Stop talking please Paula!

[NigelHarmansNewWife]

Goodness me - watching the Beeb's coverage of the athletics. Commentators are Paula Radcliffe and Steve Cram. Will someone please let Paula know it's not Just a Minute and she can pause for breath?! Endless gabbling.

Olympic-level gabbling. More chit-chat than actual sport.

Very knowledgeable but sooooo monotone

I think Steve must nip to the loo and update his socials whilst Paula's banging on.

Yes Paula talks too much imho
fantastic athlete
but not a good commentator I’m afraid

She’s not a good commentator. She’s coming across as a bit arsey sometimes.

I have to agree.
She was a fantastic athlete, and is clearly knowledgeable about long distance running, but, boy is she irritating to listen too.

Love Andrew Cotter, Steve Cram, Jess Ennis Hill and, indeed, most of the presenters and commentators, but she just misses the mark.

Agree, she's absolutely awful.

And her support of the Netherlands' volleyball player who raped a child was vile.

Agreed re Paula. Great athlete but so dreary on commentary. The little girly voice doesn't help and she just drains the energy out of everything.
Whereas Michael Johnson is fab - knowledgeable, insightful, not scared to be critical, when necessary, and such a gorgeous voice!

She’s not great. I can hear her breathing all the time, I don’t know if that’s poor microphone technique that could be corrected, or something to do with the way she speaks. I find myself listening for it, which is really annoying!

I always think "oh Paula is starting with a cold or sore throat". Every time.... it's actually her real voice isn't it?

I'm glad you've started this thread because omg her voice is irritating!
Plus how can a run/sprint be honest??

Another one here who agrees.
I was listening to her earlier and thought how awful it was.
I thought I'd be alone in having such an irrational hatred for her commentary.
So glad it wasn't just me.

OMG yes! She's terrible. I can't stand the woman which doesn't help! But her stupid breathy voice and ridiculous wide eyes over the microphone. Argh! Just shut up!!!

I did feel a bit sorry for her during the 'where do you keep your Olympic medals' conversation, and she was just sat there like a lemon. A bit mean....

Discovery+ have the exclusivity so watch it on there. If you're not already subscribed, it's only £3.99

I've just sort of listened to her commentating on events tonight (only sort of listened because it was DP watching it, not me). I thought she had a very pleasant, soft voice in comparison to the squawking of the 'professional' commentators.

Has she completely changed in 24 hours?

I was wondering how she could have been such a great athlete when she appears to be incapable of controlling her breathing. It's bizarre. She was talking at one point this evening and seemed to be taking a breath between each word in the sentence. It makes her very difficult to listen to.

Michael Johnson on the other hand is fab. Lovely calming voice and so knowledgeable.

Gabby Logan is getting on my wick too.

'Honest' in running means running the race hard and fast, not a slow tactical run.

Can someone please tell Paula Radcliffe that if she omits “be able to” from half of her statements, it will still mean the same thing! For example, “she used her experience to be able to prevent herself from getting boxed in”. Infuriating!

she's been like this ever since she joined the commentary team a few years back. And I don't think that her and Cram get on that well together - there's no real chemistry

She speaks as though she's worried someone else, i.e. Steve will get a word in if she stops and breathes. It's like she thinks she has to completely fill the time. I think the unnecessary words is part of that. Someone give her some coaching as she's clearly not a natural.

I can't stand Laura Kenny's voice with the dropped letters, etc, but that's her accent to a large degree and she has better delivery whereas Paula has me shouting at the telly!

Whereas, on the other hand Rebecca Adlington has been superb and just seems so, so lovely. Is there anyone in the country who doesn't have a bit of a crush on her now?

She and Mark Foster have great chemistry too.