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March 28, 2024, 11:35:30 AM

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Skinner loses Cockrel

Started by Tony Tony Tony, June 20, 2022, 09:09:05 PM

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Tony Tony Tony

Probably belongs in Oscillations but since the question concerns two comics I dropped it here.

Anyone know whyAlun Cochrane has departed from Frank Skinners Saturday radio show?

thr0b

It was mentioned on Digital Spurgh. Nothing sinister - contract not renewed and he was the one dropped as he was remoting. I think.

Tony Tony Tony

Quote from: thr0b on June 20, 2022, 09:17:57 PMIt was mentioned on Digital Spurgh. Nothing sinister - contract not renewed and he was the one dropped as he was remoting. I think.

Cheers checked that out on Digital Spy...

QuoteAs of a couple of weeks ago Alun Cochrane will no longer be part of the Frank Skinner Show on Absolute Radio.
He says Frank wanted to re-fresh the line up.

But doing some research on line it appears the most likely reason for his exit is that he's no longer manged by Avalon - the company who produce the show for Absolute Radio and manage everyone else who features on it. I suspect this, and the fact he was now broadcasting from home (still not sure why that was still the case), are the main reasons for him being axed from the show.

For me the biggest shame is that after so many years he never got any kind of send off, in fact his exit still hasn't even been acknowledged.

I guess Cochrane wasn't owed a living but just to become an unperson like that does seem a bit harsh.

Seems that's showbiz for you. One day you are toast of the town, next day you are toast.

Ron Superior

According to Alun on his Instagram comments:

"Frank let me go...I got exiled then let go so it seems the rapport you mention has gone. Ha."

So fairly unambiguous there. Pretty brutal considering how long he's been on the show.

Not his biggest fan, but I did kind of warm to him eventually.
I just assumed he'd got the 'vid or was on one his megaholidays or something. Yeah, no mention of him at all on the recent shows.
While I think that it is a good idea, shake up the show and throw out the dead weight, it's a shame how they're handling it.

What happened when Gareth Richards left? They've had him back on several times so presumably that was a bit more of a mutual agreement.

Could it be that Frank's a GBOL these days while Alun's become a bit of a right-wing arsehole?

His last tour show - which contained plenty of anti-Muslim and anti-trans material - has been discussed on here before. Here's a post of mine from a couple of years ago:

Quote from: Wayman C. McCreery on December 13, 2020, 06:50:17 PMI saw him just before that Edinburgh at a parent-and-baby comedy club where your audience of exhausted mums (I went three times and was the only adult male there) just want to laugh at some observations and mucky stories.

Alun did 20 minutes on why he should be allowed to be critical of Islam if he wants to because we're all adults and should be able to have a grown-up debate and all shake hands afterwards. It was shit and weird.

lankyguy95

Yeah it's definitely a little more than a simple decision not to renew his contract. Eleven years, every week, on the show and then no mention when he's let go is pretty odd.

It was always obvious that Skinner and Emily Dean were the close friends, and that Cochrane was, to some extent, the third wheel. I don't remember much indication that he ever socialised with either of them outside the show. People liked him in that third chair though, and his way of offsetting the Skinner/Dean dynamic. I did occasionally wonder why he'd kept going with it for so long given that he didn't have a lot of room to impose his ability as a comic but of course it's a good regular gig and a solid audience advert for his own tours.

Quote from: dazed_and_bemused on June 20, 2022, 10:44:54 PMWhat happened when Gareth Richards left? They've had him back on several times so presumably that was a bit more of a mutual agreement.
Pretty sure he chose to leave. He had a young family at that point if I recall correctly. He's also been Skinner's support act on one or two tours, post leaving the show.

Quote from: Wayman C. McCreery on June 20, 2022, 10:45:10 PMHis last tour show - which contained plenty of anti-Muslim and anti-trans material - has been discussed on here before.

Oh dear.
I just assumed all the allusions to him being right wing and pro trump on the show was just bants. That's disappointing.

Yeah, Gareth Richards was great on the show.
Holly Walsh was always really good value when she was on. She would make a good regular, I think. Really suited the relaxed conversational vibe the show had back then.

Yes, Holly Walsh was good. I always got the impression that having Alun around was very much a thing of Frank's ego in a "I'm the funny one, and here's a lesser comedian to prove it" sort of thing. Very much reinforced by the occasional presence of Steve Hall. I like the Pierre chap who's been on recently though, he's not bad.

Ron Superior

Quote from: Wayman C. McCreery on June 20, 2022, 10:45:10 PMCould it be that Frank's a GBOL these days while Alun's become a bit of a right-wing arsehole?

His last tour show - which contained plenty of anti-Muslim and anti-trans material - has been discussed on here before. Here's a post of mine from a couple of years ago:


Oof. That's surprising and disappointing if true.

#11
Quote from: dazed_and_bemused on June 20, 2022, 11:21:02 PMI like the Pierre chap who's been on recently though, he's not bad.

Yeah, that Pierre guy has hit the ground running. I wouldn't mind if he was to stay.

Martin Van Buren Stan

Quote from: Wayman C. McCreery on June 20, 2022, 10:45:10 PMCould it be that Frank's a GBOL these days while Alun's become a bit of a right-wing arsehole?

His last tour show - which contained plenty of anti-Muslim and anti-trans material - has been discussed on here before. Here's a post of mine from a couple of years ago:


It's interesting that your original quote talked about "criticising Islam" but now you say he's "anti muslim"? I genuinely think there's a huge difference

mr. logic

Quote from: ImmaculateClump on June 20, 2022, 11:36:33 PMYeah, that Pierre guy has hit the ground running. I wouldn't mind if he was to stay.

What I noticed about him was how willing he was to stay quiet and chip in as and when. In contrast to that dreadful American woman who wanted to make the entire show about her.

buntyman

Seems quite cutthroat. I didn't find Alun Cochrane particularly hilarious but he was perfectly fine for that program. Would never consider going to see his stand-up but I thought he did a good job of giving Frank Skinner a gentle ribbing. You could tell more and more that he had to tread quite carefully as Frank would get very touchy about the slightest interruption. I find Emily Dean far more annoying with her constant sycophancy and mentions of Frank's wife and kid seemingly just to show how close she is to them.

Thosworth

Quote from: Wayman C. McCreery on June 20, 2022, 10:45:10 PMCould it be that Frank's a GBOL these days while Alun's become a bit of a right-wing arsehole

Cochrane had a show on Radio 4 last year where he questioned whether or not he was a centrist dad, the contents of which I can remember virtually nothing other than the fact that he is indeed a text book centrist dad. It's still available on Sounds:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000xzjl

Emily and Frank are staunch Labour.

However, unless they have heated off-air debates,  I don't get the impression this decision has anything to do with political views.

Quote from: Martin Van Buren Stan on June 20, 2022, 11:47:30 PMIt's interesting that your original quote talked about "criticising Islam" but now you say he's "anti muslim"? I genuinely think there's a huge difference

Yes, I agree. I didn't see his proper hour-long show, but reviews at the time talked about him punching down at Muslim people. Here's one: https://www.voicemag.uk/review/5899/alun-cochrane-a-brave-new-alun

Though I saw enough of him that time to make my mind up about him, and I say that as someone who used to be a big fan - he was a first-class observational comic.

turnstyle

Quote from: lankyguy95 on June 20, 2022, 10:57:36 PMYeah it's definitely a little more than a simple decision not to renew his contract. Eleven years, every week, on the show and then no mention when he's let go is pretty odd.

Eleven years! That's a shocker. I still saw him as 'the new guy', and remember when he replaced Gareth. SatUrDaY MoRNinG!

But yes, it has always been clear that Frank and Emily are bezza mates. I imagine it's quite difficult to infiltrate that dynamic (though fair play, he got a decade+ long gig out of it, so was doing something right).

DrGreggles

Is it as simple as it's an Avalon production and he's no longer with Avalon?

Martin Van Buren Stan

I haven't listened to the show for years. Alan and Emily do put me off a bit. She's a bit too loud for my liking but she seems like a nice lass like. Maybe I'm wrong but they both seem pretty easily replaceable. Obviously Frank needs compatible people to bounce off but his genius always shines through.

Gurke and Hare

I saw that show in Edinburgh and it was absolutely rancid - presenting itself as centrist, but basically hitting every Mail Online comments section key point. Is the Pierre mentioned as replacing him Pierre Novellie, who's supported Skinner on tour? I saw his show at the same Fringe, and it covered loads of the same ground, but in much more thoughtful and interesting ways.

Yeah, Centrist Dad really doesn't seem accurate.

He's more Uncle Who Used to Be a Laugh but You Now Avoid at Family Gatherings in Case He Starts Ranting About Pronouns.

Quote from: Gurke and Hare on June 21, 2022, 01:32:39 PMIs the Pierre mentioned as replacing him Pierre Novellie, who's supported Skinner on tour?

Yeah, that's him.

I really feel Emily's absence when she's not there. I really like her. I think she's integral to the show. She has her flaws, like everyone else, but she's a good egg and can be really funny.
You're probably right, Frank could sit and talk to people off the street, and it would probably still be good, but I would miss her.

thr0b

The other thing about being unpersoned; that's how radio works.

It's exceedingly rare for anyone to be given a "final" show (where it's live radio) - there's too much risk of them going rogue and doing a DLT, or a Baker.

Often, they only find out it's their final show once they've done their shift. I think Johnny Vaughan was dumped from Capital pretty unceremoniously in just that way, as was Hirsty on Galaxy.

Twilkes

Did Alun Cochrane have an Edinburgh show about his favourite words where he would ding a bell when he said them, back in about 2004? I might be getting him mixed up with someone else.

edit - yes apparently, remember hearing him on Radio 4 back then, think the one and a half stars must be a misprint though, the review reads very well: https://www.chortle.co.uk/review/2004/01/01/34305/alun_cochrane%3A_my_favourite_words_in_my_best_stori

thr0b

(Moyles got a Big Final Show on Radio One, because the parting was fairly amicable, he loves radio enough not to fuck himself over, and the show was so big that to just end it wouldn't have been good for the listeners. In fact, I can only thing of one BBC (national) breakfast show that didn't get a goodbye, and that was Chris Evans on Radio One. And that was because he went insane and thought he was bigger than the BBC. Luckily pulled himself back before going full Noel and trying to buy the BBC.

robhug

I seem to remember Ronnie Irani getting similar treatment when it appeared he was fired on air, but off mic in the last 5 minutes of his final Alan Brazil breakfast show on Talksport. There was muffled raised voices, an extra long ad break then Irani saying something like 'I cant believe that's just happened' followed by Alan signing off with 'Great working with you Ronnie, stay in touch'.

Absolutely brutal, even for a right twat like Ronnie. Radio must be a cut throat business.

mr. logic

Cochran has been doing it on zoom for a while and it was noticeably messing up the entire show, which relies on quick conversation. Surprised they allowed him to do that for so long, to be honest- did they ever explain why he wasn't in the studio?

Quote from: thr0b on June 21, 2022, 04:12:56 PMThe other thing about being unpersoned; that's how radio works.

It's exceedingly rare for anyone to be given a "final" show (where it's live radio) - there's too much risk of them going rogue and doing a DLT, or a Baker.

Aaaah, yeah that does make sense. It's weird that Frank and Emily haven't mentioned it in passing to the listeners though.
With Alun saying "frank let me go", it sounds like it was Franks decision and they just don't want to talk about it on air.

Can't help but feel sorry for the bloke. They're just acting like he never existed.

mr. logic

Quote from: ImmaculateClump on June 21, 2022, 05:24:53 PMAaaah, yeah that does make sense. It's weird that Frank and Emily haven't mentioned it in passing to the listeners though.
With Alun saying "frank let me go", it sounds like it was Franks decision and they just don't want to talk about it on air.

Can't help but feel sorry for the bloke. They're just acting like he never existed.

Didn't Stern do a similar thing with Artie Lange?