The Eternal Breakfast Debate in a New Place

[LMcD]

Is it my imagination, or does the 'Breakfast Show' now include an increased proportion of popular/familiar classical pieces together with more film music?

[rauschwerk]

Is it my imagination, or does the 'Breakfast Show' now include an increased proportion of popular/familiar classical pieces together with more film music?

I don't think it's your imagination!

[AuntDaisy]

Is it my imagination, or does the 'Breakfast Show' now include an increased proportion of popular/familiar classical pieces together with more film music?

I'd say Yes - from the bits I heard this morning, inc. Star Wars & Gaelforce. (Thought for the Day, Sport & depressing news force a rapid channel change.)
Just waiting for the CFM-style ads to appear - thanks Sam J.. Can we have Alan Davey back?

[hmvman]

I've noticed an increase in the number of 'popular' pieces in recent months. However, while the recent changes to the R3 schedule have been, generally, a downgrade, the extension of Breakfast to 9.30 has been a benefit for me as I generally have my breakfast around 9 - 9.30 so now there isn't the mad scramble to switch off as the dreadful EC starts!

[Nick Armstrong]

A suitably nostalgic Sunday Breakfast from Martin Handley, presenting his last programme after twenty years on weekend Breakfast. He reviewed musical mileposts in his life and was clearly in a sentimental mood, which I thought appropriate. He's long been one of my favourite R3 presenters and my own Sunday mornings won't be the same.

Thank you, Martin, for all the music and for all your entertaining and informative scripts.

It was a lovely final programme, I thought. What a wealth of practical music experience the man has, including with some of the greats over the decades - coupled with very good taste, self-deprecating humour and an ideal radio voice & technique. A very tough - probably impossible - act to follow.

Hope we hear much more of MH - untrammelled by enforced trails etc preferably. I agree that he’d make a perfect addition to the TTN presenting line-up.

[LMcD]

It was a lovely final programme, I thought. What a wealth of practical music experience the man has, including with some of the greats over the decades - coupled with very good taste, self-deprecating humour and an ideal radio voice & technique. A very tough - probably impossible - act to follow.

Hope we hear much more of MH - untrammelled by enforced trails etc preferably. I agree that he’d make a perfect addition to the TTN presenting line-up.

I couldn't agree more!

[kernelbogey]

...What a wealth of practical music experience the man has, including with some of the greats over the decades - coupled with very good taste, self-deprecating humour and an ideal radio voice & technique...

I do hope that the qualities you highlight about MH, Nick, are not also the basis for the station 'letting him go' from Breakfast: my fear is that he might be seen now as 'old radio three' style.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I do hope that the qualities you highlight about MH, Nick, are not also the basis for the station 'letting him go' from Breakfast: my fear is that he might be seen now as 'old radio three' style.

Not for me to speculate but quite a few people “go” because they are fed up with the demands of the broadcasting job - shift work , late and early morning public transport trips , stress and constant budget cuts. To still be in broadcasting at 72 is remarkable and testament to Martin’s resilience and commitment.
Most of my production colleagues in BBC Radio and TV (and historically in ITV ) all left in their mid to late fifties for similar reasons - though quite a few were simply sacked to save money and replaced with cheaper, younger staff. Just about everyone in my generation who had a twenty to thirty five year career in TV or Radio now works in PR or media education. A word of warning to any youngsters ( and there are tens of thousands ) who fancy a broadcasting career- it won’t be a job for life or anything like.

[french frank]

To still be in broadcasting at 72 is remarkable and testament to Martin’s resilience and commitment.

Must be the Radio 3 air as there are two other septuagenarians still regularly presenting, a third moved over to CFM and is happily presenting there and a fourth was in his 70s (now in his 80s) when he left R3. All blokes, of course. Indelicate to mention the ladies, but the Blessed St Catherine made no secret of her age and has now passed her three score years and ten.

[Old Grumpy]

Indelicate to mention the ladies, but the Blessed St Catherine made no secret of her age and has now passed her three score years and ten.

Who she - ah yes, you must mean this one!

[Ein Heldenleben]

Must be the Radio 3 air as there are two other septuagenarians still regularly presenting, a third moved over to CFM and is happily presenting there and a fourth was in his 70s (now in his 80s) when he left R3. All blokes, of course. Indelicate to mention the ladies, but the Blessed St Catherine made no secret of her age and has now passed her three score years and ten.

Providing they don’t blot their copybook a presenter will typically have a longer career than a producer. In fact in my view a few go on far too long and deny opportunities to the young, And by young I mean the middle aged really, The industry needs people with new ideas, The BBC used to have compulsory retirement at 60 .That’s now gone and some work on till their late sixties , There are now people taking a very generous BBC pension, a BBC salary and paying into another less generous pension scheme to minimise tax. Meanwhile junior researchers and journalists have poor pay, defined contribution pension schemes and , unless their parents are rich, no prospect of owing a flat. It is unjust. Mind you it’s much worse in the Independent sector.

[Old Grumpy]

Mind you it’s much worse in the Independent sector.

Boom, boom?

[Ein Heldenleben]

Boom, boom?

More like Boom , crash …

[LMcD]

I presume congratulations are in order, as Breakfast has been declared the best arts and music programme by the VLV at their 2024 Spring Festival.

[AuntDaisy]

I presume congratulations are in order, as Breakfast has been declared the best arts and music programme by the VLV at their 2024 Spring Festival.

Here they are (is that a specimen jar? ) I have to admit to thoroughly enjoying PT's "A Yorkshire River Journey", a few years back.