Bill Oddie Quits

[Cowgirl]

Originally Posted by loony

hi , i cant tell you what the bill bailey bird programme is like as i`ve never seen it cos i havent got digital tv for all progs --i can get some but not all and this was one i could not get . hope chris stays for springwatch and autumnwatch .sue .

I did start to watch it and I thought Bill was a good presenter, but I soon got bored with the 'celebrities' acting stupid & silly so I stopped watching it. I think Bill Bailey & Kate Humble would be a good combination for Springwatch though.

[caernerch]

bill does a lot of work off-screen. the programme is past it's sell-by date, too hackneyed and repetative - wall to wall badgers and red deer. if they must carry on - anyone but fogle he hasn't got the knowledge and he's too lightweight and overexposed.
caernerch

[wizzo]

Well for me it's got to be the present duo of Chris and kate. I think Bill was well past his best before date and Chris Packam is very knowledgable and a very accomplished photographer. Kate also is a good presenter and clearly has a very good knowledge of wildlife. More than that though....she's gives the program the Pwarrr factor (in my opinion) lol

[Harry Eales]

I'm not really unhappy about Bill Oddie leaving Springwatch. He may know his birds, but he cannot forget he was a comedian. He was also getting rather bad mannered and interrupted other presenters. A bit boorish and overbearing.

I know he has had medical problems and life can be difficult for him, but there has to be a line drawn somewhere. I know I'm not the only one to comment on this and it may be that he has been given the chance to go, before he had to be pushed.

He's a nice guy, but until he is over his medical problems I believe he should stay off the screen.

Who to replace him with? That's always going to be a problem. Several 'Big Hitters' have been given the post of presenter in some major Natural History TV documentaries, David Dimbleby and Alan Titmarsh, to name but two, but neither has the experience, gravitas and the natural history knowledge of (Cue heavenly music) Sir David Attenbrough. (Cut heavenly music). Titmarch certainly knows his garden plants, but I'm not sure he has the necessary broad NH knowledge needed by a presenter in order to be believeable. Dimbleby is a heavyweight political presenter, but Natural History? No, I don't think so.

Harry

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by Harry Eales

Who to replace him with?

Not sure if I've mentioned it before, but the fragrant Christine Bleakley gets my vote!
;^)

Jim

[Cowgirl]

I think Adam (Henson??) of Countryfile & Kate Humble made an excellent team. Thought they presented lambwatch well. You could have Chris & Simon as experts in the field. I'd love to find out how "humble" the lamb is doing on Adams farm.

[wizzo]

As I've said before, I like the current set up. However, I would personally love to see much more of Johnny Kingdom on television. I think his knowledge, naivity and, almost child-like enthusiasm is infectious and would, I think, really appeal to adults and kids alike. I also think that Simon is great obviously. I can't imagine anyone, ever saying anything negative about him. Wizzo