Perry short-listed for BBC role

07/12/2012

It is claimed that former MotoGP presenter Suzi Perry has been short-listed to take over the role as 'front-man' for the BBC's F1 coverage next year.

The vacancy comes as Jake Humphrey moves to BT Vision where he will anchor the channel's Premier League coverage.

The Daily Telegraph claims that the highly likeable, and totally professional, Perry (right) has been short-listed along with pitlane reporter Lee McKenzie and 5 Live Sport's Mark Pougatch.

Shropshire-born Perry is best known for her role as presenter of the BBC's MotoGP coverage, a role she held for 15 years until she opted to step down in 2010 blaming other commitments and the excessive travelling involved.

Until 2011, the 42-year-old, who had previously covered Wimbledon, The Boat Race, The London Marathon, Royal Ascot and The Great North Run for the BBC, presented Channel 5's Gadget Show

The Telegraph also reveals that Chris Evans was in the running to take over from Humphrey - surely the best reason anyone would need to switch to Sky Sports F1 - but (thankfully) opted out citing the proposed 19/20 race calendar to be too much of a conflict with his various other commitments.

McKenzie (left) , a Scot, who has been the BBC's pitlane reporter since 2009 is also highly experienced in terms of motorsport, and equally likeable.

The daughter of veteran F1 journo Bob McKenzie, who famously ran around Silverstone 'naked' having lost a bet with Ron Dennis, has covered most sports in her long career and even taken part in a number of WRC events.

In 2010, while Humphrey was covering the Commonwealth Games, she successfully assumed the lead role for the BBC's F1 team, a role she has repeated several times since with equal success.