The Rise and Rise of Huw Edwards

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/9482987/Huw-Edwards-takes-over-from-Dimbleby-and-Sons-at-the-BBC.html

So, is Huw now officially the successor to Dimbleby? Is Huw the new generation of Sir Alastair Burnets?

Hmm, I'm in two minds on this. I don't think he's got the hang of big state events like the Royal Wedding just yet. Admittedly, I didn't see much of the Jubilee coverage, but at the Royal Wedding, he managed to pick up that habit of looking down every few seconds, which didn't do much for the pace. I don't think he seemed very comfortable then, either. Now, he may of improved since then, but from what I saw of the Royal Wedding, it wasn't all that spectacular.

Then again, with Hazel Irvine at the opening and closing ceremonies, he really was quite good, and he shined when he had others alongside him. In fact, I quite liked him when he was at the Olympics full stop. Although, he didn't seem to be best friends with Trevor Nelson.

So, basically, I've managed to contradict quite a few times. I'd say he's good when he's with someone else on these big occasions, but I'm not his greatest fan when he's alone on these occasions?

Great, we have to put up with him at the Commonwealth Games in a couple of years too. Now he's got his feet under the table I suspect we'll get him at Rio too even though the only thing he adds to the ceremonies is added irritation.

Huw is no Tom Fleming, that's for sure.

What an excellent birthday present for Huw. He's got rather big shoes to fill.

This 'habit' has been brought up before, and this video helps to explain:

He doesn't just do it when he is quoting though. He just does it at regular intervals. I always got the impression that he was trying to fool us that he wasn't reading auto que.

I find he tends to look off camera, I assume at the monitors.

This was mooted some years ago that he would be the successor. Nice guy. I hope that he is a pleasant surprise for the sceptics.

Quite a pointless article really. He's been doing the ceremonies etc for a few years now. Dimbleby will still do Election Nights I'd say.

I thought he was quite good at the ceremonies this year. My only fault was that he didn't talk enough. He left out quite a bit of detail, particularly in the Opening Ceremony.

The point is though such events are artistic illustrations of the detail - hence the commentators don't need to say too much at all. Granted he was better than Delhi and Beijing this time around (though he had Trevor Nelson to attract the criticism) - but it makes little sense the BBC use a news presenter to commentator on the Olympic ceremonies and a sports commentator to commentate on the Jubilee.

I do think though he is excellent on the election coverage - he's been doing it a decade or so in Wales and I usually watch him over Dimbleby.