BREAK’S TAKING THE MIC
Commentator Cotter a Twitter sensation
ANDREW COTTER has been the soundtrack to some of the sporting images of our lives.
Andy Murray winning Wimbledon. Tiger’s comeback victory at The Masters. Usain Bolt clinching the treble Treble at the Rio Olympics.
But when one of the Scot’s biggest audiences of his life followed his Twitter posting of a commentary on his two Labradors racing to finish their breakfasts, Cotter knows the world is barking.
Eight million people across the globe have watched his black Lab Olive reclaim her crown from the young pretender, golden Lab Mabel, in a thrilling sprint to the bottom of the breakfast bowl. But it’s Cotter’s commentary that has seemed to Winalot of praise.
“Eight million viewers, almost 300,000 likes on Twitter, it’s been mind-boggling,” the Troon-born man behind the mic laughed. “Then again, these are the most unusual of times.
“Eight million views is a big audience. The biggest audience on BBC1 during a Six Nations would be nine or 10million. Andy Murray’s biggest audience at Wimbledon was 16 million.
“Eight million is a big audience in UK TV terms now. But it’s spread throughout the world. ESPN in America picked it up and put it out.”
Having seen his workload melt away as the coronavirus crisis decimated sport, Cotter admitted the dog commentary was born out of boredom.
The 46-year-old said: “The fact it’s gone round the world is very strange. I did it a few weeks ago actually, before lockdown, but work was starting to disappear. I was a bit bored, a bit lost, so I did it as a joke.
“When you commentate on your own two dogs doing something they do every day, eating breakfast, and then when you see it being commented on by people you admire...it’s strange.
“The Scottish comedian Limmy retweeted it and messaged me. He’s such a dark, funny comic and that tickled me.
“David Schneider from The
Day Today and the lead singer of the Spin Doctors, Chris Barron. When you’ve got Ryan Reynolds from the Deadpool movies commenting on it then it’s absolute nonsense!
“But for all the celebrity names, there were thousands of messages from people I don’t know and will never know. They are saying they were feeling a bit down and the video made them laugh for 90 seconds. Others had lost their dogs recently.
“I’ve found social media far too unpleasant in the past but there’s so much going on just now that it can be really nice.”
Cotter’s diary of summer sport was full just a month ago. Now there’s nothing but he isn’t feeling sorry for himself.
He said: “Usually after the Six Nations, I’m looking forward to the Boat Race and The Masters and I’m planning for that. Then the London Marathon and from there you get ready for the golf and tennis seasons and, of course, the Olympics. You’re always looking forward, planning ahead.
“Now it’s just a giant void. There is no sport and it’s an adjustment to your mentality. Knowing that everybody is in the same boat, there’s some sort of solace to be find in that.
There’s also the cold-hard fact sports broadcasting has taken an enormous hit.
Cotter said: “There was the day of the long knives, the day before Scotland were due to play Wales in the Six Nations. I was just setting off for Cardiff when I got the email that it was postponed.
“Two minutes before that The Masters had announced they were postponed and then that evening the London Marathon went. I’m missing sport as much as everybody else is. It’s such an escape from everyone’s normal life. And yes, I’m missing it because it pays the bills!
“Most broadcasters are self employed these days, so you go from event to event. They rely on those events and suddenly they’re all gone. We think of sport as a trivial entertainment but it’s a big business and a lot of people rely on it. It’s difficult.”
It will be back though. Cotter just hopes it’s as healthy as it was pre-coronavirus.
“There will be such an appetite for sport when it returns,” he said. “And then it’ll drift back to normal where we’ll all get angry about little trivial things like refereeing decisions. That will be a sign that all is well again!”
“We are all experiencing the same feelings. In terms of missing sports commentary... you just think that sport will always be there. It’s just such a normal part of life.”