*blonde*

I'll let you off this time

And down the hill he goes, what will this be then.

I want 'down the hill, up the hill, around the hill' and the word 'then' deleted from Legard's vocabulary.

Only problem is we'd have another 30 minutes of silence during the race.

Well, if that is a problem that is

sure someone has mentioned this by now, but if not don't forget on ITV they'd get breaks during which they could work out what was happening, catch their breath and work out what they want to talk about next, they don't have that now and it may be contributing to brundle struggling a bit compared to the way he was.

Imagine though the depths allen could reach with no break, god knows where he'd end up given the chance to talk for nigh on 2 hours solid......

Nah, more a case of Martin has effectively had to try and do 2 roles at once and talk more than normal because Legard isn't that great. Certainly noticeable how many times cars go off track or something happens, and Legard doesn't even realise it, almost as though he's not even looking at the TV screen, and so it's left to Martin to point things out to him.

ITV i think, commentated through the advert breaks. Because even though UK audience might be at break, other audiences (NZ, Aus) may not be.

If they did they made sure to stay schtum as ads came on and when came back from. It seemed tailored to the ad s to me.

They did indeed. Was obvious when doing highlights and the ad breaks wouldn't be at the same time as they were when the rae was live, and so you'd hear the commentary that we didn't get during the ad breaks here (silverstone 2003 when the nutter ran on the track seconds before an ad break is a perfect example, as later that year i saw the australian commentary, and Allen kept talking throughout the incident while we were on an ad break)

From The Culture in The Sunday Times:

Woo, the Sunday Times paragraph-writers are up in arms. Call the cops.

True, but that's ominous because it's definitely not the BB demographic.

And down the hill he comes... what will this be then.

Seriously, anyone, hearing that phrase ninety times in the space of an hour will want to put a gun to the guys head and pull the trigger.

Or write into the Sunday Times.

I always get scared when someone called Ursula C. McIntyre writes in

It's more amazing that someone so offended by verbiage should choose to witter cliches to the paper.

Bearing in mind there were more comments two weeks ago.

I suspect they print a reflection of the number of letters they receive on a subject (usually it's complaints about Working Lunch!)

But if you want to be facetious, I guess you won't care.

Oddly, I don't care about a self-selected sample that end up being published in a grotty little column by the TV listings with the sole purpose of generating debate. Next week it'll be about Kate Humble or TV chefs or something.

My, you must be a real laugh of a Saturday night.

Am I just being naive here or does DC seems to have it in for Kimi? Some harsh criticism and personal remarks were thrown Kimi's way. I'm not really sure they were totally valid tbh.

Jonathan Ledgard is not really cut out for Formula One. He must have noticed the problems written about him on Internet fora, yet he has thus far refused to change his style. Unacceptable, IMO.

On Sunday, he kept saying that Trulli was leading the race when it was obvious that Glock got the jump on him at the start. How can commentators make such basic errors?

Because they are usually commentating on what they can see on a tiny portable that the circuit provide in the booth ?
We however, can see a lot better on our 50" plasma TV's who is who.

I was watching on a computer screen and could figure out what was happening, and I wasn't even using the timing screen...

Dear Mr Smith

Thanks for your e-mail regarding Formula One coverage on the BBC.

I understand that you're unhappy with Jonathan Legard as a commentator of the sport as you feel that he's very poor and has no passion when he commentates.

We appreciate that commentators can divide opinion amongst viewers and realise that they may not be to everyone's taste. However, they remain popular because of an extensive knowledge in the sport which is beneficial to our coverage.

It's in the nature of commentating and punditry that contributors are expected to provide their personal view on the action and events surrounding the sport they're watching. The range of tastes and opinions held by our audience is so diverse that it's inevitable some viewers will dislike or disapprove of certain presenters. It's a very rare TV personality who meets with everyone's approval, and it's clear that opinions on individual presenters can vary considerably.

I do acknowledge your disappointment with Jonathan Legard and that you feel that he should be replaced therefore please be assured that I've registered your complaint and your suggestion of James Allen on our audience log. This is a daily report of audience feedback that's circulated to many BBC staff, including members of the BBC Executive Board, channel controllers and other senior managers.

The audience logs are seen as important documents that can help shape decisions about future programming and content.

Thanks once again for taking the time to contact us.

Regards

Claire Jordan
BBC Complaints

There's only so many ways they can say thanks for your complaint, we've logged and will look into it. Please can people stop posting their replies they're all the same

But you weren't commentating.

The thread had drifted off the page it needed bumping up ;)

It is essential that given this is the biggest F1 community in the world that as many people register their disgust at Legard with the BBC

I don't think talking prevents you from, you know, looking at what's going on and seeing who's leading the race?

Was it me of did Jordan look even more uncomfortable???

And how long until DC just punches 7 shades outta him ;)

Dear Mr Tilly

Thanks for your e-mail about our coverage of 'Formula One: the Bahrain Grand Prix'.

I understand that you feel that Jonathan Legard is a poor commentator who's getting worse instead of better. I note that you feel that he's making too many mistakes and you believe he should be replaced.

We appreciate that commentators can divide opinion amongst viewers and realise that they may not be to everyone's taste. However, they remain popular because of an extensive knowledge in the sport which is beneficial to our coverage.

It's in the nature of commentating and punditry that contributors are expected to provide their personal view on the action and events surrounding the sport they're watching. The range of tastes and opinions held by our audience is so diverse that it's inevitable some viewers will dislike or disapprove of certain presenters. It's a very rare TV personality who meets with everyone's approval, and it's clear that opinions on individual presenters can vary considerably.

I appreciate your feedback about our Formula One coverage and I do acknowledge your disappointment with Jonathan Legard. Therefore please be assured that I've registered both your comments on our audience log. This is a daily report of audience feedback that's circulated to many BBC staff, including members of the BBC Executive Board, channel controllers and other senior managers.

The audience logs are seen as important documents that can help shape decisions about future programming and content.

Thanks once again for taking the time to contact us.

Regards

(name removed)
BBC Complaints

Not a fan of Legard either. Never had a big problem with Allen until 2007, when he became a lewis fanboy. But it is hard to know if this was him or a ITV policy. I always enjoyed Rider on BBC, but he turned into an equally big Lewis fanboy on ITV. Maybe there was a directive from the producers to make the ITV show Lewis centric. Allen seems much less of a fanboy in his own writing - maybe he would be less of a Lewis fanboy on BBC?

Legard remains a football man. As soon as Jenson took the flag, most of his final thoughts on commentary we about football.

The BBC are doing a great job of covering the stories up and down the pitlane.
Jake and DC are excellent. Also Anthony on 5Live is top notch.

You can tell there must be a volume of these complaints now, as the replies are becoming increasingly standard. While there are definitely cut and paste elements to all of them, they started off being tailored far more than they seem to be now.

Basically they are now just sending out 95% boilerplate text :-)

Personally, I think everyone should keep this up.

No, it wont change anything. At least not now. But it will definitely keep the issue on their radar - and in a bureaucracy that is often more important than anything else.

It's him. He needed someone to replace his Schumacher fixation. You only have to look at his blog to see that his Hamilton obsession continues unabaited.

As I said, you are not a commentator, nor am I. It's easy when there's no pressure, but in the box:

They have producers in their ears
they are watching out of the commentary box
they are looking at notes
they are watching the live timing
they are watching the world feed
there are several million viewers on your case.

It's easy to lose sight of what's going on.

They do seem to keep repeating that he is there because of his knowledge of the sport, which is surprising to say the least.

They stay in the best hotels, travel first class all over the world, get to go to all the best F1 parties, get paid 6 figure salaries, their job is not easy but they have just about the best job in the world

i'm sure every commentator is capable of at least noticing who's leading the race.........even with all those things, its not exactly difficult to see (and the number of times legard has missed someone going off track and 2-3 seconds after waiting for legard to say it brundle has realised hes had to step in and say someone is off track is quite poor, and his 'ohhhhh' everytime he sees someone off track or crashing or passing is getting a little annoying too)

The best jobs in the world still require hard work. They need to be switched on at all times, you never know where nuggets of information can come from. At first it's quite a luxury to be dining in the best hotels, but after a bit it becomes a job. It's not what it seems.

I don't think JL was the best choice, I'd have gone for David Croft or James Allen.

Nah, Hamilton would be like a 2nd brundle (albeit not as good) as hes more of an analyst/colour commentator than being a main commentator

You've just listed reasons why it is basically unforgiveable to not notice a lead change

It's not like they've got a third person (used to Mark Hughes) lurking in the background advising them of things they may have missed as well? Oh, they have...

I have to say, I don't think we'll ever be happy with the BBC's commentator.

The job appears to be a poison chalice.

Not really. Just put David Croft in - he's very good.

Or why it's easy to miss things.

I can't stand David Croft!

One man's Red Rooster is another's feather duster.

Personally I'd like to see the guys from MotoGP!

But even he missed Hamilton passing Glock at Brazil last year. He nearly had a heart attack when the timing came up and yelled "Hamilton's fifth!!!!!" just as he finished a sentence about how Hamilton had blown the title.

I could be way out with this but I always felt the main reason they gave the job to Legard was because he was the BBC F1 man for years and they needed to be seen to give a BBC member of staff an important role.

Legard needs at least half a season before we start to pass judgement I reckon.

He's adjusting to a new job too.

Why post their reply up though? It's the same as the rest.

Is it?

Many years as an F1 commentator are their reasoning just appears to be struggling to make the switch to TV.

Ah the old give Crofty a TV role argument.

Please don't, on TV he's possibly worse than the cock. Never shuts up just commentates like he's on the radio and good luck to whoevers next to him on getting a word in.

It looks like the BBC are getting increasingly tetchy...


Dear Mr Jeremiah

Thanks for your e-mail about our coverage of 'Formula One: the Bahrain Grand Prix'.

I understand that you feel that Jonathan Legard is a poor commentator who's getting worse instead of better. We've received a spate of complaints from a few people of late, some of whom (rather pathetically in my opinion) appear to be emailing in repeatedly.

We appreciate that commentators can divide opinion amongst viewers and realise that they may not be to everyone's taste. We ask that you allow Jonathan a short period in which to settle in before going for the jugular; it's not an easy job as I'm sure you appreciate, even if your predecessor was James Allen!

It's in the nature of commentating and punditry that contributors are expected to provide their personal view on the action and events surrounding the sport they're watching. The range of tastes and opinions held by our audience is so diverse that it's inevitable some viewers will dislike or disapprove of certain presenters. We'd hoped to circumvent these complaints by providing multiple commentary streams, but it appears a very small number remain unhappy.

I appreciate your feedback about our Formula One coverage and I do acknowledge your disappointment with Jonathan Legard, your comment will be added to the audience logs with the rest of the dross not giving Jonathan a proper chance to settle in.

Please don't write to us again, we get the message, you've been moaning since before the first race of the season.

Regards

(name removed)
BBC Complaints