The Inaugural TV Cup - Round Seven: Best Presenter

After a small delay, we are moving on to Round Seven. 

This time around we look at the Best Presenter in TV history. We get Parky, Wossy, Ant n Dec, Jezza, Cheggers and, of course, William G Stewart.

These presenters are the face of TV programmes we love, their voices a guide to what we watch and their tone delivered to match the moments we see. Or something.

Last week we saw a battle between dancing jubblies and jubblies to see which programme would be crowned our favourite Guilty Pleasure.

In the end, nothing could separate Babestation and Strictly Come Dancing (a line surely reserved for the Radio Times).

Strictly/Tino - 12
Babestation/Marky - 12
Buffy/Sir Johnny English - 8
Raw/Bull - 7
Bargain Hunt/Adam D - 6
The Chase/OnlyTrebleWinners - 5
One Tree Hill/Chequered Jersey - 5
Big Brother/Moi - 3
X Factor/Hero - 3
Golden Girls/Kenny - 3


Having deleted the messages I sent to Tino which also had some really good rounds to come, I will choose a simple one for round eight. 

Next round is Best Soap Character.

I have deleted the messages I got from Tino, which sadly means having given him the next few rounds in advance as hes away on holiday, I now no longer have his responses. Sorry, Tino! 

A long list of the best tv presenters in history includes Keith Chegwin and Chris Kamara but not the late Alan Whicker. A funny old game.

I've gone for Jeremy Clarkson and Ant and Dec. I don't even care about the stick I get for it but I love Ant and Dec  

MIG wrote:I've gone for Jeremy Clarkson and Ant and Dec. I don't even care about the stick I get for it but I love Ant and Dec  

Agreed.

Went with Jeff Stelling as he was my first pick and Bob Monkhouse. The man was a genius

Was tempted by Barrymore - no, hang on, that came out wrong.

Went for Stelling and Parkinson.

Bonus points for naming this song
"I'm fearless through and through
I'll even take a dip in Barrymore's pool"

Never saw the appeal of Parkinson, his interview techniques seem to be either fawning or embarrasing flirting with female guests a third of his age.

I voted for Attenborough and Stelling.  Thought you might like to know.

Rowley, I think you need to go back to the Parkinson of the 70s and early 80s, not when he came back more recently.

On the other hand, you consider Bob Monkhouse, that most ordinary of comedians, to be a genius

Monkhouse is a master of his craft, a gag for every occasion, brilliant wordsmith to boot.

My third pick was Susanna. I knew it was a mistake not to go with her from the start!!

Great shout whoever nominated Simon Amstell, always cracked me up on Buzzcocks.

Jeff - I agree with you about the personal flaws of Parkinson's style but still enjoyed the programme itself enormously, particularly in the early years. I think a major part of its success was the quality of the guests who rarely had a book, programme or film to promote but were happy to recount some wonderfully entertaining stories of their past and other celebrities they had known. I particularly remember David Niven being a delight.

I do a great Parkinson impression, which involves me saying "Erm, erm, erm, erm, erm Billy Connolly" in a Yorkshire accent.

Marky wrote:Great shout whoever nominated Simon Amstell, always cracked me up on Buzzcocks.

Was a great shout, Mark Lamarr would have been an even greater one.

What constitutes a soap character?

Philosophical question? Anyone from a tv show that could realistically be titled a "soap". I accepted JR Ewing so its not just your Phil Mitchells.

I rewatched Parky interviewing Ali recently and I cant think of anyone in this country who could do such a good interview with him, let alone one who wasnt sports specific as a presenter

I went for Deaton, who I loved on HIGNFY (and incidentally is funny And possibly the only redeeming feature in the BBC3 comedy-drama he was in of which I have forgotten the title) and Dara, my first choice

Jeff Stelling because i have always been a huge fan, ever since i was a little boy glued to soccer Saturday on Saturday afternoons. 

Ant and Dec are my 2nd pick as i actually find them quite cool and funny at times.

Monkhouse and Fry. Funny and clever. Everything I'm not. Also dead and gay respectively, which I'm also not.
 
Attenborough unlucky to miss out.

Union Cane wrote:I do a great Parkinson impression, which involves me saying "Erm, erm, erm, erm, erm Billy Connolly" in a Yorkshire accent.

He has done this more than once on the boxing board. I can confirm it is brilliant.

Galted wrote:

Marky wrote:Great shout whoever nominated Simon Amstell, always cracked me up on Buzzcocks.

Was a great shout, Mark Lamarr would have been an even greater one.

Damn, wish i had chosen Vic and Bob.

Clarkson and Fry

Don't care, I like Clarkson. Ant and Dec close third.

Hon Ment to Monkhouse.

Went for Dara O'Briain and Daaaaaaviiid Leetterman!!

Dara is a brilliant host of Mock The Week and The Apprentice: You're Fired. Plus he is the funniest person on telly at the moment. Good nomination.

Went for Letterman as well as love that guy, his interview technique is both professional and hilarious. The guy is a genius.

I have actually got a vote. Glad someone else appreciates the genius of 15 to 1

Went for David Attenborough and Des Lynam.

I don't know how anyone can vote for Jonathan Ross ahead of Letterman - Ross basically stole all of Letterman's ideas. The Last Resort, good as it was, was just a copy of Late Night with Letterman.
I think Ross is very good, but Letterman's better and more original.

JuliusHMarx wrote:I don't know how anyone can vote for Jonathan Ross ahead of Letterman - Ross basically stole all of Letterman's ideas. The Last Resort, good as it was, was just a copy of Late Night with Letterman.
I think Ross is very good, but Letterman's better and more original.

Couldn't agree more. Jonathan Ross is just a poor mans Letterman.

Could be worse. Folk have actually voted for Clarkson. Watched an episode of top gear once, absolutely terrible.

Noise, noise, noise, bit of mysogony, bit more noise, spattering of xenophobia repeat to fade.

On the plus side at least nobody has nominated his two moronic sidekicks.

Sussanah Reid? Perverts  

I voted for Suzanna Reid. She really is rather wonderful. Also voted for William G - 15-1 is sadly missed.

Bless you superfly, 15 to 1 was genuinely brilliant. Difficult enough to be a challenge but not enough that you could not join in and unlike many quizzes now they actually asked lots of questions. Stewart was also awesome, authoritative without being a bully. Sadly missed as you rightly say.

Marky wrote:Great shout whoever nominated Simon Amstell, always cracked me up on Buzzcocks.

Thanks that was me, hard to pick between him and Lamarr

I voted for SIR David Attenborough (why doesn't he get his Knighthood and Brucie does?) and Sir Bruce.

Sir David is an absolute legend, a wonderful person to speak with, and always has time to chat. A broadcasting legend with no rival.

Any chance of Sacha Baron Cohen being added to the list? Aaaiii.

Bob Holness? I am torn between whether Dara's a good host or not. He's got a great personality ButTalksSoFastIHaveNoIdeaWhatHeSaysMostOfTheTime.

Oh to catch a glimpse of suzanna reid's lady wound when she uncrosses her legs on that sofa.

Completely forgot Karl pilkington. Funniest man on the planet.

seanmichaels wrote:Completely forgot Karl pilkington. Funniest man on the planet.

So he's the last man alive and this is all some weird afterlife we're all living?  

Karl Pilkington is funny, but he's definitely not a TV presenter.

Marky wrote:Karl Pilkington is funny, but he's definitely not a TV presenter.

He is, in a Michael Palin kind of way.

seanmichaels wrote:

Marky wrote:Karl Pilkington is funny, but he's definitely not a TV presenter.

He is, in a Michael Palin kind of way.

Actually, he isn't in a a sort of not a TV presenter type of way

Karl Pilkington is possibly my favourite living person, but I'm not sure I'd count him as a presenter

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:Karl Pilkington is possibly my favourite living person, but I'm not sure I'd count him as a presenter

Not overly sure about the living part either tbh

I find his forced and contrived apathy and disinterest rather annoying, but then I find Ricky Gervais as funny as cancer anyway.

Harsh on cancer...

What are the overall scores ATM Dolphin?

super_realist wrote:I find his forced and contrived apathy and disinterest rather annoying, but then I find Ricky Gervais as funny as cancer anyway.

Robert Downey junior? I think reasoned apathy is a good thing. Take that over a multi-faced no head any day of the week.....

Rowley wrote:Bless you superfly, 15 to 1 was genuinely brilliant. Difficult enough to be a challenge but not enough that you could not join in and unlike many quizzes now they actually asked lots of questions. Stewart was also awesome, authoritative without being a bully. Sadly missed as you rightly say.

I voted for him as well. Didn't realise until recently that he wrote the questions for the show as well. The word legend is oft overused, by it is apt in his case.

My other vote went to the godfather of sports broadcasting, Des Lynam.

I used to deliver William G's mail and can confirm that he was as authoritative and kind when receiving his mail as he was when putting someone's lights out and forcing them to sit down.