Murray Walker's back!

[Dave B]

Don't get too excited, it's only for one race and only on the radio, but a perfect excuse to mute the telly and give Five Live a listen! :D


Formula One's legendary voice, Murray Walker is to commentate for BBC Radio Five Live from the European Grand Prix in Germany on July 22.

This will be Walker's first return to a UK commentary box since his retirement in 2001. Regular Five Live presenter Maurice Hamilton will be in the commentary box with Walker, with Holly Samos providing all the news from the pit lane, replacing David Croft whose baby is due that weekend.


Full story: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/radio/a62293/murray-walker-returns-to-commentating.html

Why would anyone get excited about that knob?

Give me knowledge over enthusiasm any day of the week.

[SteveA]

Give me knowledge over enthusiasm any day of the week.

What, from James Allen?!

What, from James Allen?!

Both are Walker and Allen are cut from the same cloth.

[Valve Bounce]

I'd hate to see this guy commentate on the footy together with Rex Hunt.
Well, OK, maybe for a Collingwood game.

[raikk]

sweet! I'll have to move the Telly to the computer room lol

[Valve Bounce]

sweet! I'll have to move the Telly to the computer room lol

I'm not sure you realise the relevance, but the team from Adelaide are called "The Crows". In fact, the people from South Australia are called Crow Eaters. :)

[Ian McC]

Why would anyone get excited about that knob?

Give me knowledge over enthusiasm any day of the week.

Well maybe you best just turn the sound of completely then :rolleyes:

[ozrevhead]

I'm not sure you realise the relevance, but the team from Adelaide are called "The Crows". In fact, the people from South Australia are called Crow Eaters. :)
dont lump me in with that mob or the Power either! Unless its both Adelaide teams in the AFL or cricket the states media couldnt give a flying ----!!! They are the bain of my sporting existence!

back on topic - Great stuff...what the link for the broadcast?

[DonnieDarco]

Why would anyone get excited about that knob?

Give me knowledge over enthusiasm any day of the week.

I've seen Murray Walker identify the exact race, winner, year etc after being shown a tiny clip - In fact I've seen him interrupt before the clip is finished to give the correct information. There's nothing the man doesn't know about the sport, he's a walking encyclopedia.

Yes, he gets enthusiastic and yes he has made mistakes, but don't be fooled into thinking he knows nothing.

[inimitablestoo]

The BBC have beaten themselves to it... Murray was in the booth yesterday for anyone who was watching MotoGP qualifying (press your red buttons now, or rather then), albeit as a guest alongside Charlie and Steve. Not sure if he's going to be there today for the race.

[AndyL]

I've seen Murray Walker identify the exact race, winner, year etc after being shown a tiny clip - In fact I've seen him interrupt before the clip is finished to give the correct information. There's nothing the man doesn't know about the sport, he's a walking encyclopedia.

Yes, he gets enthusiastic and yes he has made mistakes, but don't be fooled into thinking he knows nothing.

:up: :up: :up:
Murray and James Allen are both well known for their mistakes but they're definitely not the same. The typical Murrayism is a non-sequiteur caused by the fact that his mouth can't keep up with his brain. Allen's mistakes are usually straightforward errors of fact because he can't follow what's going on.

[BDunnell]

:up: :up: :up:
Murray and James Allen are both well known for their mistakes but they're definitely not the same. The typical Murrayism is a non-sequiteur caused by the fact that his mouth can't keep up with his brain. Allen's mistakes are usually straightforward errors of fact because he can't follow what's going on.

Exactly, although I don't think James Allen makes as many mistakes as people think, because their dislike of him is so great. I can merely take him or leave him, no more.

I think it's a great idea on the part of 5 Live to get Murray Walker in. The only thing I'd say is that it is a shame that, apparently, no younger commentator is deemed suitable. The BBC has probably decided that hiring Murray will bring more attention to their coverage than getting, say, Charlie Cox or Ben Edwards, and they are surely right about that.

[Dave B]

After the "retirements" of Moira Stewart and Nick Ross, it's a nice change for the Beeb to consider anybody over 50! :p

Tip for anybody with Sky+ or equivalent PVR: hit live pause for a few seconds if like me you'll be streaming Five Live from t'internet, then the pictures and sound will be in sync.

[raikk]

I'm not sure you realise the relevance, but the team from Adelaide are called "The Crows". In fact, the people from South Australia are called Crow Eaters. :)

I refer to crows as people who are ignorant Vancouver Canuck fans... and for good reason lol..

[Rollo]

sweet! I'll have to move the Telly to the computer room lol

Forget it.
Owing to licencing restrictions, the BBC has the right to play it on terrestrial 606kHz but not over the internet.

Five Live is virtually useless unless you happen to live in the UK. If you can find some method of disguising your internet connection so that it thinks your IP is in the UK then good luck, otherwise, like Premiership football, Wimbledon, horse racing and every other single piece of live sport the Beeb has, Aunty doesn't give a damn about the rest of the world since we don't pay the licence fee.

BOO!!! :angryfire :

[Mark in Oshawa]

Murray Walker is the greatest entertainment any f1 race can give some weekends. I could find the actual racing dull, but listening to his mouth run away from his head was always fun, especially when he had Hunt with him.

God love him, he can drive you nuts, but he loved the sport. Cant hate a man for that....

[93VTEC]

I love F1, but I loved it more when Murray was comentating. It was special then.

[Garry Walker]

I've seen Murray Walker identify the exact race, winner, year etc after being shown a tiny clip - In fact I've seen him interrupt before the clip is finished to give the correct information. There's nothing the man doesn't know about the sport, he's a walking encyclopedia.

Yes, he gets enthusiastic and yes he has made mistakes, but don't be fooled into thinking he knows nothing.

Some years ago he took part in a quiz show where they asked him the most basic questions regarding F1. He answered most of them wrong, some of them should have been easy for even someone who has watched F1 once in his life.

Encyclopedia he is not.


Why would anyone get excited about that knob?

Give me knowledge over enthusiasm any day of the week.

Exactly. Walker is so incredibly overrated and stupid its mindboggling why people are so excited about him.

[ioan]

Exactly. Walker is so incredibly overrated and stupid its mindboggling why people are so excited about him.

He must be saying things that Brits like to hear (Button and Hamilton hype should be enough).

[Garry Walker]

He must be saying things that Brits like to hear (Button and Hamilton hype should be enough).

Maybe they like his girlish voice.

[ShiftingGears]

I find his excitement infectious and endearing :p : Yes, his brain runs ahead of his mouth a lot, but for me, and a bloody lot of people it seems, hes very entertaining and unique to listen to.

PS how the hell is his voice girlish?

[ioan]

Yes, his brain runs ahead of his mouth a lot,...

I thought it was the other way around and that made him an entertaining commentator.

[ShiftingGears]

I thought it was the other way around and that made him an entertaining commentator.

Oops, looks like my fingers ran ahead of my brain there :p :

[Garry Walker]

I find his excitement infectious and endearing :p : Yes, his brain runs ahead of his mouth a lot, but for me, and a bloody lot of people it seems, hes very entertaining and unique to listen to.

PS how the hell is his voice girlish?

Maybe some people like his over-excited tone and dont pay attention to the immense amount of mistakes he makes, I for one dont enjoy commenting of such quality. Now, its ok to make mistakes, we arent perfect and all commentators mess up at times, but what I dont like about Murray is that when he messes up, he is called a hero and its "oh good old murray", when James Allen messes up, he is called an idiot. Generally, Murray lacked understanding of F1 compared to even James Allen though.

[Flat.tyres]

Generally, Murray lacked understanding of F1 compared to even James Allen though.

Coming from you, I consider that to be the best endorsement for Murray that anyone can give :D

[BDunnell]

Maybe some people like his over-excited tone and dont pay attention to the immense amount of mistakes he makes, I for one dont enjoy commenting of such quality. Now, its ok to make mistakes, we arent perfect and all commentators mess up at times, but what I dont like about Murray is that when he messes up, he is called a hero and its "oh good old murray", when James Allen messes up, he is called an idiot. Generally, Murray lacked understanding of F1 compared to even James Allen though.

And I for one don't enjoy reading posts with loads of mistakes in them.

[wedge]

Maybe some people like his over-excited tone and dont pay attention to the immense amount of mistakes he makes, I for one dont enjoy commenting of such quality. Now, its ok to make mistakes, we arent perfect and all commentators mess up at times, but what I dont like about Murray is that when he messes up, he is called a hero and its "oh good old murray", when James Allen messes up, he is called an idiot. Generally, Murray lacked understanding of F1 compared to even James Allen though.

"And Gerhard Berger's car is on FIRE!"

"No Murray, that's just his rear lights!"

Or

"And Mansell is slowing. I suspect its something to do with handling and grip"

:D

Most of us love Murray's enthusiasm and charisma, and I would agree that he wasn't the most technically savvy of people but that was what people like James Hunt and Brundle are there for, to give their expert opinions.

One of James Allen's most annoying aspects is he says the same statistics over a race weekend. For example last year in Canada he kept muttering about how amazing the braking performance of an F1 car is and at Indy this year he kept saying how F1 drivers a full throttle for 23 seconds.

[ioan]

And I for one don't enjoy reading posts with loads of mistakes in them.

There was some rule about not bashing forum members language or orthographic errors.

[philipbain]

For anyone who got into F1 during the 70s / 80s / 90s, Murray Walker is THE voice of F1, his excitment was infectious and got the viewers interested. James Allen is a weak voiced cock. He bangs on endlessly about banal speculation, thinks that team strategy is anything but tedious (I would love to see refueling banned from F1 to make the drivers actually deal with a car that weighs 200kg more at the start of the race than it does at the end) and says utterly stupid things, which are more often than not followed by a long and dignified pause from Martin Brundle who is the saving grace of ITV's coverage, though Mark "cockney geezer" Blundell is often entertaining with his displays of appaling grammar!

Being able to listen to Murray commentate on a grand prix once again will be a pleasure and if you dont want to listen to him you dont have to, you can always listen to James Allen bang on about random stuff thats unimportant whilst he misses action thats happened on the track which a viewer who only has a TV set to follow the race on can spot!

[Dave B]

Just a reminder that the qualifying programme starts soon, 693 or 909 KHz AM or online (http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/listen/) (sadly UK only) :D

[Speedworx]

I'm sorry, but radio doesn't count. Wish he was back in ITV.

[V12]

Well.....anyone else turn the sound on the telly right down and have the radio playing?

I for one am glad I did - of course it helps that it was by far and away the best race of the year anyway, but it was like the good old days again!

Shame they had to keep cutting to the golf though....oh well

[Dave B]

Oh yes. I was flicking back to ITV audio during the inevitable breaks for golf and cricket, but it was great to hear the Master's voice again. He certainly had the best race to commentate on!

[BDunnell]

Oh yes. I was flicking back to ITV audio during the inevitable breaks for golf and cricket, but it was great to hear the Master's voice again. He certainly had the best race to commentate on!

Me too — though I also wanted to keep up with the golf! An excellent performance, in what was his first radio commentary for about 30 years. I'm glad it wasn't a boring race for him!

[Bezza]

The radio is in the other room and it was just to weird to leave him on, however heard snippets and he did very well! The most striking thing I noticed with his commentary is that he will lead one subject into a completely different with just one word and a change of tone, James Allen can't do that or when he tries he sounds silly and melodramatic.

[BDunnell]

The radio is in the other room and it was just to weird to leave him on, however heard snippets and he did very well! The most striking thing I noticed with his commentary is that he will lead one subject into a completely different with just one word and a change of tone, James Allen can't do that or when he tries he sounds silly and melodramatic.

I have never been one of the vehement James Allen-haters, but yesterday in qualifying he really made me shout at the screen with his absurd over-reaction to Hamilton's accident even after it was confirmed by Ron Dennis that he was OK. Asking Steve Rider, "What's the mood like in the paddock? One of shock, I'd imagine", was really rather ridiculous. Never did Murray Walker, for all of his excitement, resort to such hyperbole.

[SteveA]

Well, I enjoyed listening to Murray on 5 Live, however it was frustrating that they would go away to cover Golf and Cricket for about 20 mins at a time!

[stevie_gerrard]

Typical Murray chose this race of all races :D unfortunately i can't comment on his performance as i was in Ireland and had no means of accessing the race live, but i sure wish he came back to replace James Allen :p :

[Mifune]

Why would anyone get excited about that knob?

Give me knowledge over enthusiasm any day of the week.

I agree, I have no idea why people get so sentimental over Murray and slam Allen at every opportunity, Murray was far from a great commentator especially in later years, often inaccurate, not particularly perceptive.
Despite James Allen not having a particularly likeable demeanor, he knows just as much or more about current F1 than Murray. Allen’s writing on F1 is always concise and informative, granted this doesn’t translate well on screen.
Brundle is just about the best analyst/commentator i have ever heard comment on F1 or any motor sport. I would gladly suffer James Allen’s failing in order to hear Brundle's erudite and perceptive reading of a race

[Caroline]

I agree, I have no idea why people get so sentimental over Murray and slam Allen at every opportunity, Murray was far from a great commentator especially in later years, often inaccurate, not particularly perceptive.
Despite James Allen not having a particularly likeable demeanor, he knows just as much or more about current F1 than Murray. Allen’s writing on F1 is always concise and informative, granted this doesn’t translate well on screen.


You said 'likeable' and that just about answers your queries. James Allen isn't likeable and doesn't work well as a commentator for me. Murray is likeable, you feel that you could sit and chat with him about, well, just about anything. I enjoyed Murray Walker coming back briefly, it was a nostalgia trip for me.

But there are other commentators. Everyone talks about how Allen should go and be replaced by Murray Walker, but just replace Allen with someone with a little charisma and humour.