Brundle: No personality clash with Legard

BBC F1 commentator Martin Brundle has spoken out to rubbish rumours that he endured a difficult relationship with Jonathan Legard over the past two seasons - even though many believe he forced the former Radio 5 Live man out of his job...
Martin Brundle (GBR), Malaysian F1 Grand Prix, Sepang, Kuala Lumpar, 21st-23rd, March 2008
Martin Brundle (GBR), Malaysian F1 Grand Prix, Sepang, Kuala Lumpar, 21st…
© Peter Fox

Just days after seeming to hint that his former BBC F1 co-commentator had tried his patience by bombarding him with 'gormless questions', Martin Brundle has insisted there was never any 'personality clash' or even so much as a 'cross word' with Jonathan Legard over the past two years.

Legard has been replaced in the Beeb's commentary box for the forthcoming campaign by 13-time grand prix-winner David Coulthard, with the common perception being that it was the popular Brundle - who wields quite some influence inside the corporation, it seems - who had forced the ex-Radio 5 Live man out due to a lack of chemistry between the pair.

Comments made at the pre-season Autosport International show last weekend seemed to confirm those suspicions [see separate story - click here], but now Brundle has spoken out to set the record straight - as well as offering some insight into the BBC's rejigged line-up for F1 2011.

"Jonathan Legard is a lovely bloke," the former Benetton, McLaren, Ligier and Jordan ace wrote on social networking site Twitter. "We never had a 'personality clash' or a cross word. There's so much nonsense gets cut-and-pasted as fact.

"'DC' will largely do his pre-race Jake/EJ (Jake Humphrey and Eddie Jordan) gig, then glide to the comm box. I will do grid walks when I can, they need a refresh anyway. It's all about the racing, not the presenters/commentators. We are only there to share our knowledge and glue the programme together."

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