TV Live Forum

I note that the front page of tomorrow’s Times says Adam Boulton is leaving Sky News: certainly an interesting development as one of the founding on-screen team. I wonder if he’s off to the News UK venture?

sjhoward post_id=52786 time= user_id=1089 Wrote:I note that the front page of tomorrow’s Times says Adam Boulton is leaving Sky News: certainly an interesting development as one of the founding on-screen team. I wonder if he’s off to the News UK venture?

Interesting development - I’m surprised his apparent departure hadn’t already been leaked to Media Guido (etc.) beforehand.

Will be interesting to see what happens to All Out Politics whether that goes or continues with a new presenter. If it continues then you could imagine several contenders for that role. Can imagine one of Sophy Ridge, (when she returns from maternity leave) Niall Paterson or Dermot Murnaghan take over in that role as they have all covered that show before.

Considering it's been leaked to The Times, he's either going to the new Murdoch TV venture or Times Radio, the latter would suit his style as well.

Certainly seems like it’s the first Sarah-Jane has heard of the news…
https://twitter.com/skysarahjane/status/...36419?s=20

Leaves at the end of the year. He said it was a mutual decision.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/a3956...a462ac4a26

TMD_24 post_id=52793 time= user_id=1011 Wrote:Will be interesting to see what happens to All Out Politics whether that goes or continues with a new presenter. If it continues then you could imagine several contenders for that role. Can imagine one of Sophy Ridge, (when she returns from maternity leave) Niall Paterson or Dermot Murnaghan take over in that role as they have all covered that show before.

Well I nearly posted before about how All Out Politics had morphed into just “Sky News with Adam Boulton” ie. it wasn’t always politically focused. Ian King Live always focuses on business news, with the occasional break away from the usual agenda to get a breaking update - whereas Adam’s slot one morning I’d watched began with a crime story then later on had a report from the ‘business correspondent’ which wasn’t politically focused at all then a feature on Emma Raducanu. Perhaps an extreme example that day, and generally day to day it is more political skewed but I do wonder if the programme somewhat exists because of Adam himself. The few features they do such as The View/The Debate could just be merged into the back half hours of Sky News Today, which could run 11am-2pm. Although I can also see the programme continuing with perhaps Trevor Phillips moving there being the most likely option IMO, allowing Sophy to take back her own slot/Great Debate show, if the latter continues. I can’t see Dermot moving back to a daytime slot, Niall perhaps a shout.

Since the Boulton & Co era (a pretty decent bulletin to be fair), Boulton has been sidelined with token formats, while up and coming political journalist stars such as Sophy Ridge and Faizal Islam have gone on to do bigger and better things.

Sky also have Trevor Phillips who is also a decent experienced interviewer who has proven to be a great stand-in for Ridge on Sunday mornings who could replace Boulton on All Out Politics when Sophy returns from maternity leave.

It’s reported in The Times that Adam Boulton is to leave Sky News at the end of the year.

Cue speculation on the replacement.

Adam holds the title of Editor-at-Large currently. I wonder if his departure will see the abolition of that role?

Always good quality television when Adam was on. And not without the odd bit of controversy.


The reaction here from other news anchors (tweet and replies):

https://twitter.com/skysarahjane/status/...36419?s=21

Adam Boulton was, along with Jon Sergeant, the most respected political editor of the day.

When Boulton went to a presenting role, it was almost as if he was being put to pasture but it was too expensive to dispense of him and his knowledge.

Sky News did itself well by getting Faisal Islam in when Boulton stood back, and were silly to loose him. It will be interesting to see if Boulton retires entirely (a book deal possibly? [he has inside knowledge of the Blair/Brown years]), or goes to another broadcaster...

...But then of course, he loves the USA... editor-at-large at MSNBC anyone??

TMD_24 post_id=52793 time= user_id=1011 Wrote:Will be interesting to see what happens to All Out Politics whether that goes or continues with a new presenter. If it continues then you could imagine several contenders for that role. Can imagine one of Sophy Ridge, (when she returns from maternity leave) Niall Paterson or Dermot Murnaghan take over in that role as they have all covered that show before.

I'd say Niall is probably the most likely of that crop (I'd imagine Sophy would want to go back to Sundays and can't see why Dermot would swap Sky News Tonight for AOP) but there are other contenders too.

Isn't it just an hour at 11am which could be absorbed into the 12-2 shift?

What wonderful news to wake up to! It’s about time he left and took his abhorrent style of interviewing and presenting with him. Between him and Kay Burley the channel has been sullied for long enough.

So long, farewell…….

I can't say I am surprised, it is has been clear over the last five years Sky News has been moving in a different direction. I do not watch the channel much these days, it is simply not the same channel it was. Not necessarily saying that is a bad or good thing, but whatever the change, I do not really feel like watching it, add to that the clickbait nature some of the website articles choose to employ which is becoming common across the industry...... Wherever the channel is going is not good in my opinion. Maybe we are just too old but I am only 30...........

The interview with him does include the following sentence:

Quote:My position is I quite understand people want to develop the channel for the next generation, and I will continue to do stuff with Sky, subject to contract as it were.

Reasonably ambiguous - it does sound from the full interview that it is as much Sky News wanting to change as him deciding to leave the daily programme.