Emily Maitlis to host Newsnight

How dare you criticize Come and Have a Go! That was a class tacky show with Julian and Emily at the helm! Hopefully returning next year for more sarcastic swipes at Vanessa Feltz!

I hardly think we should find ourselves deciding between *either* of them, to be perfectly frank.

I heartily suggest all who have an opinion speak now so we can say, "I told you so" after the show is over.

It was so bad I just had to watch! At least Emily had a better dress sense than Julian Clary and didn't make jokes after every question. I still don't think she's suitable for Newsnight though, probably better, as someone suggested, on the Breakfast news summaries.

Please don't get me wrong - I'm sure she's bright - as is Natasha... After all they're both Oxford grads aren't they? So they must be academically reasonably competent.

Being an intelligent interviewer requires more than being bright though - it also requires quite a lot of other life-skills.

I'm genuinely interested to see how Emily suits the different role - but if it is anything like her performance on BBC London it will be "interesting"

To be honest with you, I'm sure Emily will be very competent and do an adequate job. I just don't see how she's managed to leapfrog so much into the limelight when there are so many who would do a better job and have put a lot more into where they are today. Someone said about BBC London presenters finding it easier to land the big gigs like this and to be honest it's true, and reaffirms my belief that the BBC has no idea what goes on outside of the M25.

We can only hope she gains the confidence needed to handle Newsnight, AFAIK she seems a little too shy.

Agreed totally

Well, if everyone isn't watching Sky News tonight, I'd tune in tonight, as it appears Emily will be hosting Newsnight tonight

well put gav

http://www.dolben.demon.co.uk/newschannel/maitlis1.jpg
http://www.dolben.demon.co.uk/newschannel/maitlis2.jpg

Well in a change to our schedules here on BBC Two, we now replace Newsnight with Playdays...

What a patronising, slow and frankly boring presenter. Wholy unsuited to a heavyweight in-depth news programme.
I found myself looking at her, as she seemed to be glued to the autocue. Interviewing really isn't her fote!

Hope to god Eddie, or at least a half decent presenter will be drafted in for cover. She should be black listed and sent back to regional tele.

I didn't see all of it - and there seemed to be a couple of very long taped reports - but the links I saw were delivered competently. On the other hand was certainly no amazing revelation. Emily's style seems to be a bit "cool metropolitan" - but I'm not sure it is right for Newsnight.

During the first interview she seemed to be reading questions from script - but she isn't the only presenter to do that.

It wasn't terrible - but it wasn't great either. As others have said - there are surely better people available, who have a bit more of that elusive "something" in their presentation and interview style.