Lynn

[TheManWithNoName]

I watched Rod Jinks first session at Chalmers as I had never heard of them but had watched Rod before and always felt he was underused at Gems.

There always seemed to be a reluctance to use the male presenters more on the main Gems TV channel for some strange reason. I wasn't overly keen on Rod to be honest - he always came across like he was 'winging it' through things rather than coming across as knowledgeable. He was 'OK' - but just that. As you say though, he was far better than the shrieking bunch currently on Gems TV.

It always baffled me why Drew and Nick weren't used more though. Nick is incredibly professional, is always enthusiastic, and is very knowledgeable. I like his calm manner of presenting too. The same applies to Drew really - he was knowledgeable, professional, calm with a likeable personality and witty sense of humour. They always seemed to be put onto the smaller channels though such as 'The Lounge'.

I wondered whether that may have influenced her decision to leave. Or perhaps she could see the way the channel was heading and wanted to leave before it sank?

I suspect that Rod's redundancy played a part in Lynn's decision. Being close to Steve, I get the impression that they thought they were untouchable - so it probably came as a bit of a shock, and kick in the teeth, when Rod was let go.

I suspect you're right about them seeing where the channel is / was heading too though. It seems like many of the presenters have put a 'plan B' in place - Lynn with her healing nonsense, Hattie training to become a pilates teacher, and Angeline getting into a business venture with Steve. Ruth Linett had already wound down her hours on Gemporia before Lifestyle was closed - she was working for Drew and Lucy Nicholl's events business alongside Gemporia.

I suspect Kati Elliott would move back into make-up if Gemporia was to die, and I suspect Ellis will probably retire or just do some occasional freelance work. Jeff already has another job.

 

[historymystery]

Possibly, but I think she's being a bit optimistic that her business is going to continue growing - but I'm not so sure. I think her being in the public eye helped attract customers. Once she's been 'forgotten about' by Gemporia viewers, and her current subscribers inevitably decline over time, she could find that her income drops significantly. I think to 'burn her bridges' and rule out a plan B is a bit risky.

Lets face it, her "qualification" in healing is a nonsense qualification because the whole healing thing is unproven and unregulated. There is no official body that issues qualifications in something that is unproven.

So whilst that "qualification" might sound good to other people that believe in that nonsense, it isn't a credible qualification that any future employer is going to be interested in should she find herself needing to apply for a job at say, QVC, in the future.

Steve Bennett even used to say that it was unproven and nonsense - and always stated that he stayed well clear of making quotes about so-called metaphysical properties because it could come back to bite them on the backside (ie, if they sold something claiming that it could "lower blood pressure if you sleep with it under your pillow", and then someone suffered a heart attack after having high blood pressure for years and years, they could sue the arse off them for making a false claim).

Now, because Gemporia are desperate for everyone's money, they seem to have no issue with throwing all these nonsensical unproven claims about.



To be fair, I think Scott Worsfold left with the intention of focusing on his acting work and his own business - but I remember him saying on social media that he was offered a job by Hochanda and it was an easy drive from where he lived (straight down the M1) - whereas Redditch was a long and awkward drive from his Yorkshire home (this was his reason for leaving - similar to Rae Carpenter, who drove from Cardiff to Redditch to present). He wouldn't have needed to freelance at Gemporia once he'd been given a permanent role at Hochanda.

I liked Scott - knowledgeable and funny, them were the days. I well remember Rae implying that the journey was getting her down, so no surprise that she left and I think she had a fitness/wellbeing consultancy that she ran, if I remember rightly. Lynn's banging on about her business is a load of my eye, there are any number of people who talk about this 'healing' thing so how they all get any clients is a mystery to me. And as you've said, there's no actual proof of it working, so no real credibility.

 

[historymystery]

There always seemed to be a reluctance to use the male presenters more on the main Gems TV channel for some strange reason. I wasn't overly keen on Rod to be honest - he always came across like he was 'winging it' through things rather than coming across as knowledgeable. He was 'OK' - but just that. As you say though, he was far better than the shrieking bunch currently on Gems TV.

It always baffled me why Drew and Nick weren't used more though. Nick is incredibly professional, is always enthusiastic, and is very knowledgeable. I like his calm manner of presenting too. The same applies to Drew really - he was knowledgeable, professional, calm with a likeable personality and witty sense of humour. They always seemed to be put onto the smaller channels though such as 'The Lounge'.



I suspect that Rod's redundancy played a part in Lynn's decision. Being close to Steve, I get the impression that they thought they were untouchable - so it probably came as a bit of a shock, and kick in the teeth, when Rod was let go.

I suspect you're right about them seeing where the channel is / was heading too though. It seems like many of the presenters have put a 'plan B' in place - Lynn with her healing nonsense, Hattie training to become a pilates teacher, and Angeline getting into a business venture with Steve. Ruth Linett had already wound down her hours on Gemporia before Lifestyle was closed - she was working for Drew and Lucy Nicholl's events business alongside Gemporia.

I suspect Kati Elliott would move back into make-up if Gemporia was to die, and I suspect Ellis will probably retire or just do some occasional freelance work. Jeff already has another job.

Good luck to Angeline is all I can say! And Hattie a pilates teacher? She could do it remotely, wouldn't need the audio function, she could just stand there and shout to the whole country. A bit hyperactive for that, I would have thought. Drew and Derek (Marks) were a bit of a double act back in the day, I recall - when the channel had room for a bit of humour among the presenters, instead of (a) relentless flogging of jade and (b) screaming at viewers to 'multibuy'!

 

[Sazza]

So Lynn officially left today (well, yesterday now).

I get the impression she hasn't left on good terms.

When presenters have left in the past, Steve Bennett or someone high up in the company (Shane usually, before he left), used to come on and thank the presenter for everything they'd done, give them a hug, and had them a leaving present and / or a big bunch of flowers.

Lynn left with none of that. She didn't even get emotional, and had yet another dig at the company shortly before she went (the last of many that she's made in recent weeks).

I found it very odd considering Lynn used to say that they spent a lot of time with Steve Bennett because Rod and Steve were very close friends.

I'm beginning to wonder if there's some bitterness from when Rod was made redundant a couple of years ago. I get the impression that Lynn, Rod, Angeline and Nick always thought they were 'safe' and indispensable because they were so close to Steve.

I suspect we'll get even more of Lindsey Carr and Jess Foley filling in now.

Rachel Hatton would have bridged that gap nicely - but she was supposed to be back in January, and it's now March, and there's still no sign of her, so I wouldn't be overly surprised if she doesn't come back now. I don't think Gemporia is a happy camp at the moment (no doubt they'll still be friends in viewers living rooms though.............)

Rachel is back tomorrow, she is doing 7am-11am tomorrow and Thursday.

 

[TheManWithNoName]

Rachel is back tomorrow, she is doing 7am-11am tomorrow and Thursday.

Yeah I noticed that earlier.

It'll make a nice change to have someone tolerable presenting