should always remain ad-free. Best broadcaster in the world.
I think it was Hans Kray who said that the NBC coverage of the olympics in USA contained 20 minutes of adverts per hour. Shocking!
The BBC is yet another reason to be proud to be British after the fantastic show of the last couple of weeks.

 

[Trigger]

Michael Johnson, tells it exactly like it is, doesn't skirt around any issues and try and make crap people/things look good, if it's a poor performance he will say so unlike the majority of our rewarding failure commentators/pundits.

 

[Stat Brother]

Forgive me Edna...how do you know shes self employed ?

Most of the on-air talent, are self-employed. Rule of thumb the younger the talent the more likely they are to pop up anywhere.

It's the fall out effect from Jonathan Ross and Graham Norton multi million pound contracts.

 

[topbanana36]

Tell you what the NZ commentators have been toilet, just seen the Mo Farah 5k british style great stuff

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

I'm not a fan of boxing but I thought the guys doing the commentary were tremendous, it actually made me want to watch it. Michael Johnson was a really good pundit, I'm sure they're slowly trying to make him British. Barry Davies had his moments and I thought he was going to have a heart attack in the women's semi-final when GB weren't pushing forward at the end. All the cycling guys were good, even Cav with his slightly odd delivery was quite entertaining.

The woman that does the gymnastics can f*** off though, I just want to punch her every time I hear that stupid whiny voice.

I'm a big boxing fan (was lucky enough to see Luke Campbell fight) and although I think Richy Woodall is EXCELLENT, as is Jim Neilly, I'm not so sure about the other guy (Ron ??) He knows his stuff as in facts/figures etc, but IMO spent too much time talking about the boxers previous fights rather than what was happening IN the ring.

Anyway, small point, and yes, overall the Boxing coverage has been excellent.

Best venue, atmosphere wise, IMO at the Olympics (and that includes the Athletics, although I might not be saying that if I had been in the stadium when Mo Farah won either of his medals!)

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Forgive me Edna...how do you know shes self employed ?

I just think I remember her mentioning it at some point when someone was expressing their surprise that she'll be working for C4 during the Paralympics. Probably on Twitter or something.

Not being one of the BBC's so called "stars"- ie the bland, horrendously overpaid mainstays like Lineker & Barker, I think she can work for who she likes.

Would hate it if she signed for ITV, mind. But I think she's more intelligent than that.

 

[Sussex on Leith]

Balding was superb as many have said, but also enjoyed Manish Bhasin on BBC3 - unruffled and unpretentious, appears to know his stuff (where some others seem almost proud of the fact that they don't), and always remembers that people have tuned in to watch the sport rather than him - in stark contrast to his co-presenter on the Football League Show, among various other TV sport regulars.

 

[W.C.]

I thought Lineker was good. He has to be a bit bland as the 'main' presenter but I thought he was enthusiastic and eloquent.


I really like the way the BBC get in World Champions like Michael Johnson and Ian Thorpe. Johnson seems a bit serious but really knows his onions. Thorpe came across as a genuine bloke.

Denise Lewis is nice too.

And I loved the way McEnroe was there and even he didn't hide his surprise and delight at being invited. He's always pretty funny.

 

[W.C.]

None of them have stood out for me. Likewise none have disappointed. I reckon that's exactly how it should be, like a good referee. You barely notice they are there, which means they are doing a fine job of keeping the focus on the athletes.
Top top work by the BBC, they've done the occasion proud

Very good point.

Wish soccer ball commentators had this approach. Especially the sky ones.

 

[glasfryn]

the boxing commentators saying "boxing out of orthodox" what the hell is all this "out of " we are not yanks yet for gods sake