F1 Murray dies at 97
Motor sports mourning legendary Walker, ‘greatest commentator ever’
MOTOR racing legend Murray Walker, the unmistakable voice of Formula One, has died aged 97.
Over 52 years Murray’s enthusiastic and knowledgeable commentaries brought F1 to life for generations of fans.
The motor racing world has paid tributes to the man fans voted “the greatest commentator of all time” in 2009.
Silverstone boss Stuart Pringle said his was the voice “that epitomised the sport we love”. The British Racing
Drivers’ Club announced his death and called him a motor sport legend. It said: “We thank Murray for all he has done for our community. RIP our friend.”
Williams Racing tweeted: “His passion for the sport was infectious.”
Birmingham-born Murray, who fought in the Second World War and rose to be a captain, was in peacetime a motorcycle racer and worked in advertising.
He commentated on his first grand prix for the BBC at Silverstone in 1949 and did so full-time from 1978 to 2001.
British ex-racing driver Martin
Brundle, who also commentated alongside him, said: “Wonderful man in every respect. National treasure, communication genius, Formula One legend.”
Murray was known for his endearing verbal errors and meticulous research.
The late Clive James said of his energetic style: “Even in moments of tranquillity, Murray Walker sounds like a man whose trousers are on fire.”
He leaves a wife, Elizabeth, who he married in 1959. They had no children.
SARAH Harding fears she has just months to live as she continues to bravely battle breast cancer.
The Girls Aloud star, 39, lays bare her heartbreaking health struggles in her new book Hear Me Out.
And after being told that Christmas 2020 would probably be her last, she has vowed to live life to the full.
“I’m at a stage now where I don’t know how many months I have left,” Sarah admits in her book.
“Maybe I’ll surprise everyone, but that’s how I’m looking at things.”
Sarah, whose band sold more than
8million records in the UK, praised the
“amazing” nurses who care for her.
And she recalled how they tried kept her spirits up with questions about her
Girls Aloud days.
Sharing stories of being hungover on stage with her bandmates Cheryl, 37,
Nicola Roberts, 35,
Nadine Coyle, 35, and Kimberley Walsh, 39, Sarah says their kindness helped her through the darkest times.
“Those nurses sat with me at night as I cried, and it was in those moments when I realised that what they were doing was more than just a job.”
Sarah revealed in August she had breast cancer which had already spread to other parts of her body.
In her book she details how she had to be rushed to intensive care even before her chemotherapy began after sepsis developed at a spot used to inject medication into her body. With both her lungs and kidneys failing, Sarah was close to death and doctors put her into an induced coma.
She recalls how nurses even slept next to her when she came round.
She said: “Once I was out of the coma I forced myself to stay awake for as long as I could, refusing to close my eyes, terrified of shutting them again.
“I finally gave in and agreed to take a sleeping pill. The two nurses put their heads down on either side of my bed, and we all went to sleep together.” Sarah went on to start chemo and have a mastectomy. She describes waking up from the operation as “one of the worst moments” of her life as she struggled to process changes to her body.
“It’s very hard to wake up every morning knowing... part of my womanhood is gone,” she writes. “The loss of it breaks my heart.”
The treatment seemed to work but another tumour was found near her head, which scared her “more than anything” as she feared radiotherapy making her hair fall out. It was then medics told her she had just months to live.
She said: “I think what I’d really like to do is to see everyone – all my friends, all together, one last time.
“Then I’d throw a great big f***-off party to say thank you and goodbye.”
After initial reservations, Sarah decided to go public with her illness to encourage others to get checked.
Hear Me Out will be available to buy from Thursday.
I’d love to see all my friends one last time... have a big f***-off party to say goodbye SARAH HARDING ON COMING TO TERMS WITH TERMINAL DIAGNOSIS