Mick Aston quits Time Team after producers hire former model co-presenter
Mick Aston, the archeologist, has quit Time Team after producers hired a former model as the programme’s co-presenter.
So, toothsome bimbo to get her nipples out for the lads. Kown as the Dimmock Strategy. Woo Hoo! And I can see why a serious scientists like Professor Mick Aston would be upset.
An email to archaeologists last year from Wildfire Television, which makes the programme, said it was seeking a female co-presenter who “does not have to be overly experienced or knowledgeable as we have plenty of expertise within the existing team”.
I get it now, this is Sam Fox\’s comeback attempt, isn\’t it?
So, who did they hire?
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.
See! See! Nothing but a smile above a nice pair.
And over in a parallel universe it is noted that the art of modelling for Special K is the ability to look happy about the way in which your breakfast cereal has allowed to you to have a really good shit. But in a delightfully feminine manner.
A suitable skill for someone who is to work with that emetic Tony Robinson I would have thought.
I get it now, this is Sam Fox’s comeback attempt, isn’t it?
I have to say of all the ways I would like to see Sam Fox do a come back, this isn’t the top of my list of priorities. Of course, putting aside sashaying her way over here to interview me on my general genius and charm, it would be hard to think of what she might do, but at least this other dolly bird – such as she is – has a real-ish degree in an appropriate subject.
The “masters degree” is an MA, for which at Oxbridge one doesn’t have to do anything other than have a BA, stay out of gaol, and fill in a form. Technically a Masters degree but not a postgraduate qualification in any meaningful sense. (A real masters degree would be an MPhil in this instance). That said, Cambridge does teach archaeology and anthropology very well at the undergraduate level.
Ironic that the one flouncing out in a rage wasn’t the highly strung model.
Rob – “Ironic that the one flouncing out in a rage wasn’t the highly strung model.”
Yet. Why would she – she got the job didn’t she?
Give her ten years when her tits sag a little too much and she is fired and replaced by some other younger dolly bird. Then watch the sparks fly.
Although I impressed no one has commented on how cruel modern TV is to older men.
She is not that good-looking a woman and her presence seems pointless.
Much as I despise that that short-arsed leftist stooge Robinson(altho’ he does not preach on the show itself), why mess about with a formula that has worked for nearly 20 years?
Hold on – are you saying Phil Harding was hired for reasons other than his sex appeal?
“one doesn’t have to do anything other than have a BA, stay out of gaol, and fill in a form” oh balls; one has to pay a tenner.
“Give her ten years when her tits sag a little too much and she is fired and replaced by some other younger dolly bird. Then watch the sparks fly.”
We can call it the ‘Anna Ford Effect’…
Two things:
” holds a master’s degree in archaeology and anthropology”
Arch’n’Anth is a well known cop out mickey mouse subject for those that couldn’t get a place to read something tricky like PPE.
“has allowed to you to have a really good shit”
If we are allowed to suggest that Robinson is a really good shit, then there is another possible interpretation of that remark. One that might also hint towards hiring decisions?
…
I’ll get my coat.
According to Wikipedia she “worked as a top UK plus-size model”. I thought Special-K was supposed to be diet food?
dearime (#7), I think Cambridge have dropped the £10 charge.
Obviously didn’t think a Cambridge degree was worth a tenner.
Where does it say she only has an MA in Arch and Anth? I can only see Master’s degree, which could be MA, MPhil, MLitt or MStud.
SMFS, “Although I impressed no one has commented on how cruel modern TV is to older men.”
Actually I did recently on these very pages. Shocked you weren’t paying attention, shocked, I tell you.
Scratch that, SMFS, I drew attention (Worstalls passim) to the cruelty of TV to younger men, mentioning Anna Ford in passing.
“Arch’n’Anth is a well known cop out mickey mouse subject for those that couldn’t get a place to read something tricky like PPE.”
You think PPE would be more valid for an archaeology program?
And what qualifications did Tony Robinson have when he started on the program? According to Wikipedia, O level history.
So what we have hear is an old man sulking because they’ve increased the average amount of relevant training of the presenters.
“cop out mickey mouse subject for those that couldn’t get a place to read something tricky like PPE”: it would be very tricky indeed to read PPE at Cambridge.
” I think Cambridge have dropped the £10 charge”: I demand a refund.
cop out mickey mouse subject for those that couldn’t get a place to read something tricky like PPE.
Utter pish – unless sequencing the Neanderthal genome is better achieved by, say, reading Hayek.
Besides – as any fule kno – many, many problems can be laid at the door of Oxon PPE graduates.
“Besides – as any fule kno – many, many problems can be laid at the door of Oxon PPE graduates.”
In the same way that many problems can be laid at the door of those who breathed air, or came from south of the Humber. PPE is a good arts degree, and just because some total twats have taken it that doesn’t change.
And there’s me thinking I’m the only one who cannot stand the arse Robinson. Nice to know one’s among friends.
is there any part of the uk that hasn’t been dug up-
and some old rubbish found and pontificated on?
and we all know that it is only you folk who did “sums” at university – the so-called “hard” sciences such as physics and maths and additional physics and further maths and applied maths and bigger sums and even bigger sums plus statistics and physics- who felt that Time Team was archaeology.
It’s actually on her own website (yes, I looked) where it says she has an MA. To be fair, I suspect the “masters in archaeology and anthropology” think probably came from someone else rather than her.
I think that there is more academic rigour in archaeology and anthropology (utterly fascinating subjects, both) than there are in many of the things in PPE, personally. It might be easier to coast through archaeology and anthropology, or it might not, but do it properly and it is something really worthwhile. But I know very well educated and very smart people who have studied PPE, too. I just think that anthropology is really interesting, and when done well, really hard.
PPE is Oxford, not Cambridge, too. Cambridge offers PPS (Politics, Psychology and Sociology) or straight economics.
do it properly and it is something really worthwhile
Well said – I absolutely loved it.
(and the Pitt Rivers Museum remains my favourite place in Oxford – although I wish they’d left the old Balfour Library alone…).
I used to love Time Team when I was still in the UK but I was well aware that it bore about as much resemblance to real archaeology as Junkyard Wars does to mechanical engineering.
Aaaaaand she’s off.
Well she didn’t last long either. She’s not coming back for the next series.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/9070961/Time-Team-Mary-Ann-Ochota-quits-Channel-4-archaeological-show.html