Alan Biggs is essentially an old-fashioned newspaper reporter and a decent one too. He's in that "Tony Pritchett" kind of mold. He's from that era when the newshound from the local rag was part of the furniture at local football clubs and were welcomed, because they were like pals. They never got under the skin of those they were interviewing and they always painted the club in a positive light.
I think this breed of newspaper journalist is dying out. In many ways I prefer it to the "click-bait" culture that we have now, where anyone can publish anything about anything, online. But, "shit is the new genius" as someone else said on here a while ago - and this dumbing down of journalistic standards is so widespread now that no-one really cares any more or sees it as a problem. Well...some of us do, but we're very much in the minority.
To take a journalist like Biggs though and stick him in front of a TV camera and expect him to perform like a seasoned TV presenter is a bit much. That's not really his forte. Despite that, despite the "hang-dog" expression, and the occasional scrambling for words, I think he does a decent job. For a start, I think people come on the show because they like him. He's got a nice easy, non-threatening, style about him. He's not exactly a "Parkinson" or a "Dimbleby" with his interviewing skills, but he comes across as a very nice chap and one that is genuinely interested in the local sports scene.
And so he is. He's a local lad, from Chesterfield I believe? He even goes in our local co-op - how about that? (I'll not say where that is otherwise loads of you off here will be queuing up to try and bump into him for a chat - and the aisles in there are narrow enough as it is).
I might just see if he can get me a slot on that mysterious "Sheffield Live" thing - although I'll have to insist that it's an edited recording. I do have a great routine though, involving a smile, a song and a piece of string.