Barry Davies: The Man, The Voice, The Legend
BBC ONE, 10.45PM; NI, 11.10PM
As the veteran sports commentator Barry Davies picks up the microphone at Wimbledon for the final time, Sue Barker celebrates some of the most iconic moments to feature his famous voice: among them some great World Cup, Wimbledon, Olympic and Boat Race memories.
Davies’s first TV football job was in 1966 alongside Jimmy Greaves, although he didn’t make his “live” debut until 1970. Since then, he has commented on nine football World Cups, seven European Championships and two FA Cup finals, plus many other sports, from tennis to hockey, ice-skating and rowing. He says that the best goal he ever commentated on was Maradona’s second against England in the 1986 World Cup, the worst moment was the tragic Heysel Stadium disaster when 39 people died after a wall collapsed on Juventus fans before the 1985 European Cup Final. Colleagues, including the recently retired commentator and his great rival John Motson, Gary Lineker, Rio Ferdinand and Alan Shearer, share their memories. Matthew Pinsent, Jayne Torvill and Kate Richardson-walsh offer their tributes, too, while family members give a private perspective. Gerard O’donovan