Page 61 - K9 News Digital - Issue 11 May2020

A Chat with...

Peter Purves

Claire Balding is another excellent addition to the tv presenting roles for Best In Show, whilst Jim
presentation team as she is knowledgeable about Rosenthal has carried out the main commentary for
dogs (loves them to bits) and viewers appreciate her Flyball and Agility since 2018.
history within sport.
What I didn’t realise was that when there was no
In 2017, Jessica and Frank took over the main national tv coverage of the show by the BBC, in
2009, the Kennel Club asked
him to keep the show alive
on social media, via the KC
Youtube channel. For 12 or
more hours each day, Peter did
the commentary of Main Arena
events by himself. It worked and
Ch4, using their More 4 and E4
channels, took up the reins and
Crufts was back on national tv
in 2010. Thanks to Peter (and
the KC for their foresight), we
wouldn’t have had our usual
Crufts ‘fix’ otherwise that year,
if people couldn’t make it in
person.

I asked Peter what his opinion
was on what attributes made a
good Crufts commentator?
His reply was that, the viewer
or listener needs to be able to
understand what is being said
without feeling patronised,
and the information to be
educational, when necessary,
fun and engaging, just like
chatting to a friend. For Crufts,
a commentator needs to have
a basic understanding of all the
breeds in each group, though
perhaps not to the depths of the
specialists, Jessica and Frank.

Inevitably, we did eventually
chat about the manner of Peters’
departure from the commentary
team and yes, he was upset

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