Originally Posted by Readingfan:
“Does anyone know if Fighting Talk is coming back for 5 Live?”
“Does anyone know if Fighting Talk is coming back for 5 Live?”
It was announced at the time of Colin Murray's departure to talkSPORT that Fighting Talk would be returning in the autumn even though they would have to recruit a new presenter. I've no idea who that will be yet, but they have some time to decide on who to bring in as Fighting Talk isn't returning for the start of the Premier League season - 7 Day Saturday with Al Murray is pencilled in for 5 Live's 11am-12noon slot over the next couple of weekends.
If I was calling the shots at Radio 5 Live/USP Content, with talkSPORT signing up Murray and Johnny Vaughan - the original Fighting Talk host whose name I'd seen mooted as a potential successor to Colin - in recent weeks, I'd play them at their own game. talkSPORT's reshuffled schedule has meant that Danny Kelly will no longer present live programmes on there on a regular basis, although the pre-recorded My Sporting Life interview series will continue on Sunday nights, as will his cover stints. Kelly used to be a regular Fighting Talk panellist before joining talkSPORT in 2008 and I think he'd be a really good fit as its new host, he certainly has the energy and sense of humour needed. Also, he'd be following on from Danny Baker's Saturday morning show - with whom DK will be presenting a new Friday night show on BT Sport 1 as of tonight - so you could perhaps have a bit of a crossover between the two shows. It'll also perhaps be a good way of attracting listeners over from talkSPORT who are less than enamoured by Johnny Vaughan's new show on there.
In other news that I don't think has been mentioned on this thread yet, Absolute Radio's Rock 'N' Roll Football Live (another USP Content production) has announced its new line-up for the new season: click here.
Ian Wright will continue to host their post-5pm phone-in, which had come into question after he was announced as one of 5 Live's new Sunday 606 hosts with Kelly Cates, and it seems as if comedian Ian Stone will be his regular co-host from now on (in previous seasons it had been a rotation between Stone and other comedians/Absolute Radio DJs, although Stone was with him more often than not last year). Russ Williams and Jim Proudfoot continue for a fourth season in their lead presenter and match commentator roles, although with their commentary rights now extended to include 105.8FM in London as well as 1215AM and DAB, I'm not sure if Russ will be continuing to front alternative music-based output between 3-5pm solely for a secondary online stream.
BBC TV's Mark Bright and ITV's Clarke Carlisle are to join their co-commentary line-up, although there's no word on whether last season's regulars Tony Dorigo (who I know is due to be involved in Al Jazeera Sport's new Doha-based operation) and Stewart Robson will continue to be heard in this role. There's also no mention of Perry Groves, Russ' regular studio co-host over the previous three seasons, who turned up on talkSPORT's Matchday Live two weeks ago and was described as their "new signing" for the new season - however he wasn't involved in last Saturday's Matchday Live and it hasn't been mentioned that he'll be on there tomorrow, so might he still have some involvement on Rock 'N' Roll Football Live on top of his regular talkSPORT shifts on Colin Murray's Friday morning show? We shall see.



