Alex Jacques Must Go!

[Tyre Tread]

New commentator on F1 - Just awful.

Random over emphasis of words and over excitement from the word go.

Alex Jacques and Jonathon Legard make you realise how good the likes of Ben Edwards and the late great Murray really were.

I ended up watching the qually without the sound on.

Anyone else feel the same or just me?

[Big Nanas]

I've always liked him on the F2 commentary, much better than Crofty for example. Maybe he's trying a bit too hard for his new F1 contract (I didn't listen to him).

Shame it's another PH negativity thread though

[sanguinary]

Big Nanas said:

I've always liked him on the F2 commentary, much better than Crofty for example. Maybe he's trying a bit too hard for his new F1 contract (I didn't listen to him).

Shame it's another PH negativity thread though

I thought he did okay. Will be interesting to see how he handles the race before throwing too much negativity towards him, and no doubt he’ll be given feed back as he settles into the role. To be honest, I didn’t get on with Ben Edwards, although I did like the pieces he did away from the commentary box. He was certainly knowledgeable.

As long as Alex doesn’t get too shouty, I’ll happy.

More importantly, even with the winter break, they still can’t get a mask to fit Steve Jones!

[KR158]

I thought he did OK, came across as enthusiastic, quite liked him actually.

Maybe we should give him a chance before forming an opinion? The poor Bloke hasn't even made it as far as his first race yet!

[SturdyHSV]

He was alright, I only really noticed the slightly local radio DJ cheesey emphasis on certain words but soon forgot about it

[ade73]

He can take Billy with him too, it's like Ch4 are trying to ruin it.

[durbster]

SturdyHSV said:

He was alright, I only really noticed the slightly local radio DJ cheesey emphasis on certain words but soon forgot about it

Agree with that. I think he did a good job.

Regardless, it's stty to start a thread bhing about the bloke after one day in his new role.

[TTmonkey]

Tyre Tread said:

Random over emphasis of words and over excitement from the word go.

Alex Jacques and Jonathon Legard make you realise how good the likes of Ben Edwards and the late great Murray really were

So, Murray Walker didn’t over emphasis certain words and get over excited...... is that really your argument here....?


Murray talked an awful lot of crap at times. Loved him, but he was exactly as you described. At times infuriating with some awful come Tati g that was verging on gobbledygook at times. RIP Murray always MR F1.

[Tyre Tread]

TTmonkey said:

Tyre Tread said:

Random over emphasis of words and over excitement from the word go.

Alex Jacques and Jonathon Legard make you realise how good the likes of Ben Edwards and the late great Murray really were

So, Murray Walker didn’t over emphasis certain words and get over excited...... is that really your argument here....?


Murray talked an awful lot of crap at times. Loved him, but he was exactly as you described. At times infuriating with some awful come Tati g that was verging on gobbledygook at times. RIP Murray always MR F1.

Murray didn't emphasise every third or fourth word and he didn't begin to shout when the green light went on in Q1 when there wasn't even a car on the track.

I wanted to like him but from the moment he opened his mouth he was trying WAY too hard and it grated.

May be that's the way that's the way the demographic they want to attract like their F1 but for someone approaching their 50th year of watching F1 it just comes across as dumbed down and trying too hard. Anyone that makes Billy monger sound good cannot be great.

I'll try listening to him for the race but I'm not optimistic it won't grate too much to stand.

[Tyre Tread]

durbster said:

...

Regardless, it's stty to start a thread bhing about the bloke after one day in his new role.

It's not his first day as a commentator though is it? We've just never heard him commentate on F1 before.

[Zarco]

I agree he was awful. Hopefully he can tone it down a bit.

[alphabanana]

Hi all. Long time lurker, annoyed enough to post!

I notice more and more these days, TV presenters thinking everything they say has to be "announced" and copying the same unnatural patterns of word emphasis from one another.

Alex Jacques in qualifying took it to extremes. Every sentence was presented in that announcer's voice. There was nothing natural about his manner of speaking at all.

Channel 4's more "fun" presenting style, compared to Sky, has often been commented on as a strength. If Alex settles in and can chat enthusiastically, even conversationally, then he'll fit the team, but yesterday's style was far too jarring. Like being hit over the head with words.

[ajprice]

I did find it a bit radio DJ, and odd that DC wasn't the second commentator with him. But it's nowhere near the worst (Legard).

[Tyre Tread]

alphabanana said:

Hi all. Long time lurker, annoyed enough to post!

I notice more and more these days, TV presenters thinking everything they say has to be "announced" and copying the same unnatural patterns of word emphasis from one another.

Alex Jacques in qualifying took it to extremes. Every sentence was presented in that announcer's voice. There was nothing natural about his manner of speaking at all.

Channel 4's more "fun" presenting style, compared to Sky, has often been commented on as a strength. If Alex settles in and can chat enthusiastically, even conversationally, then he'll fit the team, but yesterday's style was far too jarring. Like being hit over the head with words.

Hit the nail on the head there.

Even Mrs TT said he sounded like an amateur radio DJ.

[zoom star]

My first thought was Paul Whitehouse, by the end of qualifying it was jarring.
to me it sounded so manufactured, false.
Maybe he was there to keep me awake, during Billy mongers stints.

[Tyre Tread]

Right at the start of the commentary I realised who he reminds me of - Smashey and Nicey! After that I could just laugh at him.

Awful commentary style and missed loads of things happening but don't they all (except for DC who never seems to miss much at all).

[DonkeyApple]

I sat down last night to scroll through the TV channels and suddenly found the highlights. Hadn't realised the season was underway. Missed the preamble and start and began watching at around lap 15. I'd forgotten that Edwards had left.

I found it thoroughly distracting to be hearing the state school love child of Boris Johnson yammering on throughout the race. The exact same over emphasis on the wrong parts of words in the wrong part of sentences.

It was genuinely bizarre half expecting Poundland Boris to suddenly start telling viewers to stay home, protect lives or to get Brexit done throughout the race.

Coulthard seemed relegated to grandpa in the corner who get worked up every so often to repeat something about the war. Billy's ok but he is hardly Captain Dynamic and better suited to reading bedtime stories. Clearly a nice chap yet clearly an exceptionally boring one.

A whole season of Poundland Boris sticking erroneous emphasis on words and grammar could transpire to be as I relaxing to listen to as an Aussie turning everything into a question.

Time will tell but it seems to be a change that stands out quite a bit at present.

[ben5575]

He toned down the smashy and nicey for the actual race, which was an improvement over quali.

It was more his complete failure to add anything above simply describing what you have just seen. Likewise Munger simply explains what's just happened.

MB and DC add context was to why something has just happened but more importantly what that means to what could happen next. They are both two steps ahead of what it happening not one behind like AJ/BM. They help the viewer to anticipate what could happen and the thinking behind it, which in turn adds to the excitement.

AJ needs DC in there with him to add the colour. As above, BM is a nice kid and clearly a strong human being but jesus he's boring.

[bristolbaron]

Give him tAime for the tAyres to bed in, maybe by race nAine he’ll be fAine.

Billy needs to be careful, at some point in the season the FIA will fine Hamilton for driving with a commentator up his arse.

[rustyross]

I know its too early to really tell but my initial thoughts are he's not brilliant.

I agree with everything above - all a bit cheesy DJ - especially when he gets excited, that might be ok for the lower leagues but F1 is supposed to be the pinnacle.

I can't help CH4 has missed a trick not pairing DC and Webber - they seem to bounce off one another really well and I always liked DC's sly remarks towards the FIA etc, edgy without being controversial. - and arguably the strongest pairing since DC & Brundle....

For me the ideal Channel 4 Line up would be DC & Webber in the Com Box, monger with a bit more Lee McKenzie would be good and Steve Jones is good as the presenter.