I can't stand Robert Peston

Yesss!!! Magnus Pike! I think he's copying him. Or something. He has definitely taken on a new persona.

Pyke - sorry

I took completely against Robert Peston during the "downturn". That depressing BBC news graphic of the red line pointing down and down and RP seemingly revelling in telling us all how bad things were. Just the sight of him makes my heart sink in a Pavlovian reflex!

He makes you drool?

No anya just a conditioned reflex. The dogs only drooled in one of his experiments. I certainly wouldn't drool at RP! I have other reflexive reactions to various other politicians including an instinct to shout A* every time a certain Scottish one smarms onto the screen!

I love Gransnetters.

I don't particularly find him annoying but he can be a tad irritating. I liken him to Lloyd Grossman who had a similar way with him.

Peston did a program on France and it's 'economic woes' last week on BBC and his mannerism didn't seem to be so pronounced as did his performance yesterday covering the Budget. Maybe his mannerism shows more when he is talking on the hoof so to speak as against a scripted to camera report, sounds logical if he did have a stammer.

I have to say I by far prefer James Lansdale the BBC Deputy Political Editor myself, nothing to do with Pestons mannerism, simply because he is a fair reporter, presents better and doesn't waffle.

I think he explains in a way we can all understand but without patronising. I am a fan.

IMO he is going through a mid-life crisis with the new hairstyle scarf etc. in which case he needs our sympathy and understanding as surely we have all seen men do this?

Didn't realise until recently that he's an Honourable.

Did no one , or does anyone listen to the Today prog mornings R4. All financila reporters

He used to be on 5/6 years ago and it was painful to listen to his stumbling/stuttering at about 7am.

Thank god he moved on to TV.

All financial reporters on R4 now are lucid and calm.

Now that old goat Humphrys is my bete noir, that stupid cough when swallowing his words is soooooo irritating.

He should be put out to grass, or maybe a replacement for Clarkson could be a new job......... he is sooo BBC

I'm starting to feel really sorry for him now.

Leave John Humphreys alone. He's a sweet old pussycat.

Agree with jingle leave JH alone, he is lovely and he cares passionately about the use of English!

Yeah me too jingl. His voice may still irritate me, but I will try to be less critical now I know of his circumstances.

I love JH. He always asks the question (usually of a politician) to which I want an answer, bless 'im. He's good on Mastermind, too, quite gentle, especially to any terrified contestants, and very fair. Long may he continue! Actually, Gransnet ought to get him on here as there are loads of questions I'd like to ask him.

I think Peston knows his stuff, and that's really all I'm bothered about. I was sure he had a childhood stammer, ....`apparently his mother was a speech therapist so one would have thought if he had a stammer she would have picked up on it immediately, so maybe I was wrong.

His programme on the state of the French economy was one of the best I've heard... he has a far better grasp on the subject than the French government (but that ain't sayin' much).

The breakfast programme on BBC1 has Stepanie McGovern as the economics reporter and at first she drove me mad with her Middlesborough vowel sounds (poo-er for poor, is a real teeth- gritter) but like RP she knows what she's talking about , and now she's growing on me. Carry on Steph!

It's not JH who irritates me on the Today programme, but Justin Webb. Almost from day one he has developed a cynical 'Hmm', which seems to be his reaction to everything his interviewees say. It is not only very annoying but makes him sound downright rude. I liked Evan Davies on Today, but I hate him on Newsnight - he's trying far too hard and he doesn't let anyone get a word in edgewise.

Yes!!! I can't stand that "hmm"! What's it supposed to mean?

Oh yes! John Humphreys on Gransnet!

Just hurling abuse at someone on TV is hardly a worthwhile occupation. We all have annoying traits and although many of us do not set ourselves out as experts or interesting enough to be on TV perhaps it would be wise to wait a moment before we just let go.

Case in point, Robert Preston had overcome a pretty heavy duty stammer and his speech pattern has a lot to do with the coping mechanisms he uses.

You might not agree with what he says, but how he says it is getting just a bit too personal for my taste.

TV is full of people we might not want to meet in the streets but perhaps it would be more worthwhile to reserve our vehemence for those in society who actually do unpleasant/illegal/immoral stuff and just acknowledge that we humans are a diverse species and, as my dear old granny used to say, lets just live and let live.

Crikey!

I must admit, the person I first thought of, seeing the title of this thread, was the man who played the title role in the film "The Music Man", but then I don`t often watch the topical and political type of programme, bit of a lightweight, that`s me. I do rather like John Humphries though.

Presto? I'm definitely a fan. I find him knowledgeable and amusing, he makes finance sound so exciting.

Me too!

I've always liked Robert Peston. I've kept a sort of worried eye on him since his wife died as he's had a rather uncared for look - although he may like it of course. I didn't know about the stammer, I think he does very well in that case.