Bbc snooker team only 3 times a year?

[trains]

Taylor Thorne and Virgo plus Davis and Parrott
Seems strange that this quintet of commentators,by far the best there is are sidelined for so long,anyone know the Beeb's plans for next season and beyond? cheers

[screw-back]

My opinion (for what it's worth), Taylor still has the commentary voice but I'm afraid Virgo has had his day, Davis is a poor commentator, Parrott is very good, Thorne is MUCH MUCH over-rated and doesn't know the rules and misleads the viewing audience, You forget Doherty who tends to get shot selections right most times, Foulds is REALLY good and finally Griffiths has a dry wit but passes on much knowledge in what he says.

As for what the BEEB do, they can only provide work that the snooker calendar provides.

[Tred]

I make it 4: Grand Prix, UK, Masters, Worlds (5 if you include the Welsh Open although that's usually Terry, Dominic and Darren Morgan - Willie Thorne made a guest appearance this year). Have one of these tournaments been dropped for next year?

[Tred]

FWIW, I agree about Virgo - he's always been annoying and comes across as being very arrogant. Let's be fair, he wasn't a great player, made a living out of making some poor impersonations and wearing wacky waistcoats and probably wouldn't have been good enough to qualifiy for the tour in this day and age. Some people love him though! I just don't find him funny or knowledgable.

I rate Everton and Griff and have really enjoyed listening to McManus (nice to hear a new voice for a change).

Davis, Parrot, Doherty and Foulds are all listenable. Joe Johnsone is alright in small doses whilst Thorne is too obsessed by how you split the pack. Dennis is Ok, but is awful when he's with Virgo. I don't like Mike Hallett for some reason either (not sure why that is maybe it's just his voice?). But, if I could send one of them to room 101, it would definitely be Virgo...

[Cyril]

Out of all of them, I most enjoy listening to Neal Foulds and Terry Griffiths. Shame the BBC only use them for the early rounds.

[trains]

I make it 4: Grand Prix, UK, Masters, Worlds (5 if you include the Welsh Open although that's usually Terry, Dominic and Darren Morgan - Willie Thorne made a guest appearance this year). Have one of these tournaments been dropped for next year?
The last Grand Prix was Oct 2009 which switched to the world open the following year,both were in Glasgow covered by the bbc,the world open now is in China,Mark Allen's a big fan :-)

[Souwester]

As for what the BEEB do, they can only provide work that the snooker calendar provides.

Errm the BBC *choose* which events they want to cover, and if they wanted to cover every event that WS stages, including all the overseas events and the PTCs, I'm sure that WS would be delighted with the massive boost oin their income. However, BBC choose to spend their budget elsewhere, more's the pity.

[JeeSe]

Willie Thorne is not the best commentator in my opinion (I just find some of the things he says irritating, irrelevant and often wrong) and John Virgo sadly seems to get on my nerves a little now..

The very best and so far unmentioned in this thread, is Clive Everton, the most knowledgeable and professional commentator snooker has. The BBC sidelining him is one of the most disappointing things to happen in snooker.

Dennis Taylor produces some great commentary along with Neal Foulds, as do John Parrot and Ken Docherty.
I also enjoy hearing Stephen Hendry on occasions though I do feel Stephen Hendry and also Steve Davis are better suited to the studio and interviews.

and moving on from commentators, to presenters...

Hazel Irvine seems to have a genuine interest in snooker and at least from her years presenting it enough knowledge to present the show with few mistakes and some intelligent conversation.
Rishi Persad however (as nicer guy as he seems) seems to stumble over his words, he makes countless mistakes and seems to know very little about snooker and even at times the players names....

[adrift]

Clive Everton is by far the best commentator and Hazel is the best presenter

[Souwester]

Clive Everton is by far the best commentator and Hazel is the best presenter

Without doubt Clive Everton is the best of the bunch, and Hazel does a fair job presenting. But things just aren't the same without Ted Lowe's inimitable commentary and David Vine presenting.

I think I'm showing my age...

[trains]

Without doubt Clive Everton is the best of the bunch, and Hazel does a fair job presenting. But things just aren't the same without Ted Lowe's inimitable commentary and David Vine presenting.

I think I'm showing my age...
John Pullman would probably have been as popular as Lowe but I'm guessing didn't get the airtime if any at all on auntie Beeb,and what would have became of David Icke if they gave him the gig instead of Vine? no Terry Wogan 'they're not laughing with you they're laughing at you'.
poor guy :p

[screw-back]

Everton was by far the best commentator but he's off the scene now. He is now past his best. I didn't comment about eurosport commentators as I thought we were on about the beeb.

Virgo IS irritating and again I say that Thorne is a disgrace. He criticised a referee a few days ago for no reason because he doesn't know the rules. The ref was right. They, Thorne and Virgo, should be both put out to grass.

If they were used under the 'sales of goods act', they'de both be sent back a snot fit for purpose. Please beeb, sack them.

[paul180]

david hendon is very good as well,very knowledgeable,and what happened to ray edmonds?

[LittleMissAlexa]

I make it 4: Grand Prix, UK, Masters, Worlds (5 if you include the Welsh Open although that's usually Terry, Dominic and Darren Morgan - Willie Thorne made a guest appearance this year). Have one of these tournaments been dropped for next year?

grand prix a) now the world open b) dropped by the beeb

[LittleMissAlexa]

taylor actually also commentates for itv (power snooker)

[wake_up_bomb]

david hendon is very good as well,very knowledgeable,and what happened to ray edmonds?I used to go in his snooker club quite regularly, and I would suggest the answer is he got too old, too fat and too wealthy to be bothered to keep turning up!

That sounds negative, it's not meant to be, it's just reality. He was a strong player in his day and is mentioned as being so by Alex Higgins in one of his biographies.

On the subject of commentators, I think the axing of Everton reflects a general tendency in sport on TV to give gigs to ex-professional sportsmen over (often more qualified, insightful and articulate) professional journalists and broadcasters. Sometimes they're not even retired; see Robbie Savage and Jason Roberts, also Matthew Hoggard commentated on TMS recently. In the case of snooker, no-one seems to have learnt the lesson that I've heard Richie Benaud give with regards to TV commentary - don't tell the viewer what they can see with their own eyes!

[SnookerFan]

Virgo is a bit of a pleb. Though my opinion on him has softened, since I've seen him at Snooker Legends. He is quite funny when he's there, and sends himself up a bit. The problem is his constant use of catchphrases can range from annoying to mildly amusing, depending on what mood you're in. "Where's The Cueball going? WHERE'S IT GOING????" The most annoying thing about Virgo is his constant recommending of shots. "Here's what I'd do?" And then getting the hump if his shot isn't played, even if the player finds something better.

I've gone off Dennis Taylor. Another guy, who in the right context can be entertaining, acts like he's not trying anymore. Anybody who has seen him on Question of Sport realises he knows next to nothing about snooker, for which he is paid to be an expert in. And is obsession with telling you who he plays golf with adds nothing.

Clive Everton is head and shoulders above anybody else when he's commentating. Best commentator by a long run. But he does come across as a bit in love with himself, and I'm not keen on his magazine. He'd win best commentator award, but not the award for guy I'd like to have a pint with.

Willie Thorne, I can't even remember anything about his commentary that I like or dislike. Probably says it all.

Terry Griffiths is a bit Welsh, but does talk sense most of the time.

Parrott is annoying, and isn't as funny as he thinks he is. I don't mind Davis, on occasion. Ken-Do I like better as a player/studio personality than I did as a commentator.

The best of the recent ex-players is Hendry. Up until recently-last night in fact- he was playing in venues. So what he had to say about snooker was more relevant to what we're watching now, than somebody who retired in 1995. And, he's won so many tournaments when he recommends a shot, you take what he says seriously. Unlike Virgo.

Foulds is okay. A bit blah.

[SnookerFan]

The Eurosport mob do come across as idiots sometimes. Always getting basic facts wrong. I once saw one of them say that Steve Davis beat Ronnie O'Sullivan in the final of the 2003 Masters, when in fact it was 1997. D'oh! And they've called frame ball before, when it isn't.

But saying that, they aren't furnished with the same level of facts and figures that the BBC mob are. Dave Hendon seems to know his stuff (ish) and Joe Johnson is okay, because he doesn't pretend he's some big expert. (Unlike Dennis Taylor.)

Who is the twonk on Eurosport who thinks a Cross Double is the answer to everything, and suggests it on almost every other shot? Is it Mike Smith? He's a fanny.

[trains]

Hendon and Yates have prob done snook on Eurosport since John Major was counting his peas as PM,I find both tearful bore's :-|

[SnookerFan]

I forgot about Yates, lol.

[LittleMissAlexa]

my only gripe is a man with 26 centuries in an 18 year career shouldnt be criticising peoples break building Doherty, Thorne, Hendry, Davis, Parrott have earned the right to question break building Virgo has not

[hld77777]

John Virgo has become so predictable over the years, and with his 'wheres the cue ball' shout when anyone can see the cueballs line is not towards the pocket is extremely tiresome.

Particularly himself and Willie Thorne both adopt this attitude that they know everything there is to know about snooker, when on several occasions they are incorrect.

Its already been mentioned by another member that he always recommends shots, which when not always favoured by the players in action he says 'no, no, to me they played the wrong shot'. This is irritating, as for someone to have such an opinion you would feel they would need to have won more in their career than he has, in order to be correct every time, as he seems to think he is!

My only complaint with Dennis Taylor is that he just wont stop making references to golf. If i wanted golf news or tips id be watching it!

Willie Thorne can be extremely negative at times, and some of the time actually wrong with his interpretation of the rules. He is also guilty of naming shots for players, and when not taken will spend the next 15 mins stating that the players wrong shot has cost them to whichever effect.

Im in full agreeance that Clive Everton was the most professional commentator, that offered unbiased comments. I think its clear to see which players Willie Thorne, Dennis Taylor and John Virgo favour, which in turn makes them unprofessional.

Neal Foulds most of the time is accurate, Ken Doherty seems to imitate the comments already spoken, and i dont think his voice suits the commentary position.

Mike Hallett i found to be ok mostly, whilst Joe Johnson tends to say too much at times, and sometimes appears ignorant by making incorrect or irrelevant comments.

[rich45]

Might have already been mentioned, but I enjoyed listening to Clive Everton's commentary in this tournament via the bet365 website. Neal Foulds also joined him in the later rounds...much better than Virgo et al.

[beetebuerg]

Without doubt Clive Everton is the best of the bunch, and Hazel does a fair job presenting. But things just aren't the same without Ted Lowe's inimitable commentary and David Vine presenting.

I think I'm showing my age...

Not so sure about that :) I am a youngster and I wish we still have the peerless David Vine with us. Even Dougie Donnelly was 100 times better than Rishi "stick to the horses" Persad.

The posts about Clive Everton are spot on. I have no problem with (ex-) sportsmen taking the place of presenters / journalists if they are good enough - Martin Brundle being a fine example and the best is Jonathan Agnew (ok Richie Benaud!). Indeed, I would move John Parrott to a presenting role ahead of Rishi. That said, it is nice to hear a different point of view in the commentary box that an Everton or even a Dave Hendon provides.

[narl]

I remember one eurosport commentary where MIke Hallett was having a whinge about the crowd starting to do a slow clap as O'Sullivan was taking a very long toilet break. Apparently the clapping was "pathetic", he was also questioning if ronnie was "upto his antics" again. Granted he was out of the arena for a long time but Hallett really came off as a bit of a whinger, he then started backtracking on what he was saying wondering if O'Sullivan was ill.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJURTObRJHc&feature=related

[tomedwards]

I used to go in his snooker club quite regularly, and I would suggest the answer is he got too old, too fat and too wealthy to be bothered to keep turning up!


Not true. Ray Edmonds was actually told by the BBC that his services would no longer be required after the 2004 World Championships. I believe his last commentary was during the quarter finals that year.

Ray Edmonds' letter to The Daily Telegraph:

Too old for BBC

Sir - I have a lot of sympathy with David Rhys-Jones, whose voice has been synonymous with bowls coverage on the BBC for a very long time. A similar situation occurred with myself last summer. Having been associated with snooker commentary for some 25 years – on ITV and, latterly, the BBC – I received a telephone call from the independent producer saying that my services were no longer required.

Apparently, there was no complaint with my work, only that change was required by the BBC as they were looking for younger people. To this day I still have not received any explanation direct from the BBC.

Having been with them for some 12 years as an integral part of their snooker team, it would have been nice to have had some explanation given to all the people who have watched snooker over the years as to why I was not on air this season.

I do understand that one cannot go on forever, but there is no doubt that viewers of sport do like to hear familiar voices, even though quantity, rather than quality, seems to have become the rule. The old television motto of "let the picture tell the story, and if in doubt say nowt" obviously no longer applies, but I have to say that the most common complaint I hear about TV commentary is "will someone please tell them to shut up".

The only letter shown to me in 25 years' requesting more talking came from a blind man who, quite rightly, said that it would help him to follow the match. I did, however, see many hundreds of letters requesting less.

Being semi-retired, I watch a lot of televised sport now and appreciate the fans' point of view more than ever.

Ray Edmonds

[TheBallBreaker]

There should be a button where you can turn commentary off. I know I can mute all sounds, but I would still like to hear the table noises and the referee.

[zach123]

I like Hendry, Davis, Doherty, Taylor, Foulds, Griffiths
I dislike- Virgo and Thorne. Because both players don't have anything to their name, whenever there interviewed it says uk championship winner for Virgo and finalist or once was 13th in the world rankings for Thorne
meh commentators- Parrot and Dale

[aloneagain]

please please please get rid of virgo he is useless i turn the tv down when i hear his gob