Jon Culshaw to join the Sky at Night team

[starman1969]

I am liking the new format so far and I hope it continues. It may even gather a bigger audience, if so may even get an earlier time slot or longer running time.

The introduction of Jon Culshaw is a positive move aimed at attracting a younger audience, but I can also see how his 'man on the street' approach can help anyone, young or old, engage with the program better.

No matter what is done to the format, some will like it and some won't. That is final.

[foundaplanet]

Ideally I would like to have the program aired once a week with a two hour slot from 7pm till 9pm on a Sunday evening.

Have them do live shows from every star party in the country on the red button like they do with Glastonbury. Special editions to cover special events and have the BBC drop Eastenders and spend the money putting up observatories in every county in the country with free Jaffa cakes for all.

Also run a big awareness campaign on light pollution which would involve regular coverage on the news also to highlight the problem even more...but you can't always get what you want..

[Paulus17]

Ideally I would like to have the program aired once a week with a two hour slot from 7pm till 9pm on a Sunday evening.

Have them do live shows from every star party in the country on the red button like they do with Glastonbury. Special editions to cover special events and have the BBC drop Eastenders and spend the money putting up observatories in every county in the country with free Jaffa cakes for all.

Also run a big awareness campaign on light pollution which would involve regular coverage on the news also to highlight the problem even more...but you can't always get what you want..

Here, here.

[Scott]

Ideally I would like to have the program aired once a week with a two hour slot from 7pm till 9pm on a Sunday evening.

Have them do live shows from every star party in the country on the red button like they do with Glastonbury. Special editions to cover special events and have the BBC drop Eastenders and spend the money putting up observatories in every county in the country with free Jaffa cakes for all.

Also run a big awareness campaign on light pollution which would involve regular coverage on the news also to highlight the problem even more...but you can't always get what you want..

foundaplanet for president

[Gweedo]

I watched it the other night and the changes to the format are growing on me. I thought that Jon Culshaw's contribution was entirely appropriate and for the naysayers out there, there was not one impression.

I vote for Foundaplanet as president as well.

[Matt1979]

I haven't seen a full episode of The Sky At Night since January, but I saw a clip on YouTube where Jon is reading a poem about the programme in his Patrick Moore voice. What did they say about Patrick Moore when they gave the Moore Winter Marathon results? I wasn't sure if the presenters had talked about him much in the recent episodes.

Nothing has since been said about Farthings and whether it will indeed become a museum and observatory.

[ben_e71]

as a former naysayer - I actually thought JC was okay this month. THe only thing is I agree with the comments above re his voice. I remember him in the early 2000s on Chris Moyles and he didn't talk like that then.

[Macavity]

Back in the day, there was discussion as to whether being an impressionist (Mike Yarwood was cited) left one uncertain of one's own personality - Or even rather lacking in one! These days, every TV presenter has to have a "Strong Personality", be "Opinionated"... "Outrageous", even? Yes, an impressionist (John Culshaw) could be IDEAL for S@N!

On the other hand, such ideas could be carried to extreme! (AW, Bless 'im):

[JamesF]

Mike Yarwood (thought he) knew when he was being himself. AFAIR he always used to finish his show with a piece starting with "And this... is me..."

James

[tich]

I haven't got a problem with him just as long as the Beeb don't blow budgets on celebs & ending up having to take it off the air for good.

[Seafury]

trouble is that even when he supposed to be talking normaly as himself he seems to be putting on an annoying acent more like Maximus

[Kropster]

It has to be assumed that the S@N audience encompasses a wide range of ages, knowledge levels and abilities.

The format needs a broad appeal unless S@N is to become a niche programme for the advanced amateur... which will then guarantee the axe in the next round of spending cuts.

So far, I think that the popularising process has been quite benign and not damaging or dumbing down.

Astronomy needs a popular programme for the whole amateur community.

[Seafury]

perhaps the could alternate the "guest" amatures Culshaw,May etc

[Scott]

perhaps the could alternate the "guest" amatures Culshaw,May etc

i'd like to see more of Brian May but I think first and foremost he's a musician and I'm sure this keeps him fairly busy. shame that

[gazza63]

I would have liked to see BRIAN MAY get the part. Great ambassador to astronomy, and a close friend of the late and great...PATRICK MOORE.

[LukeSkywatcher]

I personally dont see the need for "celeb" guests in the show. I think it will kill the show.

I like the way it works so far with Chris,Lucie,Pete,Paul etc.

[Paul M]

I caught it on iPlayer last night and quite enjoyed it.

I'm certain John Culshaw's "normal" voice was never so theatrical when he was a presenter on local radio as it is now!

Pete Lawrence is the guy. It's great seeing him helping newbies get to grips with the night sky.

That's when my own enthusiasm overflows - when I'm guiding people round the stars.

[Paulus17]

I think it's good to have celebs on,as people like to see em,so might grab more interest with the viewers,so long as they are serious about it,not like the two who was on SGL on the after show,just couldn't see the point in having them on then.??

Might be good to make a feature of visiting celebs obsys if they have one or go out with them on an observing session??

[Seafury]

the accent is a would be for a chap called Maximus Attenborough lol

[Kropster]

I think the 'celebs as amateurs' works quite well, as we all recognise them and twig that they are amateurs..just like us.

It may be better than having somebody who could be your next-door neighbour.... that might be annoying!

As for the JC accent.. I suppose it become ingrained and difficult to stop.

[LukeSkywatcher]

I'm not here to bash JC, he is a great impressionist, but i have to agree with people about his accent. He is a Lancashire lad and when he started out, his accent reflected his upbringing. Over the yrs his accent seems to have taken on a distinct American twang mixed with a Lancs accent.

When he speaks now on camera, i am not sure if its his real accent or if he is putting on this "American/Lancs" accent. Maybe he doesn't even know himself.

What i9 mean is...............with his accent, i cant take him seriously, even if he is speaking very seriously.

Make sense?

IIRC.................the same thing has happened to Rory Bremner over the yrs. He sounds half American, half English now.

[cheb]

for my 2p i think if he is going to be on there as the lay man for them to talk to and have a focus for their conversatins that can be a bit heavy sometimes then fair enough lets try it. I know SPM wasnt a lay man but of late they often focused their talks to him. If he is going to be doing impressions and trying to add a bit of spice then please dont, hes had his own shows doing that and they didnt work so dont infest something that isnt broken with banal humour.

No offense Jon your only trying to pay the bills i know!!

[LukeSkywatcher]

If he is going to be doing impressions and trying to add a bit of spice then please dont, hes had his own shows doing that and they didnt work so dont infest something that isnt broken with banal humour.

No offense Jon your only trying to pay the bills i know!!

Completely and utterly agree.

[Scott]

for my 2p i think if he is going to be on there as the lay man for them to talk to and have a focus for their conversatins that can be a bit heavy sometimes then fair enough lets try it. I know SPM wasnt a lay man but of late they often focused their talks to him. If he is going to be doing impressions and trying to add a bit of spice then please dont, hes had his own shows doing that and they didnt work so dont infest something that isnt broken with banal humour.

No offense Jon your only trying to pay the bills i know!!

Seems to me that when Paul/s or Chris try their hand at a witty remark, thats fine but when Jon tries his hand at astronomy then it's wrong. How can you say "if it ain't broke"? It did brake. Sir PM died.

[coulthamst]

Mr Culshaw's impression was invariably an over the top parody of Patrick's idiosyncrasies. While Patrick was alive and enjoyed the joke I could put up with it. Now he has gone that impression should be retired permanently. In a recent tribute programme Jon did an affectionate and fairly accurate impression which I was happy to hear - but not more than once a year!

Various presenters may have come out with a "witty remark", but as far as I can recall they have not repeated the same remark in a later programme and expected us to laugh at it again. There is nothing worse than a very old joke, and I would put the Culshaw "Patrick parody" in that category.