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Stones Forum >> Mick Aston quits Time Team after producers hire former model co-presenter
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Mick Aston quits Time Team after producers hire former model co-presenter |
Andy B
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|  Posted 08-02-2012 at 11:10
Hot off the wires:
The 65-year-old, who has been on the show for 19 years, said he had been left “really angry” by changes which led to the introduction of co-presenter Mary-Ann Ochota and some archaeologists being axed.
In an interview with the magazine British Archaeology, Prof Aston, the show’s former site director, said: “The time had come to leave. I never made any money out of it, but a lot of my soul went into it. I feel really, really angry about it.”
Miss Ochota, 30, holds a master’s degree in archaeology and anthropology from Cambridge University and has previsouly done modelling work, including shoots for Special K.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/9068025/Mick-Aston-quits-Time-Team-after-producers-hire-former-model-co-presenter.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2097965/Veteran-quits-Cambridge-beauty-joins-TVs-Time-Team.html
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Andy B
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| Posted 08-02-2012 at 19:30
caradoc68 wrote:
Would be big blow to see him go, he is part of the team that we all come to love.
Sunny100 wrote:
That all sounds very worrying. Mick is the main-stay of the programme and knows what he's talking about. Could it be the end for Time Team after the 20th series ?
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surfnut
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| Posted 08-02-2012 at 22:02
The producers of Time Team have made a terrible mistake in bringing in that new female presenter. Whatever were they thinking? I`ve been a fan as long as Timeteam`s been going, and I`ve always been thrilled to see the same old faces, each season. The Archaeology`s what`s important with them, not their appearance. In losing Mick, they`ve lost one of the chief reasons to watch the show, plus his unrivalled knowledge. Her look and presentation just jar with the rest of the cast and the low key feel of the whole program. Everything about her just screams `Look at me`I also missed Stewart. It`s early days but the new guy didn`t seem to have anything like his knowledge. Have they never heard of if it aint broke, dont fix it? Terrible, terrible, terrible. What next? More `celebrity` guests who know nothing about archaeology? ( Sandi Toksvig was another mistake) Why cant they realise that people tune in precisely BECAUSE this program isnt full of vacuous celebrities and pretty faces, male or female. Way to go time team. Disaster.
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caradoc68
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| Posted 09-02-2012 at 17:40
http://uk.tv.yahoo.com/time-team-presenter-mary-ann-ochota-quits-.html
What is going on in the Time Team camp ???? Or is this one one publicity stunt ?????
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Sunny100
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| Posted 09-02-2012 at 23:14
I wonder what Phil Harding thinks to all this ? after all he is Mick's best friend, they go back more than twenty-years don't they.
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AngieLake
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|  Posted 10-02-2012 at 00:20
Time Team seems to have shot itself in the foot here.
Putting aside the argument for 'experience over beauty', how totally boring it would be if every programme on TV had 'beautiful' presenters! It will be like Stepford Wives on Groundhog Day!
It's a joy to watch Time Team and these slightly eccentric characters. Mick's wild snowy hair and colourful jumpers, and Phil with his wild hair (again!) and manky hat, and old-fashioned clothes, and both with their broad accents...(though I must admit I prefer the westcountry tones of Phil's Wiltshire brogue!) They've both got such a wealth of knowledge between them, and full of infectious enthusiasm, and it's sad to take one of them away as they work so well together .. even when they're bitching they are very watchable.
Like a lot of commentators on this subject have said... it's not the sort of show where viewers tend to look for a pin-up girl, though I know a lot of you guys like that woman archeo who seems to specialise in Crete, etc... (what's her name again?)
First Mick, then Fabio.... who's next?! 
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AngieLake
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| Posted 10-02-2012 at 01:13
Hot again off the presses! -
Just found this on D.Mail website:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2098688/Time-Team-girl-Mary-Ann-Ochota-throws-trowel.html
Quote:
" While not quite as exciting as excavating buried treasure, the boffins of Channel 4’s archaeological show Time Team have managed to dig themselves into an extraordinary hole.
For just a day after it emerged that Bristol’s emeritus professor of archaeology Michael Aston had quit the programme, I learn that his much younger, attractive co-host has also walked out.
Cambridge beauty Mary-Ann Ochota, 30, a former model, has told Time Team fans she is leaving her post and will not be in the next series.
‘I always loved Time Team, and was very excited to be working with Mick — he wasn’t so keen!’ she revealed yesterday.
‘The series didn’t work out quite how I wanted it to either — needless to say I’m not coming back for the next series either!’
Mary-Ann, who holds a master’s degree in archaeology and anthropology from Cambridge, also mounts a robust defence of her position on the show amid continuing speculation that she and Prof Aston did not get on.
‘I was brought in to be a co-presenter, not an archaeologist, so I could ask the questions viewers might be asking,’ she writes on Time Team’s Facebook page."
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2098688/Time-Team-girl-Mary-Ann-Ochota-throws-trowel.html#ixzz1lw9zr83t
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Sunny100
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| Posted 10-02-2012 at 18:23
Well well this story is obviously going to run and run. Let's hope Mick decides to come back. Just hope the producers don't go looking for another ex model just to attract the blokes. Angie, I quite like that Bethany Hughes - is that who you meant.
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AngieLake
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| Posted 10-02-2012 at 23:45
Hi Sunny
Yes, only it's Bettany, not Bethany... that's why I couldn't remember, it's not a very common name (and it was rather late when I wrote that comment!)
http://www.bettanyhughes.co.uk/home/about-bettany
She is a good presenter, and no doubt Mary-Ann will be in time, but I guess she was just unlucky with the way things worked out. It must have been hurtful to her to read all those adverse comments, and in a way, I wish I hadn't said what I had now.
It wasn't personal. Just a reflection on the way things were going at Time Team.
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Sunny100
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| Posted 11-02-2012 at 18:52
Thanks for putting me right Angie yes it is Bettany. I also like that Dr Alice Roberts - I'm fascinated by the way she talks - rather posh !
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AngieLake
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| Posted 12-02-2012 at 00:26
When I changed channels tonight there was a programme about Pompeii on BBC2 (2010 repeat) instead of the rugby ... (I wonder what else I missed?!).. presented by Prof. Mary Beard.
I remember seeing her just once before and like her friendly, down-to-earth, manner.
In this prog she gave a very amusing, down-to-earth explanation and description of the erotic paintings and decorative mouldings in the bath house and possible bordello; followed by the drains, into which she had to descend. If I typed them here they would come up as ****, ****, etc.
One thing I've noticed about some of these presenters is how much they use their hands and arms to emphasise what they're saying, and because they're so enthusiastic, they sometimes get carried away and look as if they're going to take off.
Mary had a few 'windmill' moments, and I've noticed the same in Alice Roberts (she's a lovely girl), but the champion is Dan Cruickshank. I love his enthusiasm and he's interesting, but I get so distracted by his fluttering hand movements!
Anyone remember Magnus Pyke...?
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davidmorgan
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| Posted 12-02-2012 at 11:27
I reckon Michael Wood is my favourite presenter of history. Always very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. His In the footsteps of Alexander The Great is brilliant.
"We saw things I can scarcely believe. We took shelter for the night with an Afghan warlord who had delivered pizzas in the United States, and were hauled off to jail more than once. It was one of the great experiences of my life"
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AngieLake
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| Posted 12-02-2012 at 16:15
Yes, David, I agree Michael Wood is excellent. I remember that series on Alexander the Great, and bought the book afterwards.
He's always very watchable and enthusiastic. Down to earth, too.
I am often reminded of him when travelling back to Devon from Derby (visiting son and fam), when I usually take a rest break at 'Michael Wood Services'! (How many people can say they've got a motorway Services named after them? )
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Andy B
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| Posted 12-02-2012 at 22:25
I've only watched the first one from series 19 so far. I didn't really see any dumbing down, although the short bit about wild food was the most likely candidate - that wild food expert talking about shellfish accumulating toxins from the seawater wasn't relevant for a history programme and should have been cut out.
I have to say I think Frances Prior interprets things better than Mick. Bear in mind also that Frances is primarily a prehistorian. I have always found TT's site selection to be biased against prehistory, with Mick quick to find opportunities to feed his particular monastic research interest - which doesn't do anything for me. I think other series have shown viewers like prehistory if properly presented, so fingers crossed for some more.
Also remember how the series survived perfectly well while Mick was on extended sick leave a few years ago. I think they are very lucky to have Frances. I don't see what the fuss is about personally, other than Mick presumably wanting to jump before he sensed he was going to be pushed / sidelined further.
I was more to sorry to see the loss of Stewart who always gave a very expert look at the wider landscape. Ochota did seem unnecessary, which was a shame really. As a side note my wife won't watch TT because of Tony's grating voice so perhaps I am biased here too!
On dumbing down - remember Time Team always used to base themselves in pubs, which they stopped doing many years ago - sadly for the atmosphere of the show. Which brings me round to the series 'Pub Dig' with ex TT-er and pottery guru Paul Blinkhorn - has anyone been watching this? Or Mud Men come to that? (Both original series from History channel, which is good to see)
[ This message was edited by: Andy B on 2012-02-12 22:54 ]
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Andy B
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| Posted 12-02-2012 at 23:06
By the way - Gateholm is here http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=7344 and the promontary fort here http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=7345 with photos thanks to PAB
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Sunny100
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| Posted 12-02-2012 at 23:34
Oh come on Andy Mick has been with Time Team right from the beginning and helped devise the programme from the start. And I like his rambles into monasticism, in particular Dark Age monasticism. Frances is very good, but he hasn't been on as long as Mick Aston. As for Ms Ochota she is a waste of space, her eyes flickering and staring at each person she speaks to. Yes, I agree Tony's voice is a bit grating, but that's how he works. And Phil Harding is brilliant. Mick, Tony and Phil are great together. They are Time Team, Ms Ochota is certainly not. Right I'll get off my soap box now - just had to get that off my chest. Mick Rules OK. 
[ This message was edited by: Sunny100 on 2012-02-13 18:45 ]
[ This message was edited by: Sunny100 on 2012-02-13 18:46 ]
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No1Stevie
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| Posted 13-02-2012 at 12:36
I also feel the loss of Stewart - he brought a touch of northern good sense to the programme, as well as being very interesting in his interpretation of maps and the landscape.
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Andy B
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| Posted 13-02-2012 at 20:05
Something else I hadn't seen until today, a statement from Tim Taylor
http://www.scribd.com/tim_darch/d/80914164-Tim-Taylor-Statement-regarding-Mick-Aston
Farewell to Mick?
This, as some of you may have been aware has been a very difficult year!!Having spent the last evening with Mick I was able to get a good sense of his position and, tosome extent, his concerns are ones I share. Mick and I have been good friends for 20 yearsand continue to share a mutual trust and respect. His concerns are of great importance to me.We have addressed some of them; adjustments in management with a new Series Director(who understands that the archaeology has to be at the core of the programme) will make adifference and we have also addressed the co-presenter role - Tony will be on his own thisyear as usual. This particular change was part of the experiment of last year that didn’t work,though through no fault of the person concerned.
I would also say that despite changes at the television level last year, some of which wereprobably minimal to some of you, the archaeology undertaken was, as usual, of the higheststandard. Francis Pryor, Phil, Tracey and the rest of the digging team made sure that wecarried out fieldwork to the best of our abilities. What I think Mick found unacceptable wasthat some elements of the production management didn’t address his concerns and, moreannoyingly, failed to make changes in the finished programs that he felt were important.
Mick and I are planning to work together on a number of projects and he will continue withmaster classes on the blog. I am also hoping to persuade him to join some of our T.T Clubweekends. I also have some new developments that Mick will be working on so watch thisspace!
It’s also time, as Mick keeps saying, that the next person picks up the torch he has carried forso long and this requires that we consider what Time Team looks like as it goes into thefuture. Although Francis is not a replacement for Mick he, along with Phil, will be managingthe archaeological work on a number of sites for us this year and ensuring this is undertakento the highest possible standards.
Both Mick and I still believe in Time Team’s core appeal and are both excited about what wewill be doing over the next few years. As you are aware, the work we have been doing on theblog and via Facebook is the beginning of this process
This is an important moment for Time Team but I think the process has made both Mick andI more aware of its core values and what we need to do to protect them.I will comment further once I’ve seen the British Archaeology article. You’ve not heard thelast of Mick on Time Team. Finally, don’t believe everything you read in the papers…
Tim Taylor
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Andy B
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| Posted 13-02-2012 at 20:35
Mike Pitts has gleefully collected all the press coverage on his blog
http://mikepitts.wordpress.com/
Needless to say, with Mick on the cover of the current issue of British Archaeology, Mike knew this was going to be a big story and fed it to the press as publicity for the CBA's (excellent) magazine and to help 'save' Time Team as a concept. It worked a treat.
Bear in mind that the CBA have had a major part of their government funding cut so I would expect more of the same in the future. Well done Mike on creating a flurry in the press to show Channel 4 how important Time Team still is. It is unfortunate Mary-Ann Ochota came off worst, through no intention of Mike or Mick.
Some good news I've picked up is that Stewart Ainsworth and Helen Geake should be back for the next series.
[ This message was edited by: Andy B on 2012-02-13 20:38 ]
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Sunny100
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| Posted 13-02-2012 at 22:56
Well this all seems very positive. As the article says never believe what the papers say ! So, we can look forward to seeing Mick in some other programmes and still popping up in Time Team when least expected - like he has done in the past on a few of the Roman sites. Mick's never been too keen on Roman stuff. Where have I heard that one before !!!
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