Boat Race 2016: BBC Slammed For Presenter Seann Walsh's 'Crass Humour' And 'Lack Of Respect'

'Please someone, kill his microphone!'
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The BBC's use of a comedian as one of the TV presenters for the 2016 Oxford and Cambridge boat races has gone down spectacularly poorly among many viewers.

Viewers of the BBC One coverage of the historic race lambasted the broadcaster for the choice of Seann Walsh as a host, saying he was "an insult to athletes" and had no "respect" for the races.

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Seann Walsh

They took issue with the Brighton-born comedian's "banter", which included saying the the crowd watching the boat races was "like Waitrose on Black Friday".

He was accused of making a "thinly-disguised knob joke" by asking mischievously, "Do the women have a cox?" One viewer also expressed their disapproval of him "taking the Mickey" out of someone's jumper. 

Walsh, 30, has performed on Live At The Apollo, supported Stephen K Amos and was named Chortle Best Newcomer in 2009.

Viewers lined up online to criticise the BBC for hiring Walsh, and his fellow presenter, the ex-Blue Peter host Helen Skelton, also came in for some heat:

Walsh appeared to take it in his stride, retweeting a critic who called him a "bell end" for making a "cheap and far-too obvious cock gag" on afternoon TV.

"I don't normally RT praise" joked Walsh as he shared the tweet:

The Cambridge team won the men's boat race, while Oxford triumphed in the ladies event.

Both races battled against waves and bad weather and the Cambridge ladies boat almost sank as a result, but the team was praised for their determination which enabled them to pass the finish line.

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The winning Oxford women's team
BBC