What a journey. I feel like this show has been running my whole life. So sad to see it go...the creeks have risen and the good lord hasnt spared Frank Skinner.
2:32 I've been re-listening to all the old podcasts in order over the past couple of years and, knowing I was coming up to the moment when Alun got the boot, I was listening out for anything that may have led Frank to think it was time to get rid of him but I heard nothing that made me think "Yep, that's why Frank got rid of Al". Some people suggested Alun got sacked because he wasn't contributing much to the show but they were way off. Al was probably in the form of his Absolute career in the months leading up to his departure, with Frank and Emily giving him plenty of laughs week after week. Another suggestion for Al's sacking was that Frank didn't like his political views but apart from one jokey reference to missing Trump a couple of months before he left, Al didn't express any political views at all on air for about the last year of his tenure. Another suggestion was that Frank had enough of Al being down the line in Manchester rather than in the studio but given that the line to Al was clear with hardly any delay most of the time and Frank always had his back to him and Emily when they were both in the studio with him, I don't think that was ever a big problem for Frank. It was also suggested that Al got sacked because he left Frank and Emily's management company but that happened at least a couple of years before he went. Pierre took Frank's place for a couple of shows soon before Alun left and there was no doubt that Al was the star of both of those shows, so it's not as if Frank listened in and thought "Pierre is so much better at this than Al". I don't mean to sound like an Alun megafan or anything. I criticised Al on a number of occasions during his time on the show and I remember expressing my regret that Frank would never get rid of him and replace him with Steve Hall or Holly Walsh! Having said that, the show certainly didn't get better when Al left. So I have no idea why Frank suddenly decided to get rid of Al but I have some suggestions. I seem to remember Alun saying that he'd been told that Frank was upset about no longer winning any awards and thought the show needed to be refreshed. There's no doubt that Frank had grown very fond of his touring partner Pierre, so perhaps he was desperate for him to be on the show more than he was keen on keeping "The A Team" together.
I listen to this show every Sunday morning here in Australia. It was never the highlight of my Sunday, but it was always enjoyable. Some weeks better than others, but always enjoyable to listen in. Never boring or annoying. Pierre was a great addition, much better than Alun Cochrane. I felt genuinely sad today for Frank, it was really awful, and he was so generous in his praise, even for Absolute Radio. I see no reason why they can't continue as a podcast, but Frank may feel the moment's passed. Frankie Boyle was similarly dead against podcasting, but his podcast is in every top 10.
What a journey. I feel like this show has been running my whole life. So sad to see it go...the creeks have risen and the good lord hasnt spared Frank Skinner.
have listened to Frank Skinner for 15 years-- absolute radio made an absolutely wrong decision. . .
Cost cutting and blatant ageism despite the fact I always listened via Absolute 80's
A very sad day. And I will miss Frank's Poetry Podcast as well.
Best comedian ever.
It was a great show, all good things come to an end. Frank and everyone else will still be around. Thank you.
2:32 I've been re-listening to all the old podcasts in order over the past couple of years and, knowing I was coming up to the moment when Alun got the boot, I was listening out for anything that may have led Frank to think it was time to get rid of him but I heard nothing that made me think "Yep, that's why Frank got rid of Al".
Some people suggested Alun got sacked because he wasn't contributing much to the show but they were way off.
Al was probably in the form of his Absolute career in the months leading up to his departure, with Frank and Emily giving him plenty of laughs week after week.
Another suggestion for Al's sacking was that Frank didn't like his political views but apart from one jokey reference to missing Trump a couple of months before he left, Al didn't express any political views at all on air for about the last year of his tenure.
Another suggestion was that Frank had enough of Al being down the line in Manchester rather than in the studio but given that the line to Al was clear with hardly any delay most of the time and Frank always had his back to him and Emily when they were both in the studio with him, I don't think that was ever a big problem for Frank.
It was also suggested that Al got sacked because he left Frank and Emily's management company but that happened at least a couple of years before he went.
Pierre took Frank's place for a couple of shows soon before Alun left and there was no doubt that Al was the star of both of those shows, so it's not as if Frank listened in and thought "Pierre is so much better at this than Al".
I don't mean to sound like an Alun megafan or anything. I criticised Al on a number of occasions during his time on the show and I remember expressing my regret that Frank would never get rid of him and replace him with Steve Hall or Holly Walsh!
Having said that, the show certainly didn't get better when Al left.
So I have no idea why Frank suddenly decided to get rid of Al but I have some suggestions.
I seem to remember Alun saying that he'd been told that Frank was upset about no longer winning any awards and thought the show needed to be refreshed.
There's no doubt that Frank had grown very fond of his touring partner Pierre, so perhaps he was desperate for him to be on the show more than he was keen on keeping "The A Team" together.
Gutted and Bauer no longer gets my ear.
Was the only decent show left on Absolute.
I listen to this show every Sunday morning here in Australia. It was never the highlight of my Sunday, but it was always enjoyable. Some weeks better than others, but always enjoyable to listen in. Never boring or annoying. Pierre was a great addition, much better than Alun Cochrane. I felt genuinely sad today for Frank, it was really awful, and he was so generous in his praise, even for Absolute Radio.
I see no reason why they can't continue as a podcast, but Frank may feel the moment's passed. Frankie Boyle was similarly dead against podcasting, but his podcast is in every top 10.
quite the editorial