Rob Mcelwee's Last Shift Is Tonight Folks - Last Forecast Is At 10.52Pm Bbc One :( End Of An Era.

[knocker]

I tend to agree- the MetO provides the radar data for N-W Extra so there's some co-operation between the two companies- not exactly a sign of being in opposition!

Believe me TWS the relationship between the BBC and the MO is a very complicated subject going back years and not really for a public forum.

[Nick L]

I saw him yesterday Kar. I think his name is Des Coleman? I too couldn't believe what i was seeing. Don't know if it's on the iplayer anywhere, if it is I urge all member to have a look at any of the midlands today news broadcast over the weekend!

Glad somebody thought the same as me! He must have been smoking something beforehand! :blink:

[kar999]

I saw him yesterday Kar. I think his name is Des Coleman? I too couldn't believe what i was seeing. Don't know if it's on the iplayer anywhere, if it is I urge all member to have a look at any of the midlands today news broadcast over the weekend!

The Midlands Today page only has Fridays forecast but here's 'ya man himself on East Midlands Today....

"Deader than tank tops...... yaaaaawwwwww"!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/hi/news/newsid_7760000/7760848.stm

Rob's last Forecast may be i-player later.

Edited January 9, 2011 by kar999

[Backtrack]

For God's sake BBC,

You are the worst bunch of idiots going. Your online forecasts are rubbish, and you most certainly can't get a regional forecast right.

But Rob.... He was something. Best EVER forecaster on the BBC. An absolute disgrace to fire Rob from the TV rolls. I hope you read this, get a grip, sack Corbett, not a living legend.

Good day.

[Marcus_surfer]

wasn't a massive fan of McElwee myself, but it's sad to see any of the BBC forecasters go...

[Crepuscular Ray]

For those who missed his last live forecast, his pre-recorded Weatherview is at 00.50.

[NorthantsSnow]

Good quality weather presentation on TV is dying a death. End of an era.

Shame on you, Met Office.

[knocker]

Stop blaming the BBC - it's a Met Office cost-cutting decision. The BBC no longer have any say in which Met Office employees appear on screen.

Given that in his situation many of us would have felt like chucking a brick through the camera, that was a very dignified end to 20 years of superb work.

That is twoddle. So why the new contracts?

[Nick L]

It was also a great shame that his last forecast was a brief one. They could have at least given him the Countryfile forecast.

[Interitus]

That's it from me.....that's it from me really...goodnight.

[Crepuscular Ray]

That is twoddle. So why the new contracts?

In what way is that twaddle? It's a matter of public record that the decision was made by the Met Office, who are the employers of the BBC national forecasters (but not most of the local ones), although various BBC-hating national newspapers have difficulty in understanding this.

The MetO's contract for providing forecasts/forecasters to the BBC was renegotiated last year - resulting in a somewhat lower fee. As a consequence, the MetO decided to cut staff costs among the personnel seconded to the BBC. Several backroom staff were redeployed/made redundant, four broadcast meteorologists have been removed from broadcasting altogether (resulting in pay/allowances drops of up to 40% for them) and most of the rest have had their salaries/allowances cut by up to £10,000.

Edited January 10, 2011 by crepuscular ray

[Just Below Zero]

have to say how sorry I am to see Rob Mcelwee@s last BBc forecast shortly ago. I know many cold fans on Netweather will miss his infectious affinity with extreme weather and his sardonic smiles when Britain was about to be hit by the unusual. I'm surprised he didnt get a Knighthood in the new years honours list.

BRING BACK SIR ROB!!!

[knocker]

In what way is that twaddle? It's a matter of public record that the decision was made by the Met Office, who are the employers of the BBC national forecasters (but not most of the local ones), although various BBC-hating national newspapers have difficulty in understanding this.

Fine. Could you point me in a directinion where I can find the plublic record of that decision by the Met. Office.

[Crepuscular Ray]

In what way is that twaddle? It's a matter of public record that the decision was made by the Met Office, who are the employers of the BBC national forecasters (but not most of the local ones), although various BBC-hating national newspapers have difficulty in understanding this.

Fine. Could you point me in a directinion where I can find the plublic record of that decision by the Met. Office.

I fail to see what your agenda is about the plublic record, or needing directinion, and why is it an issue anyway? Try using Google and you'll eventually come across newspaper reports of defensive MetO responses. However, to clarify, the broadcast meteorologists on the BBC are employed by the Met Office, not the BBC, who have no say on who's employed or who's not employed.

[Cheshire Freeze]

Missed his last forecast but what I will say is what a sad, sad situation we find ourselves in now with BBC weather forecasts. How can they justify removing Rob from our screens? What a technically brilliant forecaster who managed to involve 'joe public' in the forecasts he gave. It wasn't his looks, or flashy presenting style that involved people, it was his desire for the subject area of meteorology that was so infectious- you could tell he wasn't blindly reading an autocue. This guy knew what he was talking about and what I liked about him was the fact that he could think outside of the box and amend forecasts if they didn't seem to be going to plan- somrthing that the others can't seem to do as they are probably rigidly following a script. Intelligent guy is Mr Mc Elwee.

[GeorgeWX]

The best weatherman in the beeb IMO, he will be dearly missed. He has a special skill in communicating the forecast that nobody else at the MO has.

Watched that East Mids forecast, I thought maybe a couple of you were over hyping things a little but nope you're spot on, It did look like he was about to burst into a few 'riddims' from 'lethal bizzal' and '50 cent'. Funny yes, but not really when you think that Rob goes and he doesn't.

Besides, rapper Des has the yanks to compete with.

[Summer of 76]

Yes I would agree a big shame.

At the start of the thread someone mention that four people were leaving but in the press only three names seem to be mentioned. Did anyone notice when Peter Gibbs finished his forecast a few nights ago he said something similar so is he the other one.

[staplehurst]

Would be great if we could sign Rob up to the forum.

Perhaps BBC South East Today could sign him up to join Sir Fish? B)

Edited January 10, 2011 by staplehurst

[Bartlett Low]

Saw Weatherview last night, very surprised too say the least. Like many on here, I thought he was by far the best presenter on TV.

[Backtrack]

If anything, he should of been promoted, not dropped from the screens.

If I make a thread asking Paul whether he could be signed up to NW along with Michael Fish, would you guys show your support?

Edited January 10, 2011 by Backtrack

[Harry]

Well, being totally honest I nearly had a tear in the eye last night!

I'm still exceptionally scornful over the move to take him from the screens - he is the most interesting, most entertaining, most engaging, most informative of any forecaster on TV IMO.

I am still very embittered by the shocking decision, and quite frankly question whether there are people within both the BBC and MetO who have a sodding clue regarding forecasters and who presents on TV.

Rob McElwee has been my longstanding favourite TV forecaster and hope that either he gets a job on another channel, or at least comes back to present either regionally or weather related programmes.

Does anyone have a way of contacting Rob McElwee...I agree it would be awesome if we could get him on here alongside Michael Fish, or at least to let him know there are many out there who are disgusted he's going

[staplehurst]

Well, being totally honest I nearly had a tear in the eye last night!

I'm still exceptionally scornful over the move to take him from the screens - he is the most interesting, most entertaining, most engaging, most informative of any forecaster on TV IMO.

I am still very embittered by the shocking decision, and quite frankly question whether there are people within both the BBC and MetO who have a sodding clue regarding forecasters and who presents on TV.

Rob McElwee has been my longstanding favourite TV forecaster and hope that either he gets a job on another channel, or at least comes back to present either regionally or weather related programmes.

Does anyone have a way of contacting Rob McElwee...I agree it would be awesome if we could get him on here alongside Michael Fish, or at least to let him know there are many out there who are disgusted he's going

What makes it worse is that it wasn't his decision to go. If he had decided to leave or retire or whatever, I'd admit we'd still be sad to see him go, but we'd be happy for him moving on. However, since the decision was not in his hands at all, he had no choice and is being forced to go behind the scenes...

[Swave Snow]

DOES ANYONE HAVE A LINK TI THIS LAST WEATHER VIEW BBC ALREADY TAKEN IT OFF

[TonyH]

Here:

Actually that does n't seem to be the last?

Edited January 10, 2011 by Tonyh

[Nick L]

If anything, he should of been promoted, not dropped from the screens.

If I make a thread asking Paul whether he could be signed up to NW along with Michael Fish, would you guys show your support?

But he still has a job, just behind the scenes I believe. It's not as if he's currently queuing up at the dole office!