BBC election: who will replace David Dimbleby?

[backontrack]

1): Who will replace David Dimbleby?

2): Who would you like to replace David Dimbleby?

 

[Darandio]

1): Who will replace David Dimbleby?

Huw Edwards, given he was widely expected to take over from Dimbleby after 2015, before he made his u-turn.

A fine choice too.

 

[cjmillsnun]

1. Jeremy Vine

2. Nick Robinson.

EDIT: If it is Huw Edwards, I would be happy.

 

[Busaholic]

1): Who will replace David Dimbleby?

2): Who would you like to replace David Dimbleby?

1) Huw Edwards

2) Almost anyone other than H.E., who may be able to read the news acceptably but has never shown any ability to think on his feet.

 

[backontrack]

OK...in my poll, I forgot Huw Edwards.

I literally said EVERYONE except Huw Edwards. I had the One Show presenters, Michael Sheen and Ed Balls. But I forgot Huw Edwards.

Someone please either edit the poll or delete this thread so that I can start over.

 

[me123]

Laura Kuenssberg. In her sleep deprived state she was quite entertaining.

 

[backontrack]

I also forgot Emily Maitlis, though it's probably just as well.

 

[Lrd]

I couldn't choose between Alex Jones or Alex Jones

 

[sk688]

Probably between Neil and Kuenssberg
Haven't watched much of the BBC coverage since 2010 , I watched Channel'4 Alternative Election Night in 2015 and 17 , but switched to BBC and ITV whenever there were ad breaks

 

[GusB]

Anyone but Andrew Neil.

 

[AlterEgo]

Ed Balls

 

[gareth950]

It's already been decided that Huw Edwards IS the replacement for Dimbleby. As has been said, he would've presented this year's overnight coverage if Dimbleby hadn't decided for one last go at it.

Anyone who thinks that Edwards just 'reads the news' clearly hasn't seen the extensive political coverage that he's done for BBC Wales. This includes The Wales Report and hosting the BBC Wales political debates. He's also the main anchor for coverage of Royal events and presents the News at Five on the BBC News Channel, which is not entirely scripted like the Ten. Hardly someone who can't 'think on his feet'.

 

[TheEdge]

Ian Hislop. Maybe with Paul Merton and Dara O'Briain.

 

[Butts]

According to "I" yesterday he wants to carry on - not sure if that was wishful thinking on his part !!

I agree Huw Edwards is a great anchor and i have seen his non-political shows such as The History of Wales the other year.

One name you missed off was Andrew Marr former editor of The Independent and BBC Political Editor - however his health may preclude an "all nighter"

How I miss the days when Robin Day was there with "A Cigar On" while Bob Mackenzies primitive swingometer was falling to pieces.

 

[northwichcat]

Huw Edwards has confirmed as being the person who will takeover and in a way he partly took over on Friday morning as Dimbleby handed over to Edwards at 7am, when he used to stay on until mid morning.

 

[Busaholic]

It's already been decided that Huw Edwards IS the replacement for Dimbleby. As has been said, he would've presented this year's overnight coverage if Dimbleby hadn't decided for one last go at it.

Anyone who thinks that Edwards just 'reads the news' clearly hasn't seen the extensive political coverage that he's done for BBC Wales. This includes The Wales Report and hosting the BBC Wales political debates. He's also the main anchor for coverage of Royal events and presents the News at Five on the BBC News Channel, which is not entirely scripted like the Ten. Hardly someone who can't 'think on his feet'.

If you can still find them on the internet, I'd recommend Matthew Norman's views on Huw Edwards as expressed in various columns in the 'Independent' over the years. I only ever read them in print, and they are from a few years ago now, but they are, as ever with Norman, both hilarious and spot-on in his destruction of the preening, self-important Edwards.

I quite agree that Edwards does the whole royal pomp thing well, but so does Nicholas Witchell, and no-one is suggesting the latter. It requires quite a different mindset, and a methodical approach, which Edwards doubtless has: just because David Dimbleby can also do this, perhaps because it's in his DNA, doesn't mean that Edwards can.

When Edwards has one of his tame interviews on the News with a BBC correspondent and asks one of his scripted questions, he is almost never ready to respond to what is said, even though the viewer may be screaming 'ask him/her what they meant by that'.

If his health allowed it, I'd like to see Andrew Marr host the programme - the Andrews Neil and Marr are by far the sharpest of the BBC pundits. Laura K is great too, but her current position would not allow her to host it.

 

[3141]

When Edwards has one of his tame interviews on the News with a BBC correspondent and asks one of his scripted questions, he is almost never ready to respond to what is said, even though the viewer may be screaming 'ask him/her what they meant by that'.

If his health allowed it, I'd like to see Andrew Marr host the programme - the Andrews Neil and Marr are by far the sharpest of the BBC pundits. Laura K is great too, but her current position would not allow her to host it.

Andrew Marr would be an excellent person, because, as you've suggested, a first-class interviewer can take in an answer the interviewee is giving, and ask a further question that pursues what's just been said. Andrew Marr is better at that than Andrew Neil, because he's a more human and understanding character. Neil, in my opinion, gets too much enjoyment from asking awkward questions, rather than ones which bring out and clarify the facts of the situation being discussed.

I wouldn't like to see Laura Kuenssberg doing it. I think she includes too much of her own opinions in her reporting. Her questions to people as an anchor for this programme would be too self-serving, like Andrew Neil.

The two very best interviewers I can recall, who had the ability to follow up what an interviewee had said but in a non-confrontational way, were Robert Robinson, when he worked on Today in the 1970s, and someone named (I think) Fred Embury, from about the same time. But maybe that's just another example of the "things aren't what they used to be" syndrome! A more recent example, only 20 years or so ago, was Tim Sebastian on Hardtalk.

 

[Blindtraveler]

I predict us back at the pols in the next 12 months and also predict the 2 presenters will do the show together

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Andrew Neil on both parts of the thread question.

 

[TheNewNo2]

I hear Teresa May may be in need of a new job soon...

 

[johntea]

I do like Dimbleby trying to choose members of the audience on Question Time

"You sir with the slightly tinted spectacles no not you the one behind with the slightly trimmed beard no not you the gentleman next to you wearing the bright pink shirt"

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I hear Teresa May may be in need of a new job soon...

Is this what they call "hearsay"....

 

[507021]

Huw Edwards would be my choice.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Laura Kuenssberg. In her sleep deprived state she was quite entertaining.

The only entertaining thing was the fact she had a face like a slapped backside from the very second those exit polls came in. She tried to hide her disgust, bless her, but didn't do it very well.

Both Andrew Neil and Nick Robinson would not be suitable because I don't think either of them are capable of being neutral either. Robinson for the obvious reason of his Tory activities, but Neil too given that's he's chairman of the company that owns the Torygraph.

Although the mention of Andrew Neil does allow me to print this (in)famous photograph of an older man with a younger female friend...

 

[northwichcat]

The only entertaining thing was the fact she had a face like a slapped backside from the very second those exit polls came in. She tried to hide her disgust, bless her, but didn't do it very well.

I found it amusing when she tweeted telling everyone to ignore a newspaper report saying the Conservatives wouldn't get a majority and made a factual error in her tweet, then ITN journalist Alistair Stewart tweeted to correct her.