Cox out at the BBC?

VISORDOWN'S MOTOGP insider has called in this morning with the news that the Australian half of BBC's MotoGP commentary team, Charlie Cox, is quitting the show.

It's alleged the portly commentator is returning to Australia to front the country's weekly Top Gear programme.

The news will come as a welcome relief to many MotoGP fans, as Cox's style has never really clicked with UK race fans. Last year the Australian incensed viewers with derogatory remarks about Fiat Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo, after the Spaniard placed fourth at the 2008 Japanese Grand Prix.

Many of the UK's motorcycle race fans have expressed their disgust at Cox's ability to commentate directly to the BBC; a thread on Crash.net's forum last year generated almost 600 responses to the topic.  Belinda Rogerson, BBC MotoGP Series Producer, BBC Sport, got involved in the lively debate and defended Cox, by saying:

"Charlie Cox is an experienced lead commentator with a great passion for and extensive knowledge of motor bikes."

Mmmmm.

So does this mean the world's number one MotoGP commentary team of Toby Moody and Julian Ryder could be getting a call from the Beeb?

Here's hoping!

Charlie Cox's Top commentary pearlers:

“He’s got such bad luck that if he fell in a bucket of boob’s, he’d still come up sucking his thumb.”

"It's like dropping a Porsche engine into a Reliant Robin, comparing how much power you have to the tyres" - Charlie Cox trying to describe what 240 bhp through one back wheel is like, Catalunya GP, 13th June 2004.

"It can be calm one minute, and blowing your dog off the chain the next," commenting on the weather conditions at Estoril, 5th September 2004.

"He's got the absolute ducks' guts of motorbikes," talking about the latest factory Yamaha at Estoril, 5th September 2004. A novel twist on the phrase "the dogs' bollocks"!

"He needs that like a third armpit," on Capirossi overtaking Bayliss for the second time, Estoril, 5th September 2004.

"Tamada is starting to turn the wick up on the bunsen burner," on Tamada catching Rossi, Estoril, 5th September 2004. Cox, seconds later, requested that people didn't write in, as he remembered Bunsen Burners from school times.

"Stand well back and turn your collar up, this is gonna get nasty."

"They're bubbling round like lotto balls, all trying to be picked."

"You coudn't get dental floss between the pair of them."

"Castinette time, the cars slapping together."

"Jason (Plato)'s in a hurry to get home before his local calls last orders."

"All you can see is dust in the distance, it's like the cavalry coming down."