April 20, 2006
Its just not the same!
So, this week Chris Evans took over the Drivetime slot on Radio 2. I was determined to give the guy a chance so I've listened in for a couple of days as I've driven home.
I tried to like him, I wanted to like him, I really did... But...
I just don't. Sorry Chris. I was hoping for a continuation of the Johnnie Walker legacy (Johnnie did Drivetime for 7 years) but it's just not. Gone is the decent business news, the bonhomie between Johnnie and Boseman. He misses cues, plays wrong incidental music and on both occasions I've listened has gone to the news desparately late (like over a minute late). It just feels like amateur hour.
Why oh why oh why did the Beeb bring him into this slot? What were they thinking? Stuart Maconie or Richard Allinson would have been much much better choices. Even John Inverdale was pretty good when he did it.
The fact it's been leaked that he earns £540k per annum just makes me think he's terribly overpaid for what he does. Good on him for managing to con the beeb out of that much but remember - this is over 4000 license fees!!
I know Johnnie must have been tired, Cancer treatment would take it out of anyone. I just really wish the beeb would have not used Evans and got Maconie or Allinson to do it (they could have done it on a rota basis if they didn't want to do it full-time).
It'll certainly be interesting to find out what the listener figures are for this week and how fast they've tailed off after the first "lets see what he can do then" show that people will have tunes in to.
Radio 2 have still got me for the morning drive (there's no-one worth listening to except Wogan) but Wogan is playing music recently I feel is aimed at people much older than myself (to put it kindly). They're in real danger of losing me for the drive home though. I'll just stick a CD on instead of listing to Evans prattle on about complete inanities that don't interest me.
I have listened in a little bit to Chris Evans this week too and was thoroughly unimpressed, but to be honest I didn't much care for Johnnie Walker either. I always enjoyed it more when Stuart Maconie was filling in so for me he would have been my top choice for the job.
As I said in my blog, I'm feeling like I'm in a musical no-mans land right now so I swap almost between songs from Radio 1 and 2, before giving up and putting on a CD. Frankly I don't think I'll ever be 100% happy with any one radio station, so my only hope is to make up huge mp3 CD's of songs I like and press the random button.
Posted by: Gabby at April 20, 2006 8:43 PMI haven't heard Chris Evans on drivetime (I'm usually on the bus and train), but I don't think he has the right style for that show.
I really like him, he was and is a very innovative presenter, but I think most people need someone a bit less 'in-yer-face' for that time of day when you're winding down and just want to get home. Like you say, Stuart Maconie was good when Johnnie was off, and I'm surprised they didn't have him.
Posted by: Ann at April 22, 2006 10:40 AMI just can't believe that G has finally blogged...goodness knows I've bugged him enough about it! He tells me all this interesting stuff and I say...go blog...but then he doesn't. I guess it's because I'm just the nagging wife :)
I agree with the points you made about the afternoon slot. Having said that, i think that Steve Wright should go. he's kind of boring and does the same stuff all the time. (Except for Ask Elvis!)
Posted by: Carla Knipe at April 26, 2006 8:30 PM