Brian May for S@N ?

[kirkster501]

Would this be the legend that is Mr Brian May thrashing out the national anthem on top of the Royal Observatory?!

Indeed. His Les Paul in one hand and a Nagler 17mm in the other. Sounds like a winner to me....

[Matt Scunthorpe]

Is Brian May known enough for his Astronomy is the question i think the beeb will be asking. Obviously we all know, but will the general public who might watch it know, or think 'why is a musician presenting an astronomy program, maybe its not a serious program' etc. But if he has the same passion for it as the other presenters and amateurs, i cant see a problem with him presenting. Might even open the hobby upto more people.

[GJBC]

Whilst i think it is highly unlikely that either Brian May or Dara O'Brien would be offered the job, or would take it is asked, so portray them as only a Musician or a Comic is a little disingenuous, whilst this is what they are well known/famous for, this is not all they are, and away from the music and the Jokes, both are very serious about science and especially space research/astrophysics. Lets not forget that Patrick was an accomplished musician and I know personally he loved a good Joke and would play practical jokes on those around him, he may have been a little eccentric by today's standards, but he had a cracking sense of humour.

Where in my post have i stated they are ONLY musicians or Comics if you read fully i gave not used their names anywhere and actually, i use their areas of entertainment and also mention News readers and even added etc as i open it up to a wider potential celebrity. i for one would like to see a person from the scientific area of astronomy and i even stated that. my concern with using celebrities is that over time it might turn into a farce around them can you imagine Dara keeping it straight and to be honest i like Dara and Queen are my top band since the 70s i have no ill feeling or am i in any way being discourteous to either. just for me they are just not who " I " think should front it going forward.

Patrick was an astronomer who could also play and write music trust me i have seen him do it and enjoyed it. i have know an loved his eccentricity since i was a kid and have watched him since the earliy 60s with my dad so no need to tell me what he could do I know...

Chris Lintott took a few months to find his style on the show now he has blossomed i am not a lover of the constant funnies Paul Abel tries to drop in if its factual then keep it that way. For me i am hopeful the show continues with the team as it is now no need to bring an anchor man in. i just remember Patrick doing most of it himself and only had assistance as his health began to fail. there are 4 people in situ now and between them they have my full trust but from that 4 one should be given lead.

now if we look at the Stargazing shows from earlier in the year productions did you see the need fro the party at the end with the astro wine and all the other non astro stuff what did that have t do with astronomy ??? how excited did the Johnathon Ross part of the show get you in either the first or the second series even when they got the scope out he was not interested, all he was interested in was making jokes so hope here you can see where i am coming from when i say it becomes more about them.

[Nillchill]

Can I add to my earlier post,

We are all talking about professional astronomers taking on the mantle of this TV programme, fundamentally Patrick Moore was an amateur bring his passion for this hobby to others. Its his passion that has enthused so many. I think the person who takes this on should be someone with a genuine love of the subject. Dara O'Brien or Brian Cox would not bring that passion to it. I am sure that Patrick would have had a very good idea as to the replacemen, and that person is already a presenter of the show.

[ZEbbEDY]

richard hammond

•pause•

not

[astro mick]

Who ever it is,i assume it will go back to being filmed at a studio!!!!

Mick.

Richard Hammond(Interesting,but not sure).

[knobby]

Hammond would never reach the E.P. on a Dob

[cantab]

Whoever presents it, I think the important thing is to retain a good part of the coverage on observational astronomy, the hands on stuff. There are other shows like Horizon that can cover astrophysics and cosmology.

[Connect2space]

I think Brian May would be good as a presenter and some people who loved Queen may check it out and find out they love s@n and astronomy.

[Freff]

I would like to see it presented like they now present Have I got News for You.

A different expert each month similar the guests SPM had on his show from the astronomy and cosmology community.

Nothing against Brian May or Dara O'Brien, but I can only take them in very small doses.

[JamesM]

As unfortunate as Patrick's passing is, there is now an opportunity to make some changes to help bring the programme a little up to date. As far as personnel are concerned, I would prefer to see Chris Lintott take the chair and to present the professional research side of astronomy and for very our own Pete Lawrence to present the amateur observing side. There is plenty of scope to expand both these sides (...to include astrophotography?) into a preferred hour long programme, though I would still prefer to see it shown only once a month. I have to be honest in being generally unimpressed with Paul Abel's contribution to the show and so he would be the first casualty to go. Like many others, I would want to keep the exact same opening music (no jazzed up version as seen with Dr. Who and Gardeners World etc) as it would provide a nice consistent link with the past and in particular, with Patrick himself. There is plenty of 'scope'(...apologies for the pun ) to link it in with Stargazing Live, star parties both here and in america, as well providing publicity to observatory events, local astro clubs and observing groups up and down the country. I would welcome Brian May's contribution but I'm not sure how good his presenting skills are in conveying information or how well his 'celebrity' status would dovetail with the understated style that has made this programme so successful over the years. I certainly don't want to see young "pretty" presenters being drafted in for 'yoof' appeal as the programme has and always should lead on its content.

Overall, there is room for change that both respects the past whilst at the same time helping to develop the present into the future without the temptation to dumb everything down to the lowest common denominator. I hope that the BBC can do the right thing on what is a specialist interest area and it will be interesting to see if they solicit any opinions outside broadcasting house (....from forums such as our own perhaps?) as to the way forward - but I shan't be holding my breath! :grin:

James

[zakkhogan]

I would prefer to see Chris Lintott take the chair

not for me.......

[rory]

i agree with james, small tweaks to the programme could work wonders. id like occasional equipment reviews and tutorials thrown in. i would like it to be updated a little but not stupidly so.

[LukeSkywatcher]

not for me.......

Not my first choice either, but i think (and i could be wrong) the Beeb introduced him into the show a few yrs ago as Patrick's right hand man with the intention of having him replace Patrick when the day came?.

Just my opinion.

S@N has a great team of guys on it that do different "segments" during each show. Guys that Patrick knew well. I dont think the show needs a single presenter. They each do their own thing and it works.

Let's face it....................NO ONE is ever going to fill Patrick's shoes..........................so lets just keep the rest of the team on, doing what they do best and keep S@N going for many yrs to come.

IF any of the guys on the show had to be picked to open and close the show (as Patrick did), my vote goes to Pete. He has a great presence about him that really suits tv.

It would be a real shame to kill the show off, while it is still attracting people to the hobby and new discoveries are being made on an almost daily basis. There is still a place for it on tv and the S@N team are more then able to keep doing the job.

Small tweaks to the layout of the show and it is good to go.

[rory]

i wonder how long before some sort of announcment from the bbc. ?

[bomberbaz]

I for one really agree hat the SatN needs to change but couple of things said I question

there is now an opportunity to make some changes to help bring the programme a little up to date

Like many others, I would want to keep the exact same opening music no jazzed up version as seen with Dr. Who

hmm, Heard the quote about having your cake and eat it. And Dr Who is more popular now than it ever has been. It has been modernised massively but still maintains a huge following from its pst and present.

I certainly don't want to see young "pretty" presenters being drafted in for 'yoof' appeal as the programme has and always should lead on its content.

I think that any of the mentioned people, all eminent professionals in thier own fields would feel rather insulted by being aluded to as being little more than "pretties".

I understand the nostalgia and concerns of many who have grown up with SatN. But life goes on, things change, people, especially the younger generation want a bit more. You can have the science, the interlect and fun all together but you can't ask for change then apply boundaries restrcting this.

Baz

[Mr Fiery Jack]

I say leave well alone. The current s would make a sound job of it. I just hope the BBC don't try to make it sexy, god forbid.

[Matt Scunthorpe]

I feel it needs some kind of revamp, maybe not a massive one, but something to set it apart from Patrick's S@N, a chance for the other presenters, or a new presenter to put their mark on the show.

[Tddun]

I understand something has to set it apart from Patrick's S@N, but personally I hope the show recieves very few minor changes only.. I very much like the current format.. even more so I love the team currently there.. especially Pete and Paul's 'chemistry' on the show.. if I can call it that.

[JamesM]

Steve, you too agree that changes should be made...but interestingly you don't actually say what you think those changes should be and instead choose to look for contradictions in my suggestions. For clarity, I will help you understand my position a little further as you clearly have not understood correctly the points that I have made. I don't think there is any conflict in wanting to keep the same music as a nod to the past whilst perhaps changing the format once the programme has started. I agree that Dr Who is more popular because changes have been made to the content and the way it is conveyed (special effects etc) but they didn't need to change the music to achieve this as well. You clearly misunderstood my comment regarding "pretty" presenters as I believe the existing presenters are more than capable of delivery the necessary content (..I have stated my preferences as to who) but there has been a trend in the BBC to choose younger presenters, or those that are a little easier on the eye, which is a deliberate attempt to appeal to a younger audience who might be seduced by such trivial considerations. The role of a good presenter is the ability to convey their knowledge in a style and manner that can be understood by the majority of those watching them and this idea of 'appropriate' style goes a long way to explain why presenters of children's programmes are never asked to read the news. A further example is Stargazers Live, which in my view failed in its presentation because it made too much use of celebrities "popping" in and interacting rather than relying on getting the information across in a clear and concise way.

I understand the nostalgia and concerns of many who have grown up with SatN. But life goes on, things change, people, especially the younger generation want a bit more. You can have the science, the interlect and fun all together but you can't ask for change then apply boundaries restricting this

Personally I don't care what the 'younger' generation want, as I see astronomy as a subject that appeals to all age groups who can join in and share in the wonders of the universe together on a level playing field, without discrimination or special pandering. The notion that you can't have change whilst having boundaries is nonsense, as I believe you can make changes in strategic areas that more accurately reflect developing areas of interest (....astrophotgraphy, spectroscopy?) whilst at the same time ensuring some consistency that can reinforce tradition and expectations. If you take the example of Gardeners world (...which you conveniently ignored in your quote) they changed the music, the format and the presenters which left the majority of its loyal viewers high and dry with feelings of total disconnection. It was clearly the idea of some new producer to make 'their mark' on the programme by having a wholesale bonfire of the whole production which resulted in a lot of disgruntled viewers.

I am not suggesting that you can have your cake and eat it, rather that you can perhaps modify the recipe a little, offer out smaller slices to measure the response and perhaps to serve it on a plate that everyone can help themselves from without the need to present it on a high chair accompanied by some children's cutlery and a bib.

James

[Si W]

IMHO, I dont think Brian Cox would do it even if he got the first offer, he's already got other stuff going on, plus I don't think he would give up his full time job as a particle physicist, he enjoys the work to much, you can tell, science would take a back seat to production if it was the case, he's done some really good programs as well as writing a number of books, I think doing SN would be a bridge to far. I also think Manchester University would'nt be happy if they lost him either, as to who will present it I hav'nt got a clue, Brian May or who ever named in this thread, and TBH I don't know who would, I thing the BBC will wait for a few months (mybe till March even April) out of respect to Sir Patrick's passing, and let the current presentation team carry on out of respect, it's well to early.

[Seafury]

Hi as an example look at what has happened to Time Team, new producers etc wonderful new ideas from people who didn't know what they were doing, bring in a pretty face, the lead chap leaves and the whole show is to be binned after next year such a shame and probably a result of all the thousands of kids going to uni. to do "media studies" whatever that is, that is the fate of the S@N unless they are very careful

Gordon

[cantab]

i agree with james, small tweaks to the programme could work wonders. id like occasional equipment reviews and tutorials thrown in. i would like it to be updated a little but not stupidly so.

Equipment reviews might be good actually. There's more to astronomy than gadgets, but the electronic side of things might attract new viewers, and they would be reviewed by people who know what they're talking about.

[scoobee]

I would advocate a mini stargazing live style show, no one can doubt it’s a workable formula, maybe a few tweaks here and there.

[MAN or ASTROMAN]

Obviously,the show is going to be different without the presence of Patrick,but I think it should go on with it's current,venerable title.It doesn't need to be replaced.Nor,in my opinion,does it need re-vamping,or a new presenter/anchorman.I would bet that the BBC powers that be already have Brian Cox in their sights for the job,but I don't think that he's the man for the job.Not to detract from him,but I tend to think of him as the female' eye candy of science presentation'(LOL!!). Nor do I think that Brian May would fit the bill.To be honest,I don't think anyone could fill Patrick's shoes-he was a one off! I would be happy for the show to continue in it's present form,with Chris and Pete,who are both knowledgeable and affable presentersMaybe the odd guest will appear,and I would be happy to see both Brians and John Culshaw (PLEASE don't imitate Patrick!) in this role..As for the show's timing-it does usually show at 7.30pm,plus repeats,and obviously is available via I-Player.I would hate to see S@N face the same 'dumbed down' fate as 'Tomorrow's world'.