Beijing Olympic Games 2008

Sadly Brekkie is not alone...

Jake is a very friendly and likeable presenter, but he really doesn't seem in the same class as Sue, Hazel, Clare, Gaby etc.

I too get very strong CBBC overtones - and as I'm not a regular CBBC viewer this isn't just because I've watched him present these shows.

He also seems far less comfortable than the other presenters at times. Not sure he's used to working without Autocue (and in a relatively unscripted manner) in a studio presenting environment.

I'm not saying he should stick to kids shows - his style will transfer to some adult shows. It just doesn't work that well in the context of a major event like the Olympic Games - particularly in comparison to the rest of the team who are just so much more comfortable and confident on-screen.

Thanks noggin for explaining it far better than I could. It's ridiculous Claire Balding is stuck on the overnight shift despite her experience of fronting the Olympics, Paralympics and Commonwealth Games while the new boy gets the flagship slot. Just remember if he hadn't quit for ITV Steve Rider would probably be doing this shift - and Jake Humphrey is no Steve Rider.

It also means he's generally the one who gets to interview the medallists when they come into the studio - and he just hasn't got the knowledge. I lost count of how many times he referred to Louis Smith as the Olympic Champion the other day even though he only won Bronze.


As for the CBBC connection, that's kind of irrelevant. Other CBBC presenters have gone on to fit far more comfortably into a sports broadcasting role, notably Simon Thomas on Sky Sports News and despite some criticism, Matt Baker for the BBC gymnastics team - and despite a rocky start at the Athens games, overtime Craig Doyle managed to transfer from holiday presenter to sports presenter too.

Jake isn't that bad, and I think it's good scheduling to have him on the afternoon shift, It's School Holiday time (well not in Scotland I'll agree) and if having a well known ex-Children's presenter on, that young people can identify with attracts them to the Games coverage it's not a bad thing.

Sue anyway is handling the athletic events so he's on only on camera briefly on the post lunchtime slot, and is then used to link the highlights section leading up to 6pm. It's not as if he's lead presenter.

Bit of a roundabout way of getting there, but this Huffington Post article includes a video of Bob Costas interviewing President Bush in the main NBC studio in Beijing. There's a sweeping wide shot right at the end of the clip, where you can see the sofa area behind the desk.

The Today Show is broadcasting from an open-air studio by the Bird's Nest Stadium - I think it's at the base of the Ling Long Pagoda, where the BBC's studio is. For a look at that, go here and click on 'view netcast'.

Jake Humphrey in the studio with Matt Baker. CBBC? No, the Olympics...

How the broadcasting world moves on - we wouldn't be seeing that four years ago.

I do like Jake, and think he's definetely one for the future - to me he does come across as knowledgeable both when interviewing and also during the discussions he had with Sue Barker at shift changeover in the first week of the games. I would have no problem with him replacing Ray Stubbs, Manish Bhasin or Adrian Chiles at any point, though I do think those three are also good presenters. He is certainly streets ahead of Rishi Persad and for me Craig Doyle.

16 golds. * does a little jig*

Ah, we caught a little bit of that at work the other day - I'd forgotten quite how 'in yer face' American TV was, and that opening sequence demonstrates it perfectly. They've even brought a crowd of Americans to wave flags in the background. And Al goes and talks to them before he does the weather. Just like at home!

I like how on NBC's medals table America are on top!

http://www.nbcolympics.com/medals/index.html

Is it wrong that I want China to get a few more, just to top the US on that table?

Oh for ****'s sake, Can't the Americans even get the medals table right?

It's not only NBC though - USA Today are doing it too...silly Yanks.