Discuss the sport you love with other motorsport fans
Damn your love, damn your lies.
It needs to also start being broadcast in HD. BBC have the ability. It would justify my Sky+ HD box too
Damn your love, damn your lies.
Stevie Nicks the goat hahaha!
I guarantee they won't broadcast it on BBC-America. It'd be nice to have another opinion out there to see and hear.
Damn your love, damn your lies.
Stevie Nicks the goat hahaha!
you should be shot.
?Welcome to my blog
Jake Humphrey | 09:26 GMT, Wednesday, 4 March 2009
Hi everyone, and welcome to my new blog here on the brand-new BBC Sport F1 site.
Some of you may know who I am from CBBC classics such as Rule The School, Newsround or even BAMZOOKi (don't ask!), others from the Olympics, Sports Personality or my other BBC Sport presenting work.
Some of you might be even thinking... who he? Well, I am the man charged with hosting the much-anticipated return of Formula One to the BBC.
Many people have asked me how the job came to be mine and the truth is that when I heard we'd landed the F1 rights I wanted to throw my hat into the ring straight away.
But, having just been blessed with the opportunity to present Euro 2008 and then the Beijing Games, I honestly felt it was a bit soon to be asking for what I consider to the biggest presenting job at BBC Sport.
So, when I was asked to pitch for the job I was thrilled, and after a couple more meetings I met the new F1 editor Mark Wilkin for the first time, along with Niall Sloane, head of F1.
We had a good, open chat about the sport, my commitment, my knowledge and finally they asked me to count the steps to the lift while they had a chat.
I was so nervous I quickly lost count, loitered outside the room and then when I returned they asked me if I'd like the job.
While doing cartwheels on the inside I casually accepted it - as I recall with an "I'd be delighted to do it, thanks" - was sworn to secrecy... then immediately went and rung Mum and Dad...
I had to tell someone. But, to be fair, they're almost cut off from civilisation in deepest, darkest Norfolk, and if you can't trust the former chief exec of Age Concern Norfolk then who can you trust?
So, here I am, the Beeb's F1 host, gearing up for my first race and with the big shoes of my good and excellent friend Steve Rider to fill.
It's been an interesting few months since I was confirmed in the job. The way I see it I've essentially done my apprenticeship at CBBC (our version of GP2 or Formula Three, I guess) and now I've got a race drive in F1.
Questioning a former kids' TV presenter hosting sport is easy to do but I'm certainly no less qualified than if I'd graduated from local news like Steve before me or local radio like my hero Des Lynam.
CBBC basically gave me a platform to develop, grow and make mistakes - but most importantly gain the hours and hours of live TV experience, readying for the next step.
I believe my role is to make your viewing as smooth as possible.
While the racing gets your hearts pumping, pundits Eddie Jordan and David Coulthard get you thinking, and Martin Brundle helps Jonathan Legard call the action, I am there to handle the vast technical challenge that hosting a sport like this presents.
I'm charged with keeping the ebullient EJ and DC relaxed, in-check and confident enough to keep their minds on the racing, make sure were covering all the angles editorially as we build up to the race, and make sure that when Martin, Ledgy and the cars are ready to start, we shut up.
And that's all in a busy pit lane with the odd V8 or two roaring a few feet away.
It was something Steve did with huge aplomb.
Then, after four hours of live broadcasting, we need to finish to the precise second and it's my job to make sure all that happens.
Sure, I need to know the sport and I do - I love motor racing - but I'm also there to just act as a referee for the show, keep it running and, like they say about the best refs, hardly be noticed!
So that's me. Now, back to my new online home.
I needed no convincing to do this blog because I am a firm believer that broadcasting has moved away from just the "linear" TV offering of yesteryear. You now demand a more complete experience and we will aim to deliver just that.
For many years a TV presenter's role started when the red light came on and ended with the word "zero". Well, I'm really keen to give you a much better insight into my day-to-day life around the sport and in the job.
I want to answer your questions, enjoy a bit of banter, keep you across what I'm up to and generally create a little online community.
If you have a query, a concern, a complaint, a bit of praise, a question, I'd like to hear it and chat about it openly and honestly right here.
Let's be honest, we don't just think about racing at midday on a Sunday - and our coverage should reflect that.
Here's how I see it. There won't be a big article from me and responses from you - more my thoughts, your reaction and we'll see where we go from there.
Don't expect huge articles every day. This is the most words I'll ever write on here, I reckon. I see this more as a community - we all chat with each other, hopefully all come away more knowledgeable, informed and entertained.
I'm writing this at home, where my seemingly never-ending preparation work continues, and with every passing day the greatest moment thus far in my broadcasting career looms ever larger.
I think our arrival back on the scene after 12 years is perfectly timed. A British world champion, regulation changes that will keep us all guessing until the lights go out at Albert Park, and a sport more under the spotlight and needing to deliver captivating, exciting, close racing than ever before.
It was an incredible finish to last season and I really hope we all get another vintage year of racing, live and uninterrupted on the BBC.
I'm certainly honoured to be involved and I look forward to sharing it with you all.
Catch you later - and look forward to reading your thoughts.
- By darwin daliYeah, not very active here, unfortunately. Is it […]
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