Stop It ... Now

Continuity announcers annoy me. Back in the day their job was nothing more than to introduce the next programme:

'Now on the BBC ... Nationwide'

Simply and effective. Over time their job description expanded to promoting programmes being broadcast later that day:

'Later this evening on BBC1, a fascinating insight into the migration patterns of Vietnamese cattle, but next our first visit of the week to the residents of Eldorado'

Nothing wrong that that (just don't get me started on Eldorado).

Then, and I'm not sure when this happened, it was decided that the announcers needed to become personalities, passing comment, making jokes - preferably in a regional accent:

'Next up, and I've been looking forward to this programme all week, Casualty'

Totally unacceptable.

Over the weekend I settled down with a large mug of tea and a box of cherry bakewells to enjoy the 4 hour Nothing to Declare marathon on Living TV.

The show follows the hugely important work of the dedicated officers of the Australian Customs Service, the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service, and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship as they enforce Australian customs, quarantine, immigration and finance laws.

At the end of one episode in which a gentlemen was refused entry to the country following a very tense and dramatic confrontation the continuity announcer practically shouted over the credits:

'What a shame, I really liked the guy'

He was travelling on irregular documents for goodness sake - I think that outweighs whether you liked him or not. And besides, I don't care what you think

After the next episode in which a large German gentlemen was refused entry because of recent involvement with organised crime:

'Oh dear, and I thought he had a lovely moustache'

[sigh] [shakes head whilst frowning]

Please, stop it - do your job, introduce the programme and no more. If you want to be famous or a 'personality' then audition for Britain's Got Talent, World Records Smashed! or another of the plethora of cheap, reality-based programmes that we are treated to and I can choose to watch something else.