Are Channel 4 trying to get rid of Time Team?

[bluesfan]

They're messing around with the format to the point where Professor Mick Aston has quit, and now they've moved it to Sunday afternoons. How long before they announce that they're scrapping the show due to falling ratings?

[VHG]

I love Time Team and have for years. I still watch it when they repeat the old ones on Discovery and other Documentary channels on Sky.

However every program has its life span and there is only so many things you can film being dug up so it may have run its course.

Mind you it has survived others leavng like Robin Bush and Carenza, and Mick Aston has often missed shows out in the past for one reason or another.

I saw this new female presenter the other week and did feel she had only been put on there for "eye candy" (even though she has the right qualifications to do the job), but she seemed to duplicate much of what Tony Robinson does.

Maybe Tony Robinson has told them he wants to stop doing the shows soon and she is being lined up as his replacement.

But overall I dont mind them tinkering, every show needs to freshen up every now and again.

[flipnflap]

she has already announced that she won't be doing any more series of TT. So Mick Aston must now be kicking himself for walking out in protest.

[boxtops]

It's always been on on Sundays (when it's on) - it used to be about 5pm, just before teatime. I don't think there are falling ratings, it gets a good audience on More4 where we often re-watch old episodes.

[boxtops]

Mick and Phil were both on this afternoon's episode!

[boxtops]

Just read this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mick_Aston

[bluesfan]

I've watched the show since it started; it used to be on Thursday evenings, then moved to Sundays - but this year it seems to be vying with Deal or no Deal for a broadcast time. There's no harm in freshening shows up, and many faces have left Time Team over the years, usually due to other commitments. However Mick's departure was reported in the press as due to his feeling that there was now too much "pratting about" which was detracting from the archaeology. A couple of weeks ago, after being told that they had "just three days" we saw a clip of most of the team at Newmarket races on the third day - I'm guessing this is the type of thing Mick was referring to.