BBC News strike

With radio is a lot easier to run a skeleton service, at the worst all it takes is someone to go into a studio and play CDs, and there is a level of automation that can be used to do this.... assuming that whoever is in knows how to programme the computer.

Most well known non-news presenters aren't staff and can decide whether to come in or not. Expect to hear some unfamiliar voices - there are always people willing to use a strike to further their career

Again, what makes you think staff at Westminster aren't striking?

I'm sure if James Martin can do it, then half an amoeba can too

Indeed, and the Westminster studios are more labour intensive than N24s

Indeed. Never works though. They just lose the respect of their colleagues. And management see them as someone extremely pliable who can be shoved where they like.

And I gather one old "hasbeen" from World may be in to save the day

The comments here make quite interesting reading..

An Old Hand you say ?

Well Monday could be very interesting, Generic titles, if any, Dogs going walkie and the Towers doing an Italian builder on us.
I wouldn't be surprised to see different astons, titles - something which wasn't so long ago faded out, thats of course presuming there will be titles.
I'll miss Mr Wogan on Monday and my Radio Station is promising hours of endless country chillout.

So, someone who used to do World and has since retired, hence isn't bothered about breaking a strike to earn a few extra quid.

Hmmm, can't remember the World team pre 1998. Donald MacCormack? Did John Tusa used to do it (although he still does stuff on Radio 3)? Can't think of any more old (in terms of age) 'hasbeen' World presenters who are no longer around.

Of course, you might mean 'hasbeen' just as an insult for someone who's getting on and is going against their colleagues and breaking the strike, so it might be Phil Hayton who did World for years.

But I think you do mean someone who hasn't been around for a while. Anyone got a better memory?

(Edited to correct my awful attempt at spelling 'MacCormack', not to nick the idea!)

Anyone for Donald McCormack? Or perhaps John Tusa?

Could be any one of several people - Peter Coe / Nici Marx / Gwennan Edwards / Donald MacCormack / John Tusa / Carla Garapedian / Stephen Cole / Keshini Navaratnam / Anita MacNaught / Roger Finn / Lindsey Brancher / Melinda Wittstock (remember her????) / Linette Tye (remember her too?) / Tim Sebastian / Valerie Sanderson... the list goes on.

Well I think we can delete some of these already...
Stephen Cole still presents on News 24/ Click; Anita MacNaught is in New Zealand, I think and Nici Marx is long gone.

Although I personally think maybe a bit more still at the BBC but maybe on the radio front, So possibly Edward Stornton, Robin Lustig or maybe even if they are really desperate.... Mark Peerrccy! ( I joke )

Yes, I agree with Matrix - Cole is certainly still around as a fill-in, so perhaps wouldn't rock the boat. Peter Coe was certainly a former World stalwart, but I don't know if he'd be described as an 'old hasbeen'.

From your list I'd take the already mentioned MacCormack and Tusa (though I would point he is still around) and your suggestion Tim Sebastian. Does Roger Finn do some R4 stuff now? I also wondered about Nici Marx, who certainly did World for a long time.