Worst TV Coverage: Poll Result & Comment

Yup, ITV wins it with 46.67% of the vote – ESPN elected to an undeserved second in my opinion.

On reflection it’s surprising that the BBC’s overly-matey presentation style doesn’t grate at more of you, nor seemingly do the absurdly-titled highlight captions that you get on Match Of The Day.

But ITV? Yup, I can see why. Adrian Chiles is the worst thing to happen to terrestrially broadcasted football since Sky, his ‘bewildered everyman’ act only serves to make you feel slightly foolish for wanting to watch the football in the first place. He comments on football as a woman would, only in a man’s tone of voice.

Commentators? Peter Drury and Clive Tyldesley are melodramatic to the point of self-parody, and their need to try and create perfect soundbites at every opportunity frequently kills the natural drama of the occasion. Just horrendous, and actually more irritating in the last World Cup than the Vuvuzela.

And the pundits… well, ITV is entirely unique, in that at no point of their broadcast is there something or somebody that isn’t irritating. Fitting-in with Chiles’ mass-appeal personality, everything is watered-down to the lowest common denominator and rendered pointless – analysis? No chance.

Of course, lest we should forget the advert breaks – how on earth they manage three between 7.30pm and 7.45pm is a mystery.

Just a horrible, horrible job in every way.

A new poll question is imminent in the top right-hand corner…