[woot_whoo]

I've noticed, recently, that whenever there is a show on any of the documentary channels even vaguely related to Ancient Greece or Rome, it WILL be presented by Bettany Hughes. I quite liked her at first, but the fact that she's become pretty much the only presenter and expert on these shows has put me off watching both her and them.

A similar thing happened a few years ago with the unbearable Egyptologist Zahi Hawass, who started presented everything to do with Egypt and offering his 'wisdom' whenever he wasn't presenting. Luckily, he seems to have been somewhat disgraced and doesn't seem to appear much anymore.

I've actually noticed that in a lot of shows, certain 'experts' in a field will virtually hold a monopoly as presenters of shows related to that field. Similarly, there are presenters of non-specialist shows who seem to crop up on bloody everything. Anyone else get annoyed by the same faces and the same opinions on everything?

[Mystic Dave]

It is just yoof meejah laziness - every time there is a dodgy trader in the City, up pops Nick Leeson.

[NaturalDancer]

I don't see why they have to have someone with expert knowledge anyway. I mean Alan Titchmarsh was a gardener now he has his own chat show, has done a programme about the royal family and The Nature of Britain - ok that one did involve the flora of Britain but what about the wildlife is he an expert on that? (having said that I do like him )
Strictly speaking I know some shows do require experts; I'm just making a point. I mean look at Michaela Strachan, the first show I remember her being on was 'The Hit Man and Her' with Pete Waterman!

[Hugh Letdown]

I wanted Charlotte Uhlenbroek to become "everywhere". What happened!?

[scotch]

That guy Simon Calder who appears on the news anytime there's the slightest delays with flights or a problem with a holiday firm.

He writes for the travel section of The Independant but is sure to appear come any travel news.,

[ftv]

Originally Posted by scotch

That guy Simon Calder who appears on the news anytime there's the slightest delays with flights or a problem with a holiday firm.

He writes for the travel section of The Independant but is sure to appear come any travel news.,

He is actually The Independent travel editor which perhaps gives him a bit more authority. Producers love experts who will come in at the drop of a fiver and if they do they'll get lots of work. Helps if you live near a BBC studio.

[scotch]

I work for an international airline and he was doing a travel programme for BBC1 - years ago now- it was shown on a Friday night.

We had to take him and camera crew on a trip to Miami and they spent the night stop with us, so we could show him what a zany time we had on our stop overs. (We actually had to behave lol)

It's a bit of a standing joke with us, as he always seems to be at an airport for interviews anytime

*edit:meant to quote ftv*

[ftv]

They use this guy Attenborough a lot on wildlife programmes - seems pretty good.

[yogib]

Martin "Money Saving" Lewis

[Andy_G]

Prof Brian Cox pops up all the time on anything space or scientific related.
That's not a bad thing though, his programmes are great!

[Lordy Lordy]

Brian bloody May turns up for the opening of a letter.

That irritating Chris Yates get wheeled out for anything to do with avaition disasters and safety.

Martin Lewis, yes, yet another one who tells us where we can save a penny or two.

I'm sure there are loads more.

[bullman]

Originally Posted by scotch

I work for an international airline and he was doing a travel programme for BBC1 - years ago now- it was shown on a Friday night.

We had to take him and camera crew on a trip to Miami and they spent the night stop with us, so we could show him what a zany time we had on our stop overs. (We actually had to behave lol)

It's a bit of a standing joke with us, as he always seems to be at an airport for interviews anytime

*edit:meant to quote ftv*

Yes I used to watch that programme,it had Penny Junor as the main presenter - Travel Show I think it was called. Simon also pops on the radio all the time - both national and local stations. He seems an OK bloke

[OswaldCroissant]

Originally Posted by yogib

Martin "Money Saving" Lewis

Originally Posted by Andy_G

Prof Brian Cox pops up all the time on anything space or scientific related.
That's not a bad thing though, his programmes are great!

Agree, although I like them both. Would be nice to see Maggie Aderin-Pocock on a few more astronomy things instead of Brian, she's great.

Alice Roberts irritates the hell out of me- seems to appear on anything vaguely biology/anthropology related. Also just seen she's now a Professor, only 5 years after getting her PhD - amazing what being on the telly can do

[PrinceOfDenmark]

Originally Posted by OswaldCroissant

Also just seen she's now a Professor, only 5 years after getting her PhD - amazing what being on the telly can do

Yes, there is a fair bit of resentment at Birmingham over that

[Elrond]

similar thing happened a few years ago with the unbearable Egyptologist Zahi Hawass, who started presented everything to do with Egypt and offering his 'wisdom' whenever he wasn't presenting. Luckily, he seems to have been somewhat disgraced and doesn't seem to appear much anymore

Zahi Hawass is a well-respected and highly qualified Egyptologist and was Keeper of the Antiquities for the government.

When the uprising happened two years ago people looted the Cairo Museum and the army/security forces jsut stood back and let them.

Hawass resigned in disgust - nothing to do with 'being disgraced'.

[woot_whoo]

Originally Posted by Elrond

Zahi Hawass is a well-respected and highly qualified Egyptologist and was Keeper of the Antiquities for the government.

When the uprising happened two years ago people looted the Cairo Museum and the army/security forces jsut stood back and let them.

Hawass resigned in disgust - nothing to do with 'being disgraced'.

Really? Then I apologise for maligning him - I was sure I read a few years ago that he had been forced out for being up to something dodgy, but that may have been on a website which was hostile to him (I'm sure it also said he was an egomaniac who routinely stopped academics getting access to historical sites).

Either way, I just got unbelievably fed up with his Indiana Jones costume-wearing media face popping up on everything Egypt-related.

EDIT: A quick google search indicates that he was and is a controversial figure who was forced out of his job and accused of corruption and having links to the Mubarak family (which he denied). Given the turmoil in Egypt, who knows the truth...

[Elrond]

I'm sure it also said he was an egomaniac who routinely stopped academics getting access to historical sites.

this bit may be true! I think he wanted to secure his place in Egyptology.

[scotch]

Originally Posted by bullman

Yes I used to watch that programme,it had Penny Junor as the main presenter - Travel Show I think it was called. Simon also pops on the radio all the time - both national and local stations. He seems an OK bloke

Yes he was nice with us! He understood we had to serve the passengers first and he fitted in around us when we could show him the services onboard and things like the crew rest area withe the 8 bunks.

[BellaRosa]

Davina Bloody McCall .. she seems to be in nearly every ad

[ilovewallander]

Richard Hammond

[wazzyboy]

This is almost the opposite problem to factual programmes where a non-expert presents. I terms of what you're talking about here though, my latest irritation is Brian Cox trying to be David Attenborough.

[sarahj1986]

Linda Papadopolous is always on things to do with psychology

[wazzyboy]

Originally Posted by Andy_G

Prof Brian Cox pops up all the time on anything space or scientific related.
That's not a bad thing though, his programmes are great!

I find him annoying. He might know his stuff, but he's trying to muscle in on other's territory now, who made him a nature expert? He's also on record as saying if you aren't a scientist, you're uneducated (on a Radio 4 programme some time ago) And he covers up his Oldham accent as if he's ashamed of it too.

[The Major]

Any medical stories in the news and Dr Sarah Jarvis seems to pop up as the expert.

[CAMERA OBSCURA]

wazzyboy
I find him annoying. He might know his stuff, but he's trying to muscle in on other's territory now, who made him a nature expert?

When has he claimed to be a nature expert, his recent program was a scientific look at how all life on this planet is linked.

How is he muscling in on other peoples territory, how does this work exactly? is it Brian Cox himself that is doing this, so for example he says to the BBC don't give this programme Attenbourgh give it to me instead.

And he covers up his Oldham accent as if he's ashamed of it too.

Wow.