THE BBC will win the ratings battle once more on World Cup final day, but ITV’s recruitment of Adrian Chiles has arguably won them the war when it comes to their tournament coverage.
ITV’s campaign has been beset by catastrophes – the advert shown instead of England’s goal against the USA on HD, and the sacking of pundit Robbie Earle – but their coverage has looked fresh in comparison to their rivals at the BBC.
Chiles is in his element, a man who avoids the banal and possesses the complete understanding of what being a football fan entails.
His whimsical assessments often make the viewer consider the game in ways they had not done before – something Steve Rider was never capable of.
The best three commentators at the tournament – Clive Tyldesley, Peter Drury and Jon Champion – are also all with ITV.
All three are capable of producing the memorable soundbite on cue, while the BBC lack gravitas in the post-John Motson and Barry Davies era.
The BBC did, however, produce the best laugh-out-loud commentary line of the tournament – albeit from a co-commentator.
“Yer man’s a clown,” Mick McCarthy rather comically exclaimed in disgust at the referee’s decision to send off Germany’s Miroslav Klose against Serbia.
With such diplomacy, we are left to wonder quite how he and Roy Keane fell out.
The consistently imperious Gabriel Clarke saw off Gabby Logan in the interview stakes, with Logan appearing ill-suited to her new role.
The blunder of the tournament has surely been the BBC bus, although the Beeb scored well with a stunning studio location by Table Mountain as well as the recruitment of Jurgen Klinsmann and Clarence Seedorf.
At ITV, Gareth Southgate has a career in television if he does not return to management.
Just don’t mention that Euro ’96 penalty shoot-out.
Our awards
Best presenter: Adrian Chiles (ITV).
Best British pundit: Gareth Southgate (ITV).
Worst British pundit: Alan Shearer (BBC).
Best foreign pundit: Jurgen Klinsmann (BBC).
Worst foreign pundit: Edgar Davids (ITV).
Best interviewer: Gabriel Clarke (ITV).
Best commentator: Clive Tyldesley (ITV).
Best co-commentator: Mick McCarthy (BBC).
Worst co-commentator: Mark Bright (BBC).
Best theme tune: ITV.
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