Crufts coverage, why so patronising?

[Laptoplapdoglaptray]

Don’t get me wrong, as a huge dog lover, I’m very grateful that I can watch coverage of Crufts on terrestrial tv! I’ve really enjoyed the showing rounds and observing the huge variety of breeds in one place.

And I understand the technical challenges of covering such a vast noisy event as this featuring live animals.

However, why does Channel 4 insist on speaking down to viewers as if we are all idiots? Honestly it’s like watching children’s tv but worse! It totally ruins the programme and makes it so tiresome.

Clare Balding is as professional as ever but Claudia Winkleman, who I like in other things, is playing the role of “ignorant bystander” and honestly it’s painful. I thought she was going to kneel before a male judge at one point she was being so falsely ingratiating!

The veterinary sections, most of the interviews with owners, the links with the former Blue Peter presenter, are so cringingly patronising, it’s embarrassing.

I get it Channel 4, you want to get away from tweedy traditional country folk wearing loden green and emphasise that dog ownership can be all things for all people, and that’s all good, but please don’t throw the baby out with the bath water in the process! You do have quite a knowledgeable audience watching too!

I agree. It’s painful in places. Much better with the sound off.

One of the (many) adverts in between had Claudia sitting on a stool asking someone to ‘play catch’ with her shampoo! Levels of supposed viewer intelligence are not high.

Claudia’s involvement is a bit baffling to me. If I didn’t know her, I’d say it was her first presenting experience. The second hand embarrassment is strong and I love Claudia generally. Ellie Simmonds is also acting like she has never seen or handled a dog before! I used to wonder why Clare Balding hosted every general interest show and not be a huge fan, but she makes it seem effortless.

Yes! Claudia's dimwitted gushing over dogs is adding nothing at all to this. Also, it's following the trend of so many programmes of becoming 'all about the emotional backstory'. The emotional backstory is fair enough in categories like the Hero Dog, but I don't want to hear it in conjunction with Agility etc. I'm sick and tired of irrelevant emotional back stories. 'Dragons Den' has gone the same way.

Good idea about watching with the sound off!

In fact why not leave out most of the commentary all together? Most of it is self explanatory. We went to see the dogs! Not presenters talking to each other!

Very well said. It’s a definite skill as a presenter to step back and let the subject matter shine and not get in the way of that process yourself.

Hats off to Clare.

Oh god yes about the emotional back story!

Sorry to sound like a grumpy cow but I’m
so sick of it!

I find it so manipulative and tacky. Apart from, as you say, when it refers to service dogs, but that’s when it is relevant and appropriate,

I feel much the same about Who Do You Think You Are? It is highly frustrating for people who have done a lot of family history research. We are told about Famous Person's Great Granny's struggles in the slums of Glasgow, and that many celebrities happen to have links with the holocaust, the Irish potato famine or slavery. Of course they do. And a very emotional journey it is for the Famous Person to find all that out. It is of historic interest.
But what the programme doesn't do is to explain to watching genealogists exactly how the researchers on the programme happened upon all the records they so casually provide. We'd quite like to know about the actual research process that uncovered those records, but it is skimmed over as if it is of no consequence.

Yes, couldn’t agree more, in both of these examples, the skills and expertise are there with the experts, and therefore, at the presenter’s and producer’s finger tips, but no one seems prepared to put the work in, in order to know which questions to ask, so they resort to inanities.

channel 5 do a A & E programme with the same childrens TV presenter format.
i cannot watch it

Just been watching the recap and Claudia approaches each best in group winner in a bizarre almost hushed tone. I wonder if anyone is getting on with this, because I was so excited to have Claudia on Crufts but honestly next year I’d probably clear house (except Clare).

loved the hero dog though

claudia i s ok, she has a sense of humour

I love Crufts. I record it and fast forward through the crap.

I was watching the 'dancing dog yesterday and couldn't get over how the camera kept panning out to Claudia's face to show her reaction. I thought Crufts was about watching dogs not the human reaction to them?

She'd be OK on a different show, I'm sure, I just don't see the point of having someone who doesn't know anything about dogs as a Crufts presenter. Hearing her say 'I love dogs!' for the 500th time is tedious.

I agree Clare is the consummate professional on this, but I’m enjoying Claudia bringing a bit of fun to it.

I am watching it with one of my dogs. The other one is not interested.

I thought the same. “Look the dog’s doing XYZ 🥰” - Are they, I can’t see because they panned over to Claudia? But then I have little interest in heelwork to music anyway so could have done without that whole recap section.

My cats and I are rooting for Dublin to win it!

ive really enjoyed the Claudia bits.
She’s brought a bit of whimsy to the fun side bits, whilst the sensible competition bits are still sensible competition.

Each to their own, no need to blush - it's interesting to hear different viewpoints.

I'm with you OP - far too much competitive presenting going on, and nowhere near enough dog stuff. The dumbing down of everything really annoys me - I felt that way when Time Team brought in generic presenters and phased out the archeologists who really knew their stuff and were far more interesting as a result.

Yes, my thoughts entirely!

Nothing against Claudia W personally; I just don’t think she is particularly suited to this role. Some of the fast mash up of her clips were ok, but if you watched the extended versions in real time, they were beyond tedious.

Also absolutely gobsmacked that Claudia is doing the presentation (I am watching a recording) when Clare Balding has put the work in for years!

I’d have had money on the petite Basset.
mind you I do have a soft spot for the clumbers as well

A worthy winner, though sad that dear little Dublin didn't win.

Can I just leave this here, it relates to the winning breeder/owner

Breeders warned and censured