Even if it was an 'improved' offer after his initial defection, I still think Logan, Rosenthal et al would've been naive to think that Steve Rider would not get more of a foothold at ITV Sport in the long run.
You do have a point, but on the other hand ITV has generally had seperate presenters acting as main anchors for seperate sports, with the only cross over being in more of a secondary role.
Steve Rider does a top job, but I will miss Gabby Logan - she also does a top job and was unfairly criticised last year for merely being a presenter in a studio, presenting the football and introducing a few premium rate ITV competitions. This was becuase of the ridiculous pitchside analyst desk, leaving Gabby all alone in the studio and not able to show her flare and knowledge of the game.
It seems unfair that Rider is getting the pundits back in the studio for this year and I think Gabby has had an unfair deal.
Tis great though that Jim Rosenthal will again be presenting this year's ITV4 Champions League games! He always rocks!
For the record, they are: Brian Moore (1986), Elton Welsby (1990), Matthew Lorenzo (1994), Bob Wilson (1998), Des Lynam (2002) and Steve Rider (2006).
Il.
Just shows that ITV didnt rate the 1990 or 1994 World cup much if they had a Gameshow presenter and a guy who was a fairly minor sports presenter.
I do remember during the 1998 World Cup that they had Tony Francis from Carlton Country presenting highlights shows...
I remember reading somewhere that Mary Nightingale from ITN presented highlights of the 1995 rugby world cup....
Well, the only gameshow I can recall Welsby doing was Busman's Holiday. Sport was always his main forte. He was Greg Dyke's choice as presenter, a decision Dyke made in 1988. He was replaced after Euro 1992 and replaced by Lorenzo who signed from Sky News. Welsby stayed with Granada until his contract wasn't renewed in around 2000, and went to Century FM a few years later before leaving 2 years ago. Last time I saw him was last year presenting the Waterloo Cup Crown Green Bowls on Sky Sports...........I kid you not!
Tony Francis was very good on World Cup '98, and he also presented snooker on ITV in the late 1980s/ early 1990s after Dickie Davies left ITV completely. Francis also presented The Central Match for a long time. Wish we saw more of him on our screens really.
As I recall ITV's main anchor for the 1995 Rugby World Cup was Alastair Hignall, who, as some of you may know, is not in the best of health these days. I can't remember who did the highlights, and never had Mary down as a rugby fan, but you may well be right.
Frank Bough certainly presented the 1991 RWC though.
Elton Welsby presented bowls for ITV as well - long time ago now.
1995 Rugby World Cup presenter was Hignell, but Trevor McDonald got a look in as well. Highlights were indeed presented by Mary Nightingale and guess who else ... Mark Austin. Wonder if those two ever worked together again!
Elton Welsby presented bowls for ITV as well - long time ago now.
1995 Rugby World Cup presenter was Hignell, but Trevor McDonald got a look in as well. Highlights were indeed presented by Mary Nightingale and guess who else ... Mark Austin. Wonder if those two ever worked together again!
He was the main anchor for all the regional sports on Grabalot (oops I mean Granada). He did the bowls, the Lancs/Yourks Cricket matches, crown green bowling - he also the main anchor for the two seasons/series of Granada's own version of World of Sport - during the 1990's.
Am I wrong to think that Nick Owen (formerly of TV-AM) presented some of the 1990 World cup on ITV? And Tony Francis presented the highlights package on ITV during the 1994 World Cup.
Nick Owen presented the 1990 World Cup from London (Elton Welsby presented the main games from Italy). Francis shared the presenting with Matthew Lorenzo in USA 94, and arguably was the main presenter for the final.
