What has the BBC done to the Sky at Night Now!! A new presenter!

[Spikey]

Maggie is a brilliant addition. Very enthusiastic and knowledgeable.

[Davey-T]

I was hoping for Helen czerski

I was hoping for Joey Essex

Dave

[BinocularSky]

Is this the same Maggie Aderin-Pocock who proclaimed on  Radio4 Today programme during the last Stargazing Live that "Saturn's rings can be seen with binoculars" (strictly true, but not in the sort of binoculars most people have!). I'm sure she's a very good space scientist, but I think we still need some amateur astronomers with a clue about amateur astronomy on S@N.

[MattGoo]

Hmm, never heard of this lady before, seems to be more suited to radio? Willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.

Helen Czerski would have been an interesting addition.

[JamesF]

Hmm, never heard of this lady before, seems to be more suited to radio? Willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.

Helen Czerski would have been an interesting addition.

Much as I like Helen Czerski, I'm not sure she's the girl for the gig.  Mostly because I've seen nothing she's done that would indicate an interest in astronomy, to be honest.  I'd rather see the programme presented by people who were clearly passionate about the subject matter.  If of course she does turn out to be the owner of a 20" dob nicknamed "Herschel" I take it all back and get her on the programme

James

[Rockrae78]

I really like Maggie; I have enjoyed every programme I've seen her presenting and I think she'll make a good addition to the team.  However, I really liked the team already in place (even Jon Culshaw isn't that irritating when he's NOT doing his SPM impression) so I really do hope that they all stay too.  I've been reading the tweets regarding the subject, but so far, no actual confirmation from the BBC that the current team would stay as is.

I think that it's important to note that SPM put together the current team; to now go against what he wanted for the future would be a bad move by the BBC, and not at all in keeping with his legacy.

[Luke]

That's great news about the other presenters hopefully staying on. So glad that it will hopefully remain in some recognisable form, I was a bit worried it would change beyond all recognition. I would miss my monthly S@N

[tenbyfifty]

she's ok , much more bearable than Herman Munsters kid brother

er, i meant dara o'briain

[andyman]

Everyone did their bit to keep it on our screens 

I will still like it no matter who hosts it so stop your bickering and just be thankfull its still gracing our tv screens

[Paul M]

It's quite fitting for "At The Castle Gates" to be the S@N theme tune.

SPM was the King of that particular castle and now he's gone it's going to be overrun by outsiders with no interest in its heritage and no interest in the subject at hand.

The fact that they aren't doing a January edition is, to me, evidence that the Beeb will be much more comfortable with a higher profile but occasional programme.

Stargazing live keeps coming to mind...

[JulianFR]

Bottom line is that I'm pleased and relieved Sky at Night is continuing. I do find Maggie's style irritating, though I'll certainly persevere watching ... And I wish her and the programme, success.

I do feel Sky at Night has suffered from (as someone has said already) a Blue Peter style of presentation, so change per se is not necessarily bad and could be good ... As long as the often perfidious BBC really does support it.

[Seafury]

What's wrong with the old "Blue Peter " style to my mind it is part of it's attraction, devoid of gimmicks and trickery, or perhaps I'm just a grumpy old git

[Cath]

Just thinking out aloud while supping a nice hot cuppa ..

Do you ever wonder if we as a species have ever gotten (or are getting) our priorities in a bit of a tangle?

[Prador]

I'm not entirely sure we ever had our priorities straight in the first place 

[Cath]

ah! .. fairy nuff 

[Luke]

Nothing wrong Cath with a hot cuppa first thing in the morning! :D

[Cath]

[knobby]

Blimey this thread has grown, watch the video in the first few posts ... She ground her own mirror. Built her own scope, got into astronomy in her early teens, seems genuinely interested and knowledgeable ...

Who else would you pick ?

So she might speak a tad ... Slowly ... SPM wasn't exactly flowing but he was fascinating to watch!

Give her a chance !

I'll be ignoring this thread until after her first episode :-)

[DaveS]

I'm looking forward to seeing her on S @ N, she's very knowlegable with an impressive CV.

I think the January hiatus is more SNAFU than conspiracy but I will concurr that Auntie Beeb is top heavy with arty types.

[Steve Ward]

There's three nights of Stargazing Live in January , hence no S@N til February ...  

I find it very hard to believe the bickering and pettiness in this thread , think yourselves very fortunate that the BBC has seen fit to continue producing it .

For my own part I think that Maggie Aderin-Pocock MBE is a great choice for presenter , highly qualified , highly knowledgeable and highly enthusiastic.

A different presenting style to Sir Patrick maybe , what would you rather have ... ? ... John Culshaw's tedious impressions .... 

Roll on February's return ... 

[cotterless45]

Yep , I watch very little tv. What I have noticed is the dumbing down of news, weather and a never ending diet of dancing/ice/talent brain mush. It keeps Mrs.c happy.

Great that Star Gazing Live and S@N are there, hurrah !

Nick.

[Kropster]

"think yourselves very fortunate that the BBC has seen fit to continue producing it"... really?

I suppose it would be much easier for the BBC to pump out whatever pap it liked if we all stopped moaning!

[Treeden]

... I will still like it no matter who hosts it so stop your bickering and just be thankfull its still gracing our tv screens

... I find it very hard to believe the bickering and pettiness in this thread , think yourselves very fortunate that the BBC has seen fit to continue producing it .

Just accept whatever they decide to produce without question and without discussing it here... here being a forum setup for discussion. Is that what you're saying?

Will you continue to support the BBC's decisions irrespective of the quality of the programmes or the competency of the presenters?

Should we just take whatever we're given and tug our forelocks in deference? "Thank you, thank you, thank you..."?

I find that to be a very strange attitude indeed.

[Steve Ward]

Not at all , I'd like to think that the furore generated by the rumours of the program's scrapping and the on-line petition that followed had an influence in the subsequent decision to continue making it.

My gripe is with the whingeing about the choice of presenter , are you suggesting that we have another petition every time Auntie decides to change something ...?

Whoever fronts the program is going to face inevitable comparisons with Sir Patrick  , an unenviable position for anyone to find themselves in .

I for one welcome the fact that the show will have an enthusiastic scientist at its helm , we could have been lumbered with a mindless smile with little or no interest in the subject .

[JamesF]

I for one welcome the fact that the show will have an enthusiastic scientist at its helm , we could have been lumbered with a mindless smile with little or no interest in the subject .

Very true.  Regardless of my opinion of her presentation style, I'd rather have someone with a passion for astronomy doing the job rather than some anodyne "face" who knows nothing and understands even less.

James