Opinion: Who’s in line to replace Keith Huewen at BT Sport?

With a new deal announced for BT as the MotoGP broadcaster in the UK and Ireland, attention now turns to who will fill the big boots of lead commentator

Back in 2014, BT Sport acquired the rights to MotoGP in the UK and Ireland and reunited old WSBK sparring partners Keith Huewen and Julian Ryder in the commentary box. Many discussions – or as they would say, arguments – and countless enthusiastic last lap battles later and neither are in the BT box. Ryder left at the end of the 2017 season and Keith called it a day at the end of 2020, both for personal reasons and both maintaining they’ve not retired. 

So, who can replace Keith in the position of lead commentator? The contenders are few and far between but there are logical replacements. The first is current World Feed commentator Steve Day. He already has a rapport with the British public from his Eurosport days, as well as already being in the Grand Prix paddock. However, Steve is in a good position on the World Feed and has a good partnership going with Matt Birt. 

Another option and arguably the most sensible would be to promote Gavin Emmett, already part of the BT Sport team and having enjoyed some lead commentary back in his MotoGP World Feed days too. He knows the BT Sport team and it would arguably be easier to promote him and bring someone over to replace him as a second presenter/commentator. Gav, like Steve, has a good rapport with the public and would be popular and he is also very knowledgeable as well as experienced. Is he the favourite?

Toby Moody could be another option, despite him being away from the commentary aspect of MotoGP on a full-time basis since 2013. But don’t forget, Keith was away for longer and Toby’s popularity alone will always make him a credible candidate. His overwhelming knowledge of motorsport in general is also a key attribute of his and maybe that could help enhance BT’s rally coverage too?

An alternative option? Ben Edwards. Unlikely, given he left the Channel 4 F1 commentary box and citing that he’d like to step out of the front line and take a ‘wider perspective on motorsport’ but it isn’t entirely unthinkable. Back in the motorcycle racing industry, another unlikely option but again, not unthinkable, would be Greg Haines. Having been the lead commentator on World Superbikes for some four full seasons and having been in the MotoGP paddock before, maybe he could fit in, although he seems comfortable where he is. 

Who won’t it be then? Having left the commentary box at the end of 2013 and becoming Metro UK’s new managing director, former BBC commentator Charlie Cox will almost certainly not be back – whether you love him or loathe him. Having stepped back from Northern Irish road racing, Richard Nicholls is also out of the running – although would he have been in the running in the first place? Jack Burnicle will likely remain at Eurosport in some capacity, probably as BSB commentator and Tom Gaymor will likely stick to cars and filling duties. From out of the motorcycle racing world, David Croft will remain at Sky Sports F1 – continuing as Huewen’s opposite number there. Leigh Diffey would be a solid choice, having been the voice of WSBK in the early 2000s at BBC but again, is locked in over in the USA for IndyCar. 

We are less than two months away from the start of the season so decisions will need to be taken. Who do you think will be the new voice of GP in the UK, and who do you think should? Murray Walker is only 97 after all…

(Featured Image Credit: FIM)