IT
Sorry, House. It's just that this evening was the first opportunity I've had to see Fiona Armstrong presenting for any decent length of time, not only in prime time but also taking the lead. I was struck by how much she has taken to it in comparison to the others who started at the same time as her. I haven't seen either Julia or Carole for quite some time now, so I was just suggesting that maybe the BBC also see Fiona's potential? Apologies if this has been discussed before but I felt as though I wanted to make the point.
itsrobert
Founding member
I don't know what's worse, that years after joining the channel all three women have to be mentioned if one of them does, so that comparisons can be made, or that the very same points get made over and over again.
Sorry, House. It's just that this evening was the first opportunity I've had to see Fiona Armstrong presenting for any decent length of time, not only in prime time but also taking the lead. I was struck by how much she has taken to it in comparison to the others who started at the same time as her. I haven't seen either Julia or Carole for quite some time now, so I was just suggesting that maybe the BBC also see Fiona's potential? Apologies if this has been discussed before but I felt as though I wanted to make the point.
AN
Presumably Ellie disappeared and then sneaked back in around 8pm so she could do the 90 second update?
Whilst on the subject, what is the 9:30 round up of World news about, I assume it's a simulcast with BBC World, but it's so short it seems hardly worth bothering with?
Andrew
Founding member
Fiona Armstrong and Ellie Crisell doing the 7pm shift on the News Channel. Holiday season - that's the reason!
Presumably Ellie disappeared and then sneaked back in around 8pm so she could do the 90 second update?
Whilst on the subject, what is the 9:30 round up of World news about, I assume it's a simulcast with BBC World, but it's so short it seems hardly worth bothering with?
DF
Presumably Ellie disappeared and then sneaked back in around 8pm so she could do the 90 second update?
Whilst on the subject, what is the 9:30 round up of World news about, I assume it's a simulcast with BBC World, but it's so short it seems hardly worth bothering with?
Ellie disappeared, yes - looks a bit odd when Fiona/co-presenter is left on their own for about 20 minutes, including the TOTH, and then Ellie reappears out of nowhere on the next link!
Only the headline summary is shared with BBC World News - hence why they have to use the World News sting and start the headlines with 'A summary of the headlines from around the world now' rather than the usual 'You're watching BBC News, the time is xx:xx' intro. The rest only goes out here in the UK and they try to continue it in the usual news channel fashion despite the studio change.
Fiona Armstrong and Ellie Crisell doing the 7pm shift on the News Channel. Holiday season - that's the reason!
Presumably Ellie disappeared and then sneaked back in around 8pm so she could do the 90 second update?
Whilst on the subject, what is the 9:30 round up of World news about, I assume it's a simulcast with BBC World, but it's so short it seems hardly worth bothering with?
Ellie disappeared, yes - looks a bit odd when Fiona/co-presenter is left on their own for about 20 minutes, including the TOTH, and then Ellie reappears out of nowhere on the next link!
Only the headline summary is shared with BBC World News - hence why they have to use the World News sting and start the headlines with 'A summary of the headlines from around the world now' rather than the usual 'You're watching BBC News, the time is xx:xx' intro. The rest only goes out here in the UK and they try to continue it in the usual news channel fashion despite the studio change.
SR
Hmm... i was going to post something about the pairing of Lady MacGregor of MacGregor and the Squeaky Mouse Lady, but i would have been seriously in breach of the rota thread rules.
Anyway... Fiona Armstrong is absolutely superb. She regularly shows herself to be a better presenter than some of those Nyooz Chanul stalwarts and regularly outshines whoever she is on screen with. I would definitely give here a more promenant relief role. Even so far as to put her on the BBC One bulletins, and possibly on World. In fact i hear there is a job going at NWT which she would be brilliant at.
Anyway... Fiona Armstrong is absolutely superb. She regularly shows herself to be a better presenter than some of those Nyooz Chanul stalwarts and regularly outshines whoever she is on screen with. I would definitely give here a more promenant relief role. Even so far as to put her on the BBC One bulletins, and possibly on World. In fact i hear there is a job going at NWT which she would be brilliant at.
CH
In fact i hear there is a job going at NWT which she would be brilliant at.
Indeed! And I remember her presenting Breakfast with Roger rather competently!
In fact i hear there is a job going at NWT which she would be brilliant at.
Indeed! And I remember her presenting Breakfast with Roger rather competently!
HO
Sorry, House. It's just that this evening was the first opportunity I've had to see Fiona Armstrong presenting for any decent length of time, not only in prime time but also taking the lead. I was struck by how much she has taken to it in comparison to the others who started at the same time as her. I haven't seen either Julia or Carole for quite some time now, so I was just suggesting that maybe the BBC also see Fiona's potential? Apologies if this has been discussed before but I felt as though I wanted to make the point.
Sorry if I seemed snappy, Rob, and my reply wasn't really referring to your comment, so much as every other comment that's made every time they appear. I don't see, for example, why when Carole Walker appears this thread needs several comments about how awful she is. Clearly people feel she's not great, she doesn't seem to have improved since her occasional appearances some seven or eight years ago so she's unlikely to now, and the BBC are clearly unlikely to remove her. So just repeating 'she's robotic, she should stick to reporting' over and over again gets tiresome. I do think it's one of the problems with generic threads, is people feel the need to populate them with stuff you wouldn't start a thread about.
As it happens I too think Fiona Armstrong is great, and works well on both the BBC News Channel and Breakfast. But unlike 'aprilf', I think the fairer thing to do if comparisons were to be made would be to compare her to Rachel Schofield, Julian Worricker, Sue Thearle, Tim Willcox, Annita McVeigh, Sophie Long, Ellie Crisell or any other relief presenter, rather than simply those deemed 'over 50s women'.
She is great, but she always was. She arguably has more experience than other presenters who appear more frequently.
In terms of personality (as opposed to her ability to read an autocue, interview, deliver breaking news, etc.) I think it depends on who her co-presenter is. I didn't see last night, (Ellie Crisell annoys me in the way she reads the autocue, interviews, delivers breaking news, and pretty much anything else necessary for a newsreader), but when I've seen her she's been best with the likes of Simon McCoy. I'd far rather see her given the Monday morning slot than Rachel Schofield, who is experienced and competent but very, very boring.
I don't know what's worse, that years after joining the channel all three women have to be mentioned if one of them does, so that comparisons can be made, or that the very same points get made over and over again.
Sorry, House. It's just that this evening was the first opportunity I've had to see Fiona Armstrong presenting for any decent length of time, not only in prime time but also taking the lead. I was struck by how much she has taken to it in comparison to the others who started at the same time as her. I haven't seen either Julia or Carole for quite some time now, so I was just suggesting that maybe the BBC also see Fiona's potential? Apologies if this has been discussed before but I felt as though I wanted to make the point.
Sorry if I seemed snappy, Rob, and my reply wasn't really referring to your comment, so much as every other comment that's made every time they appear. I don't see, for example, why when Carole Walker appears this thread needs several comments about how awful she is. Clearly people feel she's not great, she doesn't seem to have improved since her occasional appearances some seven or eight years ago so she's unlikely to now, and the BBC are clearly unlikely to remove her. So just repeating 'she's robotic, she should stick to reporting' over and over again gets tiresome. I do think it's one of the problems with generic threads, is people feel the need to populate them with stuff you wouldn't start a thread about.
As it happens I too think Fiona Armstrong is great, and works well on both the BBC News Channel and Breakfast. But unlike 'aprilf', I think the fairer thing to do if comparisons were to be made would be to compare her to Rachel Schofield, Julian Worricker, Sue Thearle, Tim Willcox, Annita McVeigh, Sophie Long, Ellie Crisell or any other relief presenter, rather than simply those deemed 'over 50s women'.
She is great, but she always was. She arguably has more experience than other presenters who appear more frequently.
In terms of personality (as opposed to her ability to read an autocue, interview, deliver breaking news, etc.) I think it depends on who her co-presenter is. I didn't see last night, (Ellie Crisell annoys me in the way she reads the autocue, interviews, delivers breaking news, and pretty much anything else necessary for a newsreader), but when I've seen her she's been best with the likes of Simon McCoy. I'd far rather see her given the Monday morning slot than Rachel Schofield, who is experienced and competent but very, very boring.
JW
Martine Dennis doing a rare late afternoon shift on World. What's the reason?
She is a legend.
She is a legend.
WO
No, however there is a small green screen area in TC7 where the Marr news updates used to come from.
In N6 is there a green screen at all?
No, however there is a small green screen area in TC7 where the Marr news updates used to come from.
WO
Sorry, House. It's just that this evening was the first opportunity I've had to see Fiona Armstrong presenting for any decent length of time, not only in prime time but also taking the lead. I was struck by how much she has taken to it in comparison to the others who started at the same time as her. I haven't seen either Julia or Carole for quite some time now, so I was just suggesting that maybe the BBC also see Fiona's potential? Apologies if this has been discussed before but I felt as though I wanted to make the point.
Sorry if I seemed snappy, Rob, and my reply wasn't really referring to your comment, so much as every other comment that's made every time they appear. I don't see, for example, why when Carole Walker appears this thread needs several comments about how awful she is. Clearly people feel she's not great, she doesn't seem to have improved since her occasional appearances some seven or eight years ago so she's unlikely to now, and the BBC are clearly unlikely to remove her. So just repeating 'she's robotic, she should stick to reporting' over and over again gets tiresome. I do think it's one of the problems with generic threads, is people feel the need to populate them with stuff you wouldn't start a thread about.
As it happens I too think Fiona Armstrong is great, and works well on both the BBC News Channel and Breakfast. But unlike 'aprilf', I think the fairer thing to do if comparisons were to be made would be to compare her to Rachel Schofield, Julian Worricker, Sue Thearle, Tim Willcox, Annita McVeigh, Sophie Long, Ellie Crisell or any other relief presenter, rather than simply those deemed 'over 50s women'.
She is great, but she always was. She arguably has more experience than other presenters who appear more frequently.
In terms of personality (as opposed to her ability to read an autocue, interview, deliver breaking news, etc.) I think it depends on who her co-presenter is. I didn't see last night, (Ellie Crisell annoys me in the way she reads the autocue, interviews, delivers breaking news, and pretty much anything else necessary for a newsreader), but when I've seen her she's been best with the likes of Simon McCoy. I'd far rather see her given the Monday morning slot than Rachel Schofield, who is experienced and competent but very, very boring.
I don't find Rachel Schofield boring, I think she's very down to earth. Reminds me a lot of how Anna Jones used to present on News 24.
I don't know what's worse, that years after joining the channel all three women have to be mentioned if one of them does, so that comparisons can be made, or that the very same points get made over and over again.
Sorry, House. It's just that this evening was the first opportunity I've had to see Fiona Armstrong presenting for any decent length of time, not only in prime time but also taking the lead. I was struck by how much she has taken to it in comparison to the others who started at the same time as her. I haven't seen either Julia or Carole for quite some time now, so I was just suggesting that maybe the BBC also see Fiona's potential? Apologies if this has been discussed before but I felt as though I wanted to make the point.
Sorry if I seemed snappy, Rob, and my reply wasn't really referring to your comment, so much as every other comment that's made every time they appear. I don't see, for example, why when Carole Walker appears this thread needs several comments about how awful she is. Clearly people feel she's not great, she doesn't seem to have improved since her occasional appearances some seven or eight years ago so she's unlikely to now, and the BBC are clearly unlikely to remove her. So just repeating 'she's robotic, she should stick to reporting' over and over again gets tiresome. I do think it's one of the problems with generic threads, is people feel the need to populate them with stuff you wouldn't start a thread about.
As it happens I too think Fiona Armstrong is great, and works well on both the BBC News Channel and Breakfast. But unlike 'aprilf', I think the fairer thing to do if comparisons were to be made would be to compare her to Rachel Schofield, Julian Worricker, Sue Thearle, Tim Willcox, Annita McVeigh, Sophie Long, Ellie Crisell or any other relief presenter, rather than simply those deemed 'over 50s women'.
She is great, but she always was. She arguably has more experience than other presenters who appear more frequently.
In terms of personality (as opposed to her ability to read an autocue, interview, deliver breaking news, etc.) I think it depends on who her co-presenter is. I didn't see last night, (Ellie Crisell annoys me in the way she reads the autocue, interviews, delivers breaking news, and pretty much anything else necessary for a newsreader), but when I've seen her she's been best with the likes of Simon McCoy. I'd far rather see her given the Monday morning slot than Rachel Schofield, who is experienced and competent but very, very boring.
I don't find Rachel Schofield boring, I think she's very down to earth. Reminds me a lot of how Anna Jones used to present on News 24.
JW
Ok. The bets are off.
Nik Gowing is back on World at the moment. And Tim will be doing the WNT shift as well at 7UK.
It seems that our little holiday charade is over........ah, well.
Nik Gowing is back on World at the moment. And Tim will be doing the WNT shift as well at 7UK.
It seems that our little holiday charade is over........ah, well.