Bryce 349 Posted September 10, 2018 I was just listening to a Doctor Who podcast in which a Michael Grade interview was being discussed. As part of the discussion he was asked about how vociferous Doctor Who fans could be. He was quoted as saying that they were the most involved apart from the speedway lobby. He said that in the 80s they regularly had to fudge the vote results for SPOTY because otherwise a speedway rider would win every year. So the head of BBC 1 in the 80s has confirmed speedway was deliberately sidelined. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OveFundinFan 4,133 Posted September 10, 2018 It’s a WOW for that statement, but there again shouldn’t be too surprised, seems these telephone voting for whatever are often considered rigged, which makes a mockery of it all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,241 Posted September 10, 2018 40 minutes ago, Bryce said: I was just listening to a Doctor Who podcast in which a Michael Grade interview was being discussed. As part of the discussion he was asked about how vociferous Doctor Who fans could be. He was quoted as saying that they were the most involved apart from the speedway lobby. He said that in the 80s they regularly had to fudge the vote results for SPOTY because otherwise a speedway rider would win every year. So the head of BBC 1 in the 80s has confirmed speedway was deliberately sidelined. ...Interesting story but not surprising. I stopped watching that debacle many, many years ago...I guess that it's that time of year again when it's about to appear on our screens! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
moxey63 1,784 Posted September 10, 2018 (edited) 2 hours ago, Bryce said: I was just listening to a Doctor Who podcast in which a Michael Grade interview was being discussed. As part of the discussion he was asked about how vociferous Doctor Who fans could be. He was quoted as saying that they were the most involved apart from the speedway lobby. He said that in the 80s they regularly had to fudge the vote results for SPOTY because otherwise a speedway rider would win every year. So the head of BBC 1 in the 80s has confirmed speedway was deliberately sidelined. The beeb just didn't get speedway, often having a posh gentleman on commentary on the very rare occasions it was on which was more alined to all the other sports they covered. Just didn't seem right for speedway. The thing is, these sort of cheats by SPOTY to keep speedway out of the limelight possibly caused all sorts of damage in attracting new fans. Then it prevents the question, just what is the programme all about, when it has to dodge votes for certain sports. I recall sitting through the snoozefest, the last time about 1980 during England's Grand Slam, just hoping to catch a five-second glimpse of a speedway rider in many a show usually a horse would be paraded on as a sporting personality. Now I think it should be replaced by a programme looking at where all the personalities in sport have gone. It'll end up one day soon going the same way as Top Of The Pops. Edited September 10, 2018 by moxey63 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SpecialOne 68 Posted September 10, 2018 13 minutes ago, moxey63 said: It'll end up one day soon going the same way as Top Of The Pops. Whats Top of the Pops? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
briggo 29 Posted September 11, 2018 SPOTY has always been rigged. I have heard from a reliable source that there was a successful campaign to get Justin Fashanu in the winners circle. The Beeb quashed the results that year of course, and he never received the winners trophy. RIP Justin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BOBBATH 466 Posted September 12, 2018 Typical BBC elitist(Grade et al)-I feel sorry that you Brits are forced to buy TV licenses to support that crap channel. If a political party promised to drop the TV license tax -I reckon they would win in a heartbeat. Recently dropped BBC World News from my TV package here in Canada because it is so clearly left wing biased as to be unbalanced and I refused to buy it.. Only people who would lose out if BBC was voluntarily supported would be all the Oxbridge luvvies who would be unemployed and would finally have to work for a living!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,241 Posted September 13, 2018 (edited) 6 hours ago, BOBBATH said: Typical BBC elitist(Grade et al)-I feel sorry that you Brits are forced to buy TV licenses to support that crap channel. If a political party promised to drop the TV license tax -I reckon they would win in a heartbeat. Recently dropped BBC World News from my TV package here in Canada because it is so clearly left wing biased as to be unbalanced and I refused to buy it.. Only people who would lose out if BBC was voluntarily supported would be all the Oxbridge luvvies who would be unemployed and would finally have to work for a living!! ...Despite it's many failings I'd personally rather watch the BBC than many of the commercial stations that continually, and at great regularity, ram adverts than one's throat. The number of times I've ceased to watch a programme on ITV or any of the 'free view' stations because of banal interruptions... and before anyone asks I don't have a playback facility preferring to watch my vast collection of DVDs instead as TV I generally find rather mundane nowadays especially when inundated with sport events that saturate the listings! Edited September 13, 2018 by steve roberts 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,053 Posted September 17, 2018 Left wing bias, BOBBATH!? I don't think Jeremy Corbyn would agree with you there, nor most of the Labour Party. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,053 Posted September 29, 2018 Not just in the 80s.....http://www.bikesportnews.com/news/news-detail/david-miller-bbc-to-ensure-rea-sports-personality-success-is-never-repeated 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BOBBATH 466 Posted October 5, 2018 On 9/29/2018 at 1:40 PM, norbold said: Not just in the 80s.....http://www.bikesportnews.com/news/news-detail/david-miller-bbc-to-ensure-rea-sports-personality-success-is-never-repeated I can never understand why some political party doesn't make an election commitment to eliminate the license fee-despite upsetting the luvvies no end, bet most people would vote for it and they'd be elected. Last time this was suggested I think it was The Monster Raving Loonie Party headed by Screamin' Lord Sutch (R.I.P). Dave Sutch was a great character, I recall him asking the question "Why is there only one Monopolies Commission?" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,853 Posted October 5, 2018 45 minutes ago, BOBBATH said: I can never understand why some political party doesn't make an election commitment to eliminate the license fee-despite upsetting the luvvies no end, bet most people would vote for it and they'd be elected. Last time this was suggested I think it was The Monster Raving Loonie Party headed by Screamin' Lord Sutch (R.I.P). Dave Sutch was a great character, I recall him asking the question "Why is there only one Monopolies Commission?" The Monster Loony Party suggested it and got what percentage of the vote?Kinda own goal there I guess lol 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rob Dyer 116 Posted October 7, 2018 Big shake up for SPOTY this year with only 6 nominees. Names not being revealed until the programme goes live with public vote then open for approximately one hour. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Third Man 2,211 Posted October 7, 2018 Much easier to get the winner the BBC wants that way 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grachan 7,314 Posted October 8, 2018 I don't know why so much kudos is given to BBC Sports Personality of the Year. It hasn't meant a lot for many years now. There was a time when anyone could vote for whoever they wanted - although it seems that even that was filtered anyway. These days it means little more than winning I'm a Celebrity or Strictly Come Dancing. Just an evening phone vote - which has now, apparently, been made even more of a closed shop to ensure they get who they want. As soon as it became like REality TV it became pretty pointless really. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites