[Andrew]

I never quite understood how Steve Rider went from presenting everything except football on BBC One, to presenting football on ITV. It was a strange move.

[eyeTV]

He went for Formula 1 mainly didn't he, and then when that contract ended by default he became their football presenter.

He's still there now doing Touring Cars only it seems.

[dvboy]

BBC One will just extend Wimbledon to 18:00 and put a filler in at 19:00, like today.

Realised that BBC One didn't originally have any Wimbledon coverage scheduled on Friday, there is a news special scheduled to 15:45 (was 16:00) and Wimbledon filling the gap now.

[NI92]

He went for Formula 1 didn't he, and then when that contract ended by default he became their football presenter.

He's still there now doing Touring Cars only it seems.

He was parachuted in during the 2006 FIFA World Cup when Mark Sharman as the head of ITV Sport and demoted Gabby Logan, he said in his book that he went to ITV Sport press launch for the World Cup and was announced as ITV lead presenter which was the first he heard of it. He did go to ITV for F1 and was their main presenter on that sport from 2006-2008 then think he started doing BTCC when ITV axed F1 and of course did World Cup and Euro 2008 as main presenter for ITV Sport

[RhysJR]

The whole Steve Rider era of ITV Sport seems a bit of an unorganised mess and a bit tragic looking back. He was parachuted into the 2006 World Cup #1 seat ahead of Jim Rosenthal and Gabby Logan, despite barely covering football beforehand. Then in 201, he quit at the beginning of May because Adrian Chiles was appointed over his head - leaving Matt Smith having to present the FA Cup and Champions League finals. There are some reports of the time indicating he was thinking of legal action, but ultimately it was an "amicable agreement" and he continued to present the BTCC and came back to host the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Plus the treatment of Gabby Logan in that period doesn't feel right looking back. Apparently her contract was terminated midway through the 2006 World Cup, and that was after being their lead presenter weeks beforehand and being replaced by Rider.

The Clive removal aside, ITV's presentation seems a lot more settled and consitent these days, which is to its betterment. Mark Pougatch doing his fifth tournament as lead presenter, something that none of his predecessors for a good while failed to do.

www.theguardian.com 

Steve Rider quits as ITV Sport anchor | ITV plc | The Guardian
Presenter quits role following hiring of Adrian Chiles from BBC. By <strong…
  Source: www.theguardian.com

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PS I hadn't realised that Steve was diagnosed with prostate cancer late last year. Hopefully he makes a full recovery.

prostatecanceruk.org 

BBC sports presenter Steve Rider diagnosed with prostate cancer | Prostate Cance…
We want to stop prostate cancer being a killer. We fund groundbreaking research,…
  Source: prostatecanceruk.org

[Brekkie]

I think Gabby stuck around briefly after the World Cup and ended up doing some UEFA Cup games after being booted off the Champions League but left at the end of the year.

[RhysJR]

The BBC News delayed indefintely for the Ronaldo comedy show tonight. Might b 23:00 at least tonight for the News at Ten.

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I think Gabby stuck around briefly after the World Cup and ended up doing some UEFA Cup games after being booted off the Champions League but left at the end of the year.

Correct, as some guy you might recognise in this weblink reported at the time.
I was referencing another interview with Steve Rider I was skimming through for that post, but demoted/not having her contract renewed was more accurate.

www.tvforum.co.uk 

Confirmed: Gabby Logan ditched from Champions League: UPDATE - p4: Gabby to swit…
TV Forum Light Dark System Default Homepage TV Home The Newsroom Media & Tec…
  Source: www.tvforum.co.uk

[RhysJR]

France v Portugal confirmed live on BBC One on Friday night.

The BBC News delayed indefintely for the Ronaldo comedy show tonight. Might b 23:00 at least tonight for the News at Ten.

The shortest penalty shoot-out I've ever seen and we're onto the news at 22:50 - 40 minutes late.

[Josh]

BBC taking Portugal v France on Friday, so presumably Wimbledon & Question Time will move to BBC Two.

[Brekkie]

The alternative schedules put Question Time at 11.10pm. Really don't get why they need an edition the day after the election - surely we're owed a break from all the debates. (Oddly a 45 minute edition schedules next Thursday at 7.30pm too ahead of a double bill of EastEnders at 8.15pm).

Looking ahead to the semi finals and obviously if they qualify then ITV will show the England game next Wednesday. If not then they'll almost certainly choose the one between the winners of Germany v Spain and France v Portugal. Just shows how favourable the England side of the draw is, though frankly tonights matches show they're far from the only big side under performing.