Best BBC Olympics presenters?

NotAGolf · 7 Aug 2012 at 21:22

Jake Humphrey is my favourite. To those saying he's 'dumbed down', I don't think that's his job. He's there to present and keep things going. For the techy stuff, he hands it over to the analysts like DC in the F1 and Cav in the cycling.

I think Clair Balding has done very well, although I don't really like her for some reason.

I don't have an opinion on Gaby Logan or Hazel Irvine.

I really don't enjoy Gary Lineker or John Inverdale. Both of them are boring to listen too, and always seem uninterested. You can always tell when someone's talking in their ear too, especially Inverdale. They immediately stop talking, pause, errr for a bit, then continue there sentance. Something I think Jake and Claire handle very well.

I also enjoy the vast majority if analysts they have with the exception of Ian Thorpe. Especially Michael Johnson who I really enjoy listening too.

And I know it's not on TV, but I think James Cracknell on 5 live is great fun and it's obvious he really enjoys his sport and his job.

bsoltan · 7 Aug 2012 at 21:23

Ian Thorpe came across amazingly well I thought.

Mad old tory · 7 Aug 2012 at 21:34

[DOD]Asprilla;22515909 said:
Edit; just re-read the article and he probably is refering to hollow crank arms, it's just badly written.

Yeah that's it, they use a special alloy as a mould for the carbon and then the alloy melts at 50 c

Converge · 7 Aug 2012 at 21:34

John Inverdale creeps me out. He's got really piercing eyes and fangy teeth.
Reminds me of some kind of orc from Lord of the Rings or similar.

I don't mind his voice, just his appearance!

Matt Baker was great I think, seems genuinely excited throughout.

Michael Johnson is great too.

Gary Lineker fluffs every other line I swear. But I still like him on the whole.

Clair Balding is always consistent

Mad old tory · 7 Aug 2012 at 22:22

Lineker has seemed out of place in these games. It's pretty obvious that he doesn't really have much interest in some of the olympic sports. It was cringeworthy when he was leading the swimming coverage with Ian Thorpe. You've got one of the best swimmers ever and some random bloke who clearly hasn't got a clue about swimming.

Westyfield2 · 7 Aug 2012 at 22:32

Claire Bolding is the best. The rest are rubbish!

Merlin5 · 7 Aug 2012 at 22:57

Slghtly off topic, but does anyone have an idea, a ballpark figure, of what Jake probably earns a year? He's on TV a lot isn't he, with the F1 and lots of him on the Olympics. He was also covering some of the euro football a few weeks back.

Vonhelmet · 7 Aug 2012 at 23:05

qqg3 said:
that ex-Blue Peter chap who has covered a lot of the gymnastics.

Matt Baker. He used to be a gymnast, which is probably why he's got that gig.

Westyfield2 · 7 Aug 2012 at 23:08

I like Matt Baker

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Freddie1980 · 8 Aug 2012 at 00:25

John McEnroe - without him I would struggle to watch the Tennis events.

Moothead2 · 8 Aug 2012 at 00:30

Westyfield2 said:
I like Matt Baker .

So do I. Partly because he's one of the Blue Peter presenters I grew up watching

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elmuzzy66. · 8 Aug 2012 at 08:15

The presenter during the athletics last night was just awful. Old chap with white hair. Think Michael Johnson doesn't like him after his comment on Kenya runnners being a shoe in for long distance running.

RDM · 8 Aug 2012 at 08:21

Westyfield2 said:
I like Matt Baker .

His partisan enthusiasm is amusing, he gets my vote!

Cosimo · 8 Aug 2012 at 09:02

Presenters and not pundits:

Jake Humphrey – give the infant a chaser then he might come over smooth and sensible

Hazel Irvine – sex before coming on air might stop the droning

Gary Lineker – needs to find the match of the day studio

John Inverdale – if the vampires don’t get him Michael Johnson will

Matt Baker - carry on son anonymity is good for you

Claire Bolding – who needs a Rolls-Royce when you can listen to her

The Rest - you'll never win a medal

markweatherill · 8 Aug 2012 at 11:15

Hey it could be a lot worse. Someone at the BBC might have thought Fearne Cotton would make a good Olympics presenter.

zootfloot · 8 Aug 2012 at 11:24

Claire Balding is streets ahead in the presenters stakes.

Shes friendly, knowledgeable and also has a really nice voice.

To be honest all of the others have just been a bit average so far.

Kimi · 8 Aug 2012 at 11:30

Chris Boardman, has been fantastic

this_is_gav · 8 Aug 2012 at 13:50

More of a summariser, but Craig Heap has been brilliant on 5 Live, and I'm really not interested in the gymnastics.

NotAGolf · 8 Aug 2012 at 16:00

this_is_gav said:
More of a summariser, but Craig Heap has been brilliant on 5 Live, and I'm really not interested in the gymnastics.

Agreed. Love the banter surrounding his haribo addiction too!

Jay Psi · 8 Aug 2012 at 16:37

Presenters? Claire Balding has been by far and away the best.

John Inverdale was good with the rowing when he could hand off to Pinsent/Redgrave further down the course, but in the athletics he doesn't look comfortable talking to Johnson/Jackson/etc. face-to-face.

Jake Humphrey seemed to be at a loss for words quite often, but he was still enthusiastic, and not too excitied (lookin' at you, Matt Baker ...)

I've been impressed by the sailing trio of Shirley Robertson, Graham Bell and that guy who MCs at The Crucible (name please?). Nothing annoying about any of them, and I don't remember any of them ****ing up. Mind, I would have preferred it if Robertson did some punditry as well.