Honestly, John Craven must be one of the luckiest TV presenters ever. He staerted off in the 1970s presenting "John Craven's Newsround", in which he did a childrens version of the news in which plagues, wars and famine never happened and the focus instead was on pandas, quirky stories about talking animals and unusual weather predictions. He was effectively unsackable as well, because any programme called "John Craven's Newsround" would have to have someone called John Craven presenting it otherwise it wouldn't make sense, and what were the chances of another TV presenter called John Craven turning up?

He then left in the late 1980s to start presenting Countryfile, in which he always seems to get all the cushy jobs. While Ben Fogle runs rural marathons, Michael Strachan climbs rock faces and the ugly-woman-with-the-double-chin does serious "The countryside is dying and it's all our fault" reports, where's John Craven?

Look, there he is! He's having a ride on a steam train, sampling pies at some food festival or knocking back beer in a country micro brewery!

There's not many people I wish I was, but sometimes I have to say; I do wish I was John Craven.

Do you?

I'd rather be Ken Hom - like my brother

Like his brother, Wes.... John is a legend in my house and I wouldnt hear a bad word said against him. I wish I was him for the very fact that he wears the most varied and truly amazing jumpers ever seen.

I wish I was Christa Ackroyd. Then I could crack myself in the face with a cricket bat repeatedly until I lost consciousness.

His autobiography "Behind the Jumper" sold only 47 copies. My signed copy tells of a deprived upbringing in Leeds and of his miserable first marriage to Christa.

I wish I was Christa Ackroyd. Then I could crack myself in the face with a cricket bat repeatedly until I lost consciousness.

I thought she had already?

I thought she had already?

For that woman, once is not enough!

For once can't we just say something nice about celebrities? This thread is about John Craven and what a nice life he appears to have, not an excuse for the usual suspects to have the usual jealous rants.

For once can't we just say something nice about celebrities? This thread is about John Craven and what a nice life he appears to have, not an excuse for the usual suspects to have the usual jealous rants.

i think John Craven bothers small rodents in all the wrong and most worrying ways.

but have you ever managed a "John Craven" down the pub? :hihi:

Look, there he is! He's having a ride on a steam train, sampling pies at some food festival or knocking back beer in a country micro brewery!

Eating roast spuds and sampling English whisky this week!

Do you?

no....but i've got his autograph!...on the back of a horse-racing ticket :D

Yes Basil, I wish you were John Craven, and I have felt this way for quite some time. I'm just glad it's now out in the open. It's such a relief to know you feel this way too. :cool:

I wish I was Christa Ackroyd. Then I could crack myself in the face with a cricket bat repeatedly until I lost consciousness.

Hell yeah!

Edit - I'm gonna be giggling at that right up until I next see her on TV. Then I might cry coz it hasn't come true.

Edit 2 - ok, I got past the quoted post and yes; I wish I was John Craven. Then I could find some spurious excuse to be interviewed on Look North and crack Christa Ackroyd in the... etc.

I think Michael Palin might give John a run for his money on the 'Greatest job ever' front though.

I wish I was Christa Ackroyd. Then I could crack myself in the face with a cricket bat repeatedly until I lost consciousness.

Yeah and I'd be there to sort you out while you were still warm.

but have you ever managed a "John Craven" down the pub? :hihi:
I managed a 'Superted' in the Sheaf last night.

I like John Craven and I like Country File. However, I don't like the tall ginger man on it who never seems to know what to do with his hands.

I managed a 'Superted' in the Sheaf last night.

w00t! :cool:

I too love John Craven. Always have. Always will. My love for him is the only constant in my life.

I once had a boyfriend who had a wee in Sheffield train station toilets NEXT TO JOHN CRAVEN. And that's the proper truth. That could be a good new thread - 'Celebrities I have weed next to in a public toilet'

Spotted him a few years ago in the Pudding shop in Bakewell and he seemed a decent chap, had time to talk to people even when he was interrupted while trying to have a quiet lunch

There's not many people I wish I was, but sometimes I have to say; I do wish I was John Craven.

Do you?

Ooh no, he has nasty teeth!! :gag: ;)

I wish I was Michael Fish

I used to watch Newsround all the time and it was never really the same after he left. I didn't watch Countryfile for some time, then accidentally stumbled upon it while channel hopping one day and was gobsmacked at how grey John Craven had gone. One minute black hair, the next he's white. Did that happen overnight or was there a gradual aging process that I missed while I was in the pub?

His autobiography "Behind the Jumper" sold only 47 copies. My signed copy tells of a deprived upbringing in Leeds and of his miserable first marriage to Christa.

Is this for real? Was he actually MARRIED to Christa?

I used to watch him newsround when I was little, but after that I can't say I followed his career.

Is this for real? Was he actually MARRIED to Christa?

Briefly yes. They were media students together in Leeds and, when the course finished and they began looking for presenting work, they married and lived in a small flat in Harehills. Although they split up 8 months in, they did have a daughter Beverley, who went on to have a minor hit single with "Promise Me" in the early 1990s.

Briefly yes. They were media students together in Leeds and, when the course finished and they began looking for presenting work, they married and lived in a small flat in Harehills. Although they split up 8 months in, they did have a daughter Beverley, who went on to have a minor hit single with "Promise Me" in the early 1990s.

LOL!

God - poor John. No wonder he seems to be pale. Christa must have put him off fake tan for life! Think of her sheets - I bet they look like the tourin shroud every morning....

LOL!
Think of her sheets - I bet they look like the tourin shroud every morning....

:hihi::hihi:

I have a signed photo of John Craven. It's part of my collection of minor celebrantiques. Today, I returned from my holiday to find a signed photo of Fred Dinage on my doormat. I bought it for 50p - very good value. It says "To Gary, Good Luck. Fred Dinage" The photo is from TVS local news. He used to present Gambit in the 70's. I used to love Gambit followed by John Craven at 5.10. In fact the xylophone theme tune is going round my head as I type.

Back to the thread.... I'd like to be John Craven, but I'm a lady, so I'll be Maggie Philbyn instead. Then again, she was married to Keith Chegwin, so I'll retract that comment.