Joey Barton has TV presenters in stitches with comedy French accent

Posted on November 27, 2012 by adminsports

Game for a laugh! Barton has TV presenters in stitches with comedy French accent

UPDATED:

13:49 GMT, 27 November 2012

The immediate reactions across the
nation would have been mixed.

Stunned silence, head-in-hands, a wry
smile and maybe a few belly laughs.

But not even the professional
broadcasters inside the Sky Sports News studio could hold it together as
they showed footage of Joey Barton's cringing French accent live on
air.

VIDEO: WATCH JOEY BARTON'S HILARIOUS FRENCH ACCENT

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The footage of Barton, who is on loan
at Marseille from QPR, in a press conference became a viral sensation
over the internet on Monday and caused presenter Kirsty Gallacher to
hide behind paper notes on the desk to try and mask her laughing.
Co-presenter Jim White didn't seem to help.

The transfer deadline day favourite
reacted by going into his own French accent which did little to calm the
giggles that had got the better of Gallacher.

White is arguably more convincing
with his take on the accent and using it was keen to point out to Barton
that he is a long way off mastering the French language.

Gaffe: Joey Barton spoke in a French accent at the press conference after his league debut for Marseille

Funny side: Sky Sports News presenter Jim White

White said (in a French accent): 'The
thing is Kirsty, is I think Joey thinks by talking like that by going
up at the end of every sentence and doing the shoulder bit he is
actually speaking French. But Joey, you're actually not.'

Barton's accent has already been
compared to Steve McClaren's Dutch accent which was quickly adopted by
the Twente boss shortly after joining the club during his first spell in
charge in 2008, following his dismissal as England boss just months
before.

VIDEO: Kirsty and Jim can't help but have a laugh!

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Links have also been made with 'Allo! 'Allo! character Officer Crabtree.

Barton responded on Twitter soon after his accent video emerged.

The midfielder said: 'Steve MaClaren
(sic) eat your heart out…'In my defence, it is very difficult to do a
press conference in Scouse for a room full of French journalists. The
alternative is to speak..like a 'Allo Allo!' character which is choose.
Its simply a case of you had to be there. #youstupidwomen!'

Applause: Barton is on loan to the French team from British side QPR

Oh 'Allo! Barton sounded alarmingly like Officer Crabtree from the hit television series

VIDEO: WATCH STEVE MCCLAREN SPEAK IN A FAUX DUTCH ACCENT

John McCririck axed by Channel 4 as Clare Balding leads new-look racing team

Posted on October 26, 2012 by adminsports

Outspoken McCririck turfed out by Channel 4 as Balding leads new-look racing team

UPDATED:

08:20 GMT, 26 October 2012

'Devastated' John McCririck, one of the best known
faces in racing broadcasting, will not be part of the new Channel 4
Racing team which takes over sole terrestrial broadcasting of the sport
from January 1.

The outlandish and often outspoken
figure, who transformed the way news from the betting ring at
racecourses was shown on TV, has been involved in racing broadcasting
since 1981 when the racing was shown on ITV.

Axed: John McCririck

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The 72-year-old will be replaced by his sidekick Tanya Stevenson but McCririck accused the broadcasters of ageism, with just one of the 13 presenters in the new line-up over 50.

'I'm devastated. I've been covering TV betting for 31 years,' he told The Mirror.

'According to Channel 4 I'm being sacked after audience research. Yes, I do antagonise people, as reactions to me on Celebrity Big Brother proved. But I was never asked to change my presentation style.

'Clare [Balding] is a terrific choice to lead the new young team. But it's so sad Channel 4 have again gone down the path of ageism.'

With his eccentric headgear, Old Harrovian McCririck was an original member of the Channel 4 Racing team three years later.

His catch-phrases and use of Tic-Tac, the system of hand signals that traditionally transfer messages across the Ring, attracted huge attention to McCririck who became better recognised than many of its best-known participants.

That led to appearances in programmes like Celebrity Big Brother and Wife Swap, the latter with wife Jenny or The Booby as he refers to her.

All change: Clare Balding (L) will lead the new-look Channel 4 racing team in the New Year

Fellow C4 presenters also to fail to make the new line up are stalwarts Derek Thompson, Mike Cattermole and Alistair Down.

John Francome and Lesley Graham had already ruled themselves out of a role in the new-look team which will be led by Clare Balding.

She moves from the BBC and will be supported by Nick Luck, currently host of C4' s Morning Line.

Other C4 faces to survive include Jim McGrath, Alice Plunkett and Emma Spencer.

Recruited from the BBC is Grand National winning jockey Mick Fitzgerald plus Rishi Persad while joining the team as paddock analyst Graham Cunningham, who has been working on specialist channel Racing UK.

Gold Cup winning jockey Sam Thomas will be a contributor as will Gina Bryce, who works for Attheraces.

Mad-cap: McCririck was an outspoken character in racing

Bonkers: McCririck was an outspoken character in racing and appeared on Channel 4's Celebrity Wife Swap alongside Edwina Currie (below)

Bonkers: McCririck appeared on Channel 4's Celebrity Wife Swap alongside Edwina Currie

The lead commentator will be C4's Simon Holt supported by Richard Hoiles.

Jamie Aitchison, Channel 4's Sports Editor, said: 'Being the new home of horseracing is a real privilege and I'm delighted to announce this carefully selected team of presenters and reporters; a mix of broadcasting heavyweights and racing experts.

'Sports fans have something to look forward to – our racing coverage will be insightful, intelligent and ground-breaking. I'm hugely excited about the future of racing on Channel 4 and greatly look forward to 2013.

'I would like to thank all of the presenting team for their commitment and enthusiasm to Channel 4 and the racing coverage over the years.'

Rangers bid of 5.6m from Brian Kennedy

Posted on July 23, 2012 by adminsports

Kennedy back in for Rangers as Sale Sharks supremo waits on 5.6m offer

UPDATED:

15:00 GMT, 23 July 2012

Fantasy football 2012

Sale Sharks owner Brian Kennedy has confirmed he made a bid for a controlling interest in the newco Rangers.

Kennedy confirmed reports that he submitted a 5.6million offer for a 51 per cent shareholding in the Ibrox club on June 25. Although the offer was not accepted, it appears to remain on the table.

The Scottish businessman failed to buy Rangers with both a solo bid and a joint offer with the Blue Knights consortium before administrators signed an exclusive deal with Charles Green’s Sevco Scotland.

In Range: Brian Kennedy, the owner of Sale Sharks, has tabled a bid for Rangers

In a statement, Kennedy said on Monday: 'I have recently had several confidential meetings with a gentleman representing the shareholders of Sevco, with regards to my interest in purchasing a majority shareholding in Rangers Football Club.

'The details of these meetings and the written offer I have submitted have been disclosed from within the club.

'Now that this has leaked I have I have no alternative but to confirm that what is reported in the Daily Record regarding such matters is accurate. I have no further comment to make at this time.'

Sevco bought the assets of Rangers for 5.5million when the club was consigned to liquidation last month but doubts have continued over their funding after the newco club was consigned to the Irn-Bru Third Division, subject to ongoing talks over membership of the Scottish Football Association.

There are two obstacles in the way of Green’s club signing the agreement with the SFA – media rights and the possible stripping of trophies from Ibrox.

The Scottish Football League will assess any offer from the Scottish Premier League for the rights to Rangers games. It is believed broadcasters are not keen to sign up to an SPL deal without having access to the Govan club’s games.

Waiting: Manager Ally McCoist

If SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster was unable to bring Rangers’ rights to the negotiating table, the SFL could lose out on their annual 2million settlement fee that was agreed in 1998 when the top clubs split from the league to form the SPL.

It is also believed that several top-flight clubs could face financial problems if there is any reduction or delay in the routine 645,000 payment from the SPL, which is expected on August 6.

The SFL’s media agents, IMG, have invited bids from interested parties ahead of Monday's deadline.

Before signing the membership agreement with the SFA, the Ibrox club want the SPL to drop their investigation into alleged dual contracts.

The SPL want an independent commission to rule on whether the Govan club breached regulations with undisclosed payments to players.

Manager Ally McCoist said he would 'never accept' the club being stripped of titles.

Green has also to sign an agreement that would see his club accept a delayed 12-month transfer ban originally handed out to Rangers oldco for bringing the game into disrepute by not paying taxes.

There have been at least three offers to Sevco since their offer to creditors failed on June 14.

A consortium fronted by former Rangers manager Walter Smith failed with a bid of around 6million and another group led by John Brown had an 8.7million proposal rejected.

Brown is continuing attempts to launch a fans-led buyout and the former Rangers player today pledged to hand shares to the 26,000 people who lost their stake in the club when Sevco bought the assets.

Brown said: 'Why don’t they issue free shares to the 26,000 shareholders who lost out That’s what the fans’ buyout would do – every shareholder that lost out would get a free share.

'That’s something Charles Green should have done if he is trying to do the honourable thing.'

Euro 2012: BBC beat ITV thanks to Gary Lineker: Brian Barwick

Posted on July 2, 2012 by adminsports

Brian Barwick: Euro triumph for BBC as Lineker's easy style wins out

UPDATED:

21:32 GMT, 1 July 2012

Two things happened at the quarter-final stage of this year’s European Championship – England went home after yet another penalty shootout nightmare – and ITV all but went home with them.

Both semi-finals were live only on BBC TV, whilst Sunday's final between Spain and Italy was shared by the two broadcasters.

For the BBC, this is always a nice way to finish a tournament – unlike England they always win it. Whatever the reason, whether it’s tradition, preference, personnel, absence of commercials or trust, ITV will have conceded another defeat to their rivals in this head-to-head.

Well oiled: BBC once more impressed, bettering the efforts of their rivals

And yet this time around, at Euro 2012, ITV put up a decent fight, certainly in the early stages of the competition.

I thought they had the better opening titles, theme music and studio set, critically based in Warsaw, and there was just a greater sense of confidence about their presentation and production than in recent times.

The BBC certainly picked up their own game after a sluggish start to Euro 2012 – not helped by initially presenting from the UK – and have subsequently finished strongly.

Gary Lineker began his broadcasting career with a short tense opening line in a highlights programme during Euro 96. He was nervous, and so was I, having helped him make some of the early steps in his post-football career.

Leading man: Gary Lineker

He is now completely at ease in his ‘second trade’ and seemed to enjoy the tournament. Presenters, like footballers, want to be involved in the biggest occasions – and Euro 2012 has allowed Lineker to do that.

I think he has been particularly at his strongest when coaxing answers and opinions out of studio guests like Harry Redknapp, David Moyes, Clarence Seedorf, Gianluca Vialli and Jurgen Klinsmann. With them, he was objective, sharp, inquisitive and inclusive.

In contrast, his exchanges with the two resident ‘Alans’ – Hansen and Shearer, can suffer sometimes from over-familiarity. Next stop for Lineker, a peak-time presentation slot on the Olympics. I wish him well.

Over on ITV, Adrian Chiles is an intriguing mix; a producer’s nightmare – ‘where’s he taking us now’ – but with an endearing manner that often involves asking the questions the fans at home want answered.

You sense that to Chiles, the programme’s running order is something to rest his coffee on – but in Chiles and Lineker, both good ‘live’ television exponents, you do have a choice of styles.

For all the hard work and hard cash put into recruiting the star studio guests, the viewer often spends more time in the company of the commentary teams as they describe the live action.

This time for me, BBC’s Guy Mowbray and Mark Lawrenson pick up the winners’ medals. They work well off each other and are at their best when they lay off the comedy, and concentrate on ‘who passed to who’ and why.

Mark the commentator beats Mark the comedian every time.

The size of the TV audiences for Euro 2012 have been remarkable, and not just for the England matches – they are always blockbusters and continue to re-write TV history. However, it was often an early group game between two less glamorous sides that turned in an audience figure that The Voice would have died for.

Putting up a good fight: ITV got more right than wrong at Euro 2012

For the BBC and ITV it has all added up to a bumper three weeks – with the Corporation also currently in the throes of an exciting Wimbledon and London 2012 less than a month away.

A few closing thoughts. Lee Dixon continues to impress as a pundit, Roy Keane produced some magical stares and stunning short responses. Loved Balotelli’s close-ups, UEFA should control the excessive pre-match stadium PA noise – listening to respected radio broadcasters like Mike Ingham and Alan Green struggling to hear and be heard is not on.

Well done Sky Sports News for their comprehensive event reports and plaudits to the match directors and production teams who have delivered consistently high standards of match coverage.

Roll on Brazil and the 2014 World Cup.

Video: Leon Knight commentates on his goals

Posted on June 21, 2012 by adminsports

Don't give up the day job just yet, Leon! Former Chelsea striker Knight commentates on his goals

UPDATED:

11:19 GMT, 21 June 2012

Watch out Motty, Leon Knight is after your job!

The former Chelsea, Swansea and Brighton striker may have fallen off the radar in recent years since leaving English football in 2009, but it seems he is doing his best to get back in the spotlight by trying his hand at football commentary.

Knight took to YouTube to ‘commentate’ on a selection of his own goals through his career with remarks like ‘Don’t drop those, mate. He looked like he had Fairy Liquid all over his gloves’ when a goalkeeper spills a cross allowing him to score.

Scroll down to watch the video

It's all about me! Leon Knight, in his Swansea days, has become a YouTube hit

And ‘I’m in again! The keeper looked like he had nails in his feet, gooooooaaaaaal’ as well as ‘He’s only five foot six, but he leaps like a fish’.

He last kicked a ball on these shores when he played for Rushden and Diamonds in 2009 before leaving for spells in Greece then Scotland and now finds himself in Northern Ireland playing for Glentoran.

Knight has become a hit on the video sharing site with over 15,000 views on his goals selection, but his commentary may need a little work before one of the big broadcasters are knocking on his door offering him a new job.

Euro 2012: ITV"s Gabriel Clarke has starred at this tournament – Brian Barwick

Posted on June 21, 2012 by adminsports

ITV's Gabriel Clarke would be the first name on my teamsheet

UPDATED:

22:10 GMT, 20 June 2012

Anybody who doubts there is a future for international football has had to take a back seat in the past fortnight during Euro 2012 – great matches, photo-finish group stages and England riding high.

It is pure television gold dust. Huge audience figures on both channels, peak-time live drama at its best, a sort of Downton Abbey with a dodgy fifth official and a lively supporting cast. But more on Roy Keane later…

For me, ITV were the clear winners in the group stage but the BBC, having now found their way to an airport, are about to take control of the tournament.

Net gains: Almost 19 million people tuned in for England's win against Ukraine

Euro 2012 email button

Seven matches left and the BBC have four of them exclusively live, including England's quarter-final against Italy and both semi-finals.

The BBC share the final itself with ITV but already know they will get the lion's (three lions!) share of that audience too.

The demand for commercial certainty means ITV's choices are pragmatic and always loaded to the front of tournaments. It's a case of cheques and bank balances. But they can be happy with their lot.

They've covered the tournament well and a peak audience of 18.6 million for England v Ukraine was phenomenal. But I bet that figure will be topped when England play Italy on Sunday evening on BBC1.

Italian job: England's game against Balotelli and Co will be screened on the Beeb

One of the bonuses of a European Championship for UK broadcasters is a guarantee of peaktime matches – the World Cup cannot always deliver the same – and broadcasters love big live event television in the heart of the schedule; nobody more so than the BBC.

England are providing a good news story and we are about to hit the moment when it engulfs the nation. And the BBC are in the prime position to benefit.

For the commentators, the last set of group stage matches always proves a tricky assignment – one eye on your match, one ear on instructions from the other match and its consequences for the final table.

Ratings war: England's clash with England will draw in a huge audience

When I was growing up I listened to Kenneth Wolstenholme and David Coleman. I then worked extensively with the BBC's John Motson and Barry Davies, different styles, both exceptional broadcasters.

The current BBC team are all technically proficient, I especially enjoyed Guy Mowbray's description of England's win over Sweden but, for me, they still lack the extra chutzpah, gravitas and familiarity that only time and opportunity will give them.

Top dog: Clarke is a natural

On ITV Clive Tyldesley is the top dog and, when not being overly self-indulgent, calls the games with an assured touch. Peter Drury is bowing out of ITV – a fine commentator, he'll find a new home, for sure, with that rich turn of phrase.

The England camp reporting role is one of the tournament broadcasters' prime jobs and, at this one, it is Gabby v Gabby ( Logan v Clarke).

Gabby Logan has taken her time settling in at the BBC but she is doing a very good job at Euro 2012, while the unsung Gabriel Clarke would be one of the first names on anybody's teamsheet. A great reporter and film-maker, perhaps he's a natural.

After all, his celebrated father, Alan, directed Ray Winstone in Scum and, in ITV Euro 2012 commercial break terms, Winstone is the Daddy.

Finally a few closing thoughts – love the super slo-mo's … hate the intrusive tournament logo that flies in on the action replays … enjoyed Bernie Clifton playing his trombone on Sky Sports News … thought Adrian Chiles overdid the worried England fan bit … liked Alan Pardew's quiet assurance on the BBC and have found Roy Keane's austere view on football life to be absolutely compelling.

Just champion: Ascot thriller and Frankel and Kauto Star spark TV bonanza

Posted on February 9, 2012 by adminsports

Just champion: Ascot thriller plus Frankel and Kauto Star popularity spark TV bonanza

The success of the inaugural British Champions Day has reinvigorated interest in racing from mainstream broadcasters, according to the man heading negotiations on the sale of future TV rights.

Richard Fitzgerald, chief executive of Racecourse Media Group which represents the media interests of 30 of Britain’s racecourses, says reinforcing weekend fixtures has also been crucial as well as billboard acts like Frankel and Kauto Star.

Over one million BBC viewers watched Frankel head the cast at Ascot on Champions Day in October.

The host broadcaster’s two-year deal ends after this year’s fixture and Racemail understands renewal talks have also involved C4, ITV and Sky.

Top draw: Frankel winning the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in October

Top draw: Frankel winning the Queen
Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in October

Fitzgerald refused to comment directly on negotiations but said: ‘We had a particularly good 12 months and it did have an effect. What we have done with the sport, and British Champions day is a part of it, has opened it up to being more than just racing. There is also an entertainment and celebrity angle which has got broadcasters thinking wider.

‘For the commercial broadcasters, the changes in bookmaker advertising rules has also made a difference. We are looking to announce something at the end of the first quarter.’

Money generated by RMG, which operates specialist Racing UK pay-to-view channel with its 43,000 subscribers, is returned to shareholders including Cheltenham, Goodwood and Newbury. It rose from 4.4m in 2009 to close to 13m last year.

Fitzgerald, former chief executive of Aston Villa who spent 18 years with sports, media and entertainment conglomerate IMG working on the Premier League, Test Cricket and European Tour golf, has been labelled with a spiky reputation, particularly through brushes with the trade newspaper the Racing Post over data use and filming rights. But he argues he has brought an objective view to the sport.

He said: ‘I’m a live sport guy. I wouldn’t call myself a racing person, although I enjoy it and the people in it. Nor would you want me to be, because you can take a slightly step-back position.

‘We have a fantastic media landscape – the most terrestrial coverage of any sport in the UK which is quite staggering when you read about the demise of racing.

'We have partnered with C4 very closely in last two years and the benefits are showing. The audiences are up five per cent on Saturdays in the last five months. The one thing we are beginning to do is understand the customer better.

‘Strengthening Saturday fixtures has been really important, as well as re-launching The Morning Line.’

RMG’s overseas arm GBI, a partnership with the channel Attheraces, already sells British racing to countries as diverse as Azerbaijan and Uruguay and is about to sign a deal with Israel, which Fitzgerald says has the potential to be the ‘biggest market yet’.

However, he denies RMG’s recent acquisition of a stake in the Racing Plus newspaper is an attempt to muscle in on Racing Post territory.

With mobile and websites to follow, Racing Plus will re-launch later this month.

Fitzgerald added: ‘Racing UK is all about live racing, which we do well, but it is not a betting brand. Long term this is about creating a betting path.

‘We are a weekly paper. We can build the circulation and editorial but we are not going to rival the Racing Post with all its resources.’

Arsene Wenger rages at rivals" "influence" on TV scheduling

Posted on January 14, 2012 by adminsports

Out of control! Furious Wenger rages at rivals' 'influence' on television games

Arsene Wenger has sensationally accused rival Barclays Premier League clubs of influencing television stations to doctor the fixture list.

The Arsenal manager insisted it was wrong that some sides can lean on broadcasters to arrange televised matches to suit themselves.

Wenger believes the current system, whereby television channels take their pick from a match list organised by the Premier League, provides an unfair advantage to some clubs, who can enjoy more recovery time between games.

Claim: Arsene Wenger said TV scheduling has an impact on results

The Frenchman said: 'I believe the
Premier League have to make sure there's a bit more fairness in the
schedules. I don't believe the Premier League have played, in the last
months or the last year, a very fair role in the distribution of the
fixtures. They are sold to television and television is influenced by
some clubs to choose the fixtures. And some clubs get advantaged by
television, if it's Sky or ESPN, because they have an influence from the
clubs directly.

Controversial: TV has captured some of football's best, and worst, moments

'If the Premier League don't
decide, it is the television that decides. That means television can be
influenced and the Premier League have nothing to say. That's what I
think is not right.

'If, tomorrow, you buy a club and
your best friend is the owner of Sky TV you don't think you will tell
him, “Look, you put us on Friday night. That's not fair.”

'Or, “You put us on Sunday night, that's not fair.” Temptation Of course it is.

Clash: Arsenal face Swansea in the Premier League on Sunday

'I do not want to go personally on any one club, but if things are repeated then it's not a coincidence any more.

'I'm not the only manager who thinks that. There's a real problem there.'

Wenger, who did not name specific
clubs who seek to secure an advantage, also accused the Premier League
of lacking control over their fixtures, arguing television channels
dictate who plays when.

Has Arsene got a point

UK broadcasters alone paid 1.782billion to show 138 live top-flight matches between 2010 and 2013.

Wenger added: 'The contracts are done
in a way that's not right for the fairness of the competition. You
cannot have decisive games with one team playing Friday and Tuesday and
another on Sunday on Tuesday.

'The Premier League (should) decide what is fair and what is not fair. At the moment, they don't. Television decides.

'We have sold our soul and we do
not control our games, our fixtures, any more. But it is the truth. I
cannot say that the television is wrong, but it's not normal that they
can have a direct influence on the schedule. The Premier League should
be in complete control of the Premier League.'

Last April Wenger said he believed
his side were the victims of a conspiracy that gave Manchester United an
advantage in the title race. He was upset that many of his club's games
had been scheduled for Sundays, meaning United always had the
opportunity to play first.

Yesterday Wenger pointed out that his
team were forced to play a rearranged League game against Stoke City
just four days before losing the Carling Cup final last February.

Arsenal won 1-0 but lost Theo
Walcott and Cesc Fabregas to injury, while their opponents at Wembley,
Birmingham City, saw their corresponding League match against Everton
delayed owing to bad weather.

He said: 'You can look 50 times (and) we are 50 times always in that situation.

'Of course it happens to many clubs.
It happens less to some than others. The responsibility of the Premier
League is to make sure that Premier League fixtures are better
distributed than they are.'

Wenger and his captain, Robin van
Persie, were also upset Arsenal had to play a televised League match at
Fulham on January 2, which they lost 2-1, just two days after beating
QPR.

Van Persie said: 'To be honest, I
still don't really see why we had to play twice in three days. 'We could
have played on the 31st and then the third, or even the fourth, like
other teams did. That would still have given us enough time before the
Leeds game. It looks like the fixtures were all in a rush for no
apparent reason.'

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Tag Archives: broadcasters

Joey Barton has TV presenters in stitches with comedy French accent

John McCririck axed by Channel 4 as Clare Balding leads new-look racing team

Rangers bid of 5.6m from Brian Kennedy

Euro 2012: BBC beat ITV thanks to Gary Lineker: Brian Barwick

Video: Leon Knight commentates on his goals

Just champion: Ascot thriller and Frankel and Kauto Star spark TV bonanza

Arsene Wenger rages at rivals" "influence" on TV scheduling