ITV was forced to change the location of its World Cup studio after stormy weather disrupted its plans. Laura Woods and her colleagues had to brave the elements during coverage of Switzerland's win over Bosnia and Herzegovina before moving indoors later in the evening.
Presenters Battled Blustery Conditions
Presenter Laura Woods, along with Juan Mata, Patrick Vieira, and Karen Carney, had to deal with windy conditions on the New York set. Woods had to brush her hair out of the way while presenting, and former Spain international Mata's shirt was clearly flapping in the wind. Clattering noises could be heard in the background, illustrating the challenging circumstances.
Indoor Backup Utilized
The gusts forced the pundits inside for coverage of Canada and Qatar, where an indoor backup option was used. Former Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou, United States women's manager Emma Hayes, and Bradley Wright-Phillips were able to provide their analysis in more sheltered conditions. It was a welcome change as the conditions threatened to make the program unwatchable.
Viewer Reactions
One viewer said: "The wind in the ITV studio is hilarious. Sounds like the place is completely falling apart in the background." Another added: "It's quite funny that after a week of people raving about ITV having a nice World Cup coverage view, it's now so windy that it's become borderline unwatchable." A third viewer commented: "ITV emergency indoor studio klaxon!" Another said: "Sounds like the ITV studio is going to get blown away. Surely there must be somewhere less blowy for the presenters?"
Praise for ITV's Location
ITV's location has received a great deal of praise after the BBC decided to lead its coverage from Salford. The broadcaster was keen to highlight its base at the beginning of the tournament. "Welcome to our New York loft apartment, home for six weeks of coverage of the World Cup," ITV anchor Mark Pougatch said during the first broadcast. "We hope you will love this view as much as we do, a view of the buildings of lower Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridge. You are thinking it must be AI; I promise you it is real." Roy Keane and Ian Wright also offered praise. "Amazing, fantastic," Keane said. "It's amazing, unbelievable set. It's the World Cup, it should be this, it should be grand, massive," Wright added.
