I was away fro, home last night, but I saw the end of Olympics Tonight and heard Gabby Logan apologise to someone for saying something about their mother.
I didn't know what this was referring to but I remember thinking that there would be a thread about it on TV Forum by the morning. Here we are, 20 or so hours later and no one has mentioned it. What was it all about?
I was going to post a link to the bit in question, but it isn't actually on the BBC iPlayer version...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b01lz5x9/?t=1h19m5s Not sure if they have cut it early or it has been edited.
Quite a humorous article from that well-known publication, the (South) Shields Gazette, offering some observations on the BBC's Olympics coverage . . .
Quote:
By ADAM POSTANS
Published on Sunday 12 August 2012 02:00
Only the most diehard, soulless sports hater will have been left cold by events of the last fortnight.
London 2012 has been a triumph, Team GB’s medal haul succeeded all expectations ,and Super Saturday - the greatest day in British sport - was the kind of thrilling television that Simon Cowell can only dream of emulating.
I’ve watched it all, I’ve surfed the 24 red-button channels night and day, and can confirm that the BBC’s Olympics coverage, on the whole, deserves a gold medal, albeit gold-plated rather than solid bullion, having lost the odd tenth of a point on execution here and there.
Gary Lineker drowned in puns: “Kenyan police officer Vivian Cheruiyot is in arresting form in the 10,000 metres,” introduced the wrong athletics events and dazzled Sean Kerly with his memory: “Here with us is a hockey gold medallist from Barcelona 20 years ago. I remember it well.”
Kerly: “It was Seoul in 1988.”
Gabby Logan, on the late shift promising “live beach ball action”, needs to learn when not to interrupt guests (ever, Gabby, is the answer, not all the ruddy time).
Her fridge-magnet medal boards and Big Ben goldometer on Olympics Tonight should have been canned as soon as it became clear they were cheapening moments of British glory that should be treasured.
And if I don’t hear a burst of Spandau Ballet again, it will be too soon.
And Hazel Irvine must have thought she was speaking for us all when she announced: “This afternoon Great Britain’s handball men play Iceland, who, you might remember four years ago, won that amazing surprise silver medal.”
Ah, like it was yesterday.
But as I say, the BBC should be praised for much – the punditry of Michael Johnson and Ian Thorpe, the poetry of Eddie Butler, the commentary of Hugh Porter at the velodrome, and the presenting of Clare Balding.
But for every Chris Hoy, there’s an Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards. For every Clare Balding, there’s a Sonali Shah.
A Blue Peter presenter in kit form, she’s been fluffing her lines and talking complete garbage over on BBC3: “An update on GB women’s hockey captain Jake Kate Walsh, who was injured when she got hake with a hottie stick on her jaw.”
Which certainly sounds like an unusual case for A&E.
She’s from the me-me-me school of presenting: “I was at Wimbledon for the men’s final,” “I went to the canoe sprint world championships in Hungary last year,” “I trained in taekwondo for three years,” “I come to work at 6.30am and I’m usually very tired”. Diddums.
Yet a strange thing happened. For all the vast choices available, I found myself unable to switch over from Sonali Shah for sheer entertainment.
From there on, I heard the following:
“We’re going live to the time kwondo for the women’s piri-liminary rounds,” which I’m fairly sure is a starter dish at Nando’s.
“Now it’s time for some table team tennis.”
“The Riverbank Arena is actually just a stone’s throw from the BBC studio here, if you’ve got an absolutely amazing throw.”
To cycling double gold medallist Laura Trott: “Tell me about the relationship with the other girls in the team pursuit. You look like sisters, only sisters who love each other and don’t fight over clothes.”
And this anecdote: “Hannah Mills was the first Welsh athlete to make Team GB and she got a congratulatory message from Snoop Dogg. Not just any old random man called Snoop Dogg, the actually rapper Snoop Dogg.”
Thanks for clarifying that, Sonali. There I was, thinking she’d been congratulated by 54-year-old bin man Snoop Reginald Dogg, from Colchester.
So I’ll miss Sonali. I’ll miss the “time kwondo”. I’ll miss the 24 red-button channels.
And, looking at the schedules, I see a programme called (Keith) Lemon La Vida Loca and The X Factor looming.
SAY what? TV quotes from week two of the Olympics:
Mike Tucker at the show jumping: “Three to go before Britain’s first individual, Scott Brash, and then coming right at the end of the 37, Ben Maher and Nick Skelton. They go 34th and 35th.”
Matt Baker: “We’ve got a little bit of news on the sailing 470 class and Luke Patience and Stuart Bithell – their medal race hasn’t started yet.”
Helen Skelton at the BMX: “There’s only one word to describe what we’ve seen so far, Jake – absolute carnage.”
Graham Bell (fencing): “Some of the slow-motion replays are wonderful because you can really slow the sport down.”
Richard Simmonds (sailing): “The start of race 10 happened during the 49er final. What’s happened since then? Well, the eyes of Rob Walker have been watching.” As opposed to his ears.
John Inverdale: “It’s the most eagerly awaited Sunday evening of the athletics.” Not to mention, the only one.
Ed Leigh during Frenchman Quentin Caleyron’s BMX seeding ride: “He is going round this course like garlic puree.”
Australia’s Channel 9 commentator for BBC3: “And for Roderick Weusthof, his 76th goal for Korea in international hockey.” Funny that, because his previous 75 were for Holland.
And Sir Steve Redgrave: “I can’t say how much proud I am.”
Clearly, Steve.
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THIS week’s Couch Potato Olympic Spuduhate awards go to:
BBC News’ sports editor David Bond placing himself in shot in front of the cyclists and athletes as they crossed the finishing line.
Gabby Logan’s infuriatingly tacky medal boards.
Jake Humphrey operating under the delusion that he’s best mates with Mark Cavendish.
Rob Walker grinning inanely as a Belgian sailing fan told him live on BBC3 at lunchtime that Evi Van Acker’s bronze medal was: “F***ing amazing, f***ing great,” before his brain clicked into gear and he sidled away.
And a big screen at Hyde Park informing the crowd: “Applause,” as the triathletes went past.
Just as well too. I’m sure most of them were planning to moon the competitors.
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OVER now to 200m runner Christian Malcolm who I get the feeling doesn’t like early-morning races.
Colin Jackson: “Christian doesn’t enjoy running early on in the day, so for him to qualify in this round I think he’ll be happy.”
Steve Cram: “So let’s find out how Christian enjoyed getting up early this morning to get himself through to the semi-finals.”
Phil Jones: “Yes, it’s not his favourite, is it, the early starts, but nonetheless you took care of business, Christian.”
Christian Malcolm: “Yes, you know I don’t like the early mornings.”
It’s just a hunch, but I don’t think Christian Malcolm likes early-morning races.
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BBC3’s Sonali Shah’s moment of the Games:
“I just want to take you through the other sports that are going on at the moment. Over on BBC1 there’s the men’s 800m at the moment. Over on the red button there’s men’s volleyball, Australia versus Poland at the moment, and there’s women’s hockey, USA versus South Africa at the moment. And every session of every sport is being covered by the BBC so you don’t have to miss your favourite...” - Don’t tell me...”moment.”
I know the feeds were available through the red button, but I didn't find out until late last night that the Olympics channels were also on Virgin. You'd think with Sky plugging the channels, that Virgin might've done something similar.
