Hugh Porter dismissed

[claver58]

Cycling fans were told he was leaving the Beeb to explore other paths.
In fact the Beeb gave him the push without any warning. Hugh has been the voice of cycling for 30 years or so. May not to be everyone's liking (I liked him though) but he knew the sport.
Thank you BBC for being your usual subtle organisation!

 

[claver58]

Story is here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ot...fuddled-Auntie-is-no-company-for-old-men.html

 

[ColinJ]

Hmm ... I had a feeling that it might be something like that - not a nice way of doing it!

I think a similar thing probably happened with David Duffield on Eurosport. He just seemed to disappear. I know a lot of people got irritated by him but I thought he was a bit of a character and was a bit sad when we went.

 

[mickle]

I have a Los Angeles Olympics postcard signed by Porter. I wonder if its value has gone up or down after today's news.

 

[albion]

The Beeb really shoved him into the wrong commentary.

He really brought enthusiasm but needed a slower pace to keep up.
I hope he somehow keeps himself very busy so as to 'stay young'.

 

[zizou]

He was still pretty good for track racing but on the road he wasnt great and at times awful (mens road race in the olympics is the standout - which can partly be explained by them not having the race data needed - but he was also poor at the world champs too). Just alot of mistakes, not just in not spotting tactics or developments in the race but he seemed to be unable to identify riders apart from the Brits and a couple of big names like Contador.

 

[srw]

That's the usual Telegraph bash-the-beeb nonsense. The report is absolutely clear - it was handled professionally and with sensitivity by the BBC.

And it's not before time. Porter was hopeless.

 

[rich p]

Thank God they've dumped him. He was becoming an embarrassment. 2 employers going to his house to tell him seems pretty considerate to me.
Now we just need ITV (or whoever employs them) to dump Liggett and Sherwen.

 

[dellzeqq]

let's be clear. He was awful. Absolutely awful. Set aside the road race nonsense, he was way off the pace with track cycling. The great mystery is how he survived for so long.

Let's hope that this is the beginning of a clear-out. Jill Douglas is dreadful.

 

[Crackle]

I liked his enthusiasm and his voice but he quite often got it wrong, increasingly so. I don't like the way this was done though, he deserved much better.

 

[albion]

Boardman gets a heck of a lot wrong.

He is very rote.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Boardman gets a heck of a lot wrong.

He is very rote.

CB knows quite a lot about cycling and I'd keep him, if only for his reasoned advocacy of cycling amongst us mortals. I think Simon Brotherton was the new commentator on the BBC's coverage of the Minsk tracks. He did quite well for a first outing, I thought.

 

[Noodley]

Lots of capable new commentators/pundits out there. Porter must have seen it coming (although with his ability to miss things I may be wrong!), and he'll still make a good enough living I'm sure. I'm fairly sure he'll still be shouting utter bilge at the next Revolution series - the riders in the elimination race refuse to believe him when he shouts their number just because he's so dottery.

 

[oldroadman]

Perhaps we should be a bit more positive? HP has in the past done a good job, but recently the cliche count has been rising, and some of the work not at his former level. Simon Brotherton knows his stuff, was engaging during the Minsk championships, and it seemed to me got the best from Chris Boardman. Altogether a well delivered package. Whoever said get rid of Jill Douglas is plain wrong, she does a good job as she is asked in getting to riders with a light touch. I guess the last of HP has been heard on the Beeb, and I thought the Telegraph article a disgrace, if only for the veiled attack on Brotherton, who showed good knowledge and was able to spot riders well in the bunch races.
Time moves on, and if the newer comentators don't get opportunity, they may move on to other things, leaving the "anciens" spouting nonsense eventually - dear old David Duffield being a prize example. Eurosport is much improved by the Harmon/Kelly combination, and Kirby/Backstedt/Lloyd are pretty good too.

 

[pawl]

Sorry to hear the BBC have dropped Hugh.BBC being agiest again?.