Alastair Down back on C4 racing

Great  news
Welcome  back  A.D

Full steam ahead for the gravy train

Has not taken long for C4 to panic big style.

If viewing figures are down 12% and they are starting to panic about a botched start, maybe they would have considered bringing back Big Mac......but looks like he has already shot himself in the back.

be brough scott next

Good news on AD , now bring bring back Big Mac CH4 you know it makes sense.

I don't object to having AD back, but would not want big Mac who is my least favourite TV personality of any sport or programme, never mind racing. I usually watch ATR or RUK in preference to C4 in any case but if Mac is on, I am definitely watching another channel.

Getting rid of Tanya would improve things no end.  How she survived last time is a mystery - can't get through a single slot without getting her words muddled up.  Bit of problem for a tv presenter imo.

I don't object to having AD back, but would not want big Mac who is my least favourite TV personality of any sport or programme, never mind racing. I usually watch ATR or RUK in preference to C4 in any case but if Mac is on, I am definitely watching another channel.

Agreed. Can take or leave Down, despite his disdain for the opinions of anyone who isn't in racing's payroll.

However why anyone would watch C4 Racing purely to see some fat oaf waving his hands about is beyond me.

i wonder if he will still turn up for work pissed as a newt?

1.01 landed

Can just about stand AD providing he doesn't repeat the 'carved from granite' line too many times. Met him once, at the bar, during a Cheltenham evening do, very dismissive character. Thinks the earth orbits around him.

oh joy, we can look forward to the daily montages fromt he great wordsmith after all, I was worried Tanya might have to do them!!

"Hic"

He will be penning a pretentious piece of prose as we speak, with a half empty vodka bottle at his side.

At this rate it won't be long before they dig up Oaksey.

AD and JMcC - do nothing to help the business of horseracing

On any objective analysis of performance Stephenson would have been dropped; McRirick argues an ageist agenda I would argue more of a feminist stance was adopted.

that will certainly help there case  against McCririck. while their might be a few fly's on big john there are certainly none on channel 4

mine's a double..........so is AD's

Good news - welcome back AD!

From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring.

Is that you AD?

Please don't say he's done some interviews, over a long lunch, for Cheltenham.

You couldn't make it up, imo...

the guy is a drunken disgrace..it makes my blood boil watching this alkie on my tv screen blabbering a load of
booze fueled garbage.

Agree with Millhouse, it's beyond belief they've brought this fella back so soon, this was supposed to be the bright new dawn of the Era Of La Balding, and people are switching her off, JUST LIKE THEY DID WHEN SHE PRESENTED BBC RACING.....
So what do the blinkered execs do?
"It cant be us who got it wrong, she's a national treasure, we kept saying so, we'll have to bring back that fella who talks about the cheap seats a lot"

he must have connections or a black book

Trebles all round!!!!

Absolutely on the money as ever, Jonjo...

C4 press release.

Twenty thrilling races and over 20 hours of live action, featuring the world’s best jump jockeys and horses, will be televised live on Channel 4 from the fabled four-day Cheltenham Festival on March 12 - 15.

Channel 4’s high definition Festival coverage starts daily on March 12 with The Morning Line live from 7:55am presented by Nick Luck. Former top jump jockey Mick Fitzgerald will be track-side every morning to give his expert evaluation of that day’s runners with Sam Thomas reporting from the stables. The Morning Line will be packed with features, racing news, tips and a daily guest to provide viewers with crucial pointers for the day ahead.

Channel 4 Racing’s Festival coverage runs from 12:35 – 4:20pm with a daily delivery of five races and evening highlight packages. Presented by Clare Balding, she is joined by Nick Luck with Jim McGrath, Mick Fitzgerald, Graham Cunningham and Ted Walsh to provide unrivalled analysis from the track-side studio. Alice Plunkett and Rishi Persad will be out and about bringing all the atmosphere of the thrilling four-day meeting to the screen. Tanya Stevenson will relay the betting updates, with Simon Holt calling home the winners for his thirteenth consecutive year. Alastair Down returns to the fold to deliver daily essay-style preview packages.

Channel 4 Racing: Festival Morning Line: 7:55am

Channel 4 Racing: Cheltenham Festival: 12.35pm - 4.20pm plus evening highlights.

Friday’s Cheltenham BetFred Gold Cup is off at 3.20pm with Channel 4 Racing: Gold Cup Re-Run at 7.55pm.

......Alice Plunkett and Rishi Persad will be out and about bringing all the atmosphere of the thrilling four-day meeting to the screen......


god help us !

AD a good egg imo.

I hope they don't do that feature where they are all sat round the dinner table stuffing their faces whilst discussing the days feature, my toes still haven't uncurled after suffering that.

Fking ted walsh '****'

Alice, Rishi, Mick, and most of all the lovely Clare...........what a bunch of numpties. Channel 4 Racing, you are completely and utterly finished!

Glad to see him back,he is excellent on the tv(better than the balding anyway!

Hope the girls dispose of those awful hats.

Ted Walsh brings precious little to the table

a couple of the young Timeform guys can talk a bit,jamie could had a bit of northern naturalness i am sure,and martin should be on there.

thank god i have ruk.
it as it's faults,but i dont think i could stomach most of that c4 crew for 4 hours.

I can't believe anyone has stopped watching that tripe because they don't have effing Down on.

Hope it won't be too long before the top man ( Tommo) returns.

Nice one artie. The guy is a legend/genius. Come back Thommo!!!!!!

I wonder what those in the "cheap seats" have to say about Down coming back.

SAY WHAT YOU LIKE ABOUT TOMMO, HE"S CONSUMATE PROFESSIONAL AND GETTING RID OF HIM WAS A GRAVE ERROR.

Disappointing figures for the Craven meeting force return of The Catt...
...C4 bosses stated today "Emma was gettig lonely and distracted with Mike sat in the carpark with the engine running, so we decided to bring the F-factor back for the flat!"
...it is thought the silver haired adonis is under strict orders NOT to udnertake interview duties,but instead is to restrict his involvement to staring longlingly at Ms Spencer and occassionally offering a cheeky wink.

Graham Goode commentating and the return of the ITV 7 are next.

the show is moribund

Those people who have turned off will fall into one of two categories: casual viewers who miss the humour and serious punters / racing / betting industry pros who get everything they want from the specialist channels.

What C4 racing has to do is satisfy the second group (shots of horses in the ring and moving to post, an odds ticker, lots of information about form on screen) without the first lot noticing. Imv in these circumstances, the first thing to do is to nail down your base.

Hth C4 racing!

removing Rishi Persad and Graham Cunningham would improve things imo .Both are poor

Ah yes, GG's Gestapo bins, unable to pick out colours. You have to love it.

surprised 52 posts - and no mention of Francome.

no objection to A.D. coming back.  I wasn't McCririck's biggest fan and at times he was bloody annoying, but to a wider audience I suppose he did have entertainment value.  And no strong character on the team at the moment.  Jimbo is fine as a walking form book.  Tommo, NO.

Mike Catt was ok but the double-act with Emma didn't really click.  Tanya, not easy sharing screen time with Big Mac and she coped pretty well with that, but comes up a bit short on her own. I think C4 will get it right, just need to re-jig it a bit, and they know they haven't got it right at the moment.

The problem is that the old Channel 4 presenters and production team all knew each other (and some may have liked each other). When you don't know the people you're working with, you behave in a naturally cautious way and can't fake the on-air camaraderie.

A racing programme has to have Clare Balding--she is genuinely impressive to the casual viewer, authoritative, decent and racing benefits from its association with her. But if everyone but Mick Fitz don't know her that well, she should be up front as the 'voice' and the banter shd be between members of the old team.

Will be great once again(and again and again) to hear about the annual pilgrimage to cheltenham, cheltenham is horse racings olympics, and racing being the winner.
It is so enchanting.

Stand by for more "Easterbys own half of Yorkshire sh*t"

fawwon 27 Feb 13 20:49 
Will be great once again(and again and again) to hear about the annual pilgrimage to cheltenham, cheltenham is horse racings olympics, and racing being the winner.
It is so enchanting.


and "the craic."

Ah of course, waxing lyrical about the mighty craic. Marvelous.

If you don't spout cliches and repeat what most people think, how cd you ever get to be on a tv programme? Television presenters are sociable and genial and don't hold unorthodox views.

To bet, you usually need to go against the crowd and hold most people in contempt.

Most successful or pro bettors are always going to hate most tv presenters.

Is John Rickman still alive? If he is then why not bring him back?

Lifting his trilby with a "good afternoon ladies and gentleman and welcome to Cheltenham" is sure to add at least the missing 12% and probably many tens of thousands more!

I'm pleased AD is back

Good News,Fat Al has a real passion for the game.Silly decision to get rid of him in the first place.

get rid of Cunningham, virtually everything he said the last time he was on turned out to be wrong

It is good to see Eire represented by Fat Al

"......Alice Plunkett and Rishi Persad will be out and about bringing all the atmosphere of the thrilling four-day meeting to the screen......


god help us !"

Alice is ok but Rishi had better not spoil it for me

Mick Easterby would make a fabulous presenter- "Now that orse theeer, he's a right c... at home ,but e can't alf fu....g run....."etc.,etc.

I'm not a huge fan of AD's over the top pompous style, but Im glad he is back for Cheltenham as the current programme is really quite dull.

Lord snooty not liked by the lower classes!

This opens the door for Willie Carson as the saviour of CH4 racing...

Mick Easterby would make a fabulous presenter- "Now that orse theeer, he's a right c... at home ,but e can't alf fu....g run....."etc.,etc.

paul the b 28 Feb 13 10:05 Joined: 11 Sep 03 | Topic/replies: 493 | Blogger: paul the b's blog
This opens the door for Willie Carson as the saviour of CH4 racing...

don't get that fat al back doing his essay style broadcast, he is an arrogant alchoholic

get rid of Rishi, Mick, and Tanya then they might have a chance to get a decent programme.

John Rickman and Tony Cook were the ideal combo imo. That was ITV though.

Ted Walsh is a pikey and down waxing lyrical about the likes of jp et al is beyond nauseating

At least Mccririck conveyed a sense of what it's like to suffer a punting meltdown.Most of the other presenters are smart alecy and their disdain for punters not privy to inside info is clear.The types who will freeload drinks after you've had a touch but who wouldn't normally give you the skin of their shoyte.

At least Mccririck conveyed a sense of what it's like to suffer a punting meltdown.Most of the other presenters are smart alecy and their disdain for punters not privy to inside info is clear.The types who will freeload drinks after you've had a touch but who wouldn't normally give you the skin of their shoyte.

Clare Balding as anchor, James Sherwood and Jodie Kidd on the fashion, and Tommo on everything else. Job's a good 'un.

BBC used to manage with just Peter O`Sullivan and Clive Graham.

Why are Alice and Rishi talking to the crowd? Sod the crowd. What other sports interview drunks in funny costumes instead of the participants and showing the action.

Alice knows what horses are supposed to look like so send her down to the start, from where she can tell us if anything is playing up.

I watch C4 racing & the "new" team & format has not got off to the best of starts.
This so called new high-tec way of pre-race build-up is just not working (as much as none of them seem to be able to operate it right).
Do we really need all this high-tec stuff on a racing program??? Its not needed imo.
Far to many changes where may in 1 stroke to the show & sometimes in life & tv, you need to take a few steps back to move forward.
Gd luck to C4 & hopefully some of these probs will be sorted out for 4 of the best days of racing in the world a wk come next Tues.

When his head is bobbin around and his boat is weaving around on the screen you start to go a bit dizzy.

Apparantely C4 have employed a carpenter to make a stick with an attachment on the end. The attachment end goes to the neck and the other end sticks on the back. Head shaking solved.

Every single one of them, Brown nosed bottom licking cowards, a shower of dog poo

heard today that another one has got the call back to C4, Lee could be coming back on the team.

5 to 1 on the machine and 4 to 1 in the village

too many cooks spoil the broth.

Sir Mark said he wouldnt speak to C4 unless alistair was there.

If that is right and Tom Lee is coming back, that would be a good move.  Tanya seems to be struggling a bit on her own. I think they should have kept Tom in the first place.

To draw in a wider audience I think they need someone who brings a bit of fun and character to the team,  (without bringing back Big Mac or Tommo).

Surprised Betty Spencer is still there, nice to look at but what does she bring to the team. I think Francome was a great loss because he was very popular with a lot of viewers. Jimbo is a bit boring but his knowledge of form is an asset to the team.   

Seen Tom Lee at Taunton races yesterday, his father had a runner in the last race, and when Tom gave the jockey( M.G.Nolan) a leg-up, the jockey went right over the horse and came off the other side !

Tanya,Mac and Tom always seemed a bit superfluous.Certainly at 8am the prices available are irrelevant to most punters.The betting shows can be superimposed on screen for both 'the ring' and 'exchanges'and I for one don't need the free adverts they give to bookies.Oh,and any chance of seeing the runners live in the parade ring and going to the start and not a few seconds before the race starts.Ta!