The Commentator's Curse with Ian Danter: Recent Episodes
The Commentator's Curse with Ian Danter
talkSPORT's Ian Danter chats with 2 press box colleagues each episode discussing life behind the mic in the strange old world of football/sports commentary
Ian is joined by Paul Walker from ITV’s EFL Highlights show (formerly of Quest, C5 & BBC too!) and 5 Live’s football/golf regular Alistair Bruce-Ball for a natter about their respective careers and the ‘sliding doors’ moments that shaped their journeys! Includes:
- Fantasy Football and the dedication required for it
- Working for Club TV channels
- Yet more tales of first commentary gigs coming out of nowhere!
- Another young man thrust into a Sports Editor role in his early 20’s
- Being shushed by a sporting legend
- And much more besides
Ian is joined by BBC Match Of The Day regular Steve Bower and BBC Radio Sheffield commentator Andy Giddings. Includes
- Early careers advice at school…or the lack of it!
- An early disaster ‘driving the desk’
- The demise of TeamTalk252 and Setanta Sports
- Becoming a sports editor at 23 years old!
- The days before press officers and developing relationships with players/bosses!!
- Convincing Sir Alex you weren’t a wrong ‘un & the treble season of 98/99!
- Experiences on open top buses
- Press room grub!
- Plus much more...
John and Ian join Dants today - 2 of the most recognisable voices in Sports commentary. We discuss things like;* Broadcasting to absolutely nobody when you don't realise! * The on-air genius of Des Lynham & we remember John Motson (RIP) * The greatest/bravest job interview possibly ever against the odds...which worked! * Working outside your commentary comfort zone & the '2 commentator' role * Managers listening to your output and taking issue! * Plus much more!
Series 2 of the Commentator’s Curse kicks off with Ian talking to MOTD’s Jonathan Pearce and ESPN’s Derek Rae discussing their commentary journeys. Includes:
- Getting a HUGE game for what was a 2nd ever radio commentary
- The amazing growth of the Capital Gold brand in the 90’s
- Pre-prepared lines or being spontaneous…
- A transatlantic commentary lifestyle
- Difference between radio & TV work
- Plus much more…
The return of the Commentator's Curse (apologies for its absence) sees Ian joined by MOTD & Capital Gold stalwart Steve and one of talkSPORT's young crop of talent in Joe to talk about the weird world of commentary and their respective journeys. Including:
- More tales of cassette-based commentary attempts as children!
- More degree courses that were of no use whatsoever to a career in the press box
- Steve's spell in Capital Gold London's halcyon days
- Joe on working at games with a fan rather than an ex-pro
- Commentating on other sports...including 'Sweat Racing'????
- Plus much more
Ian is joined by an IRN/Sky/BT/talkSPORT stalwart and the former Chief Football Correspondent at the BBC to talk about their life and times in the weird world of football commentary. Including:
- Raiding record shops to kill time on trips abroad
- Using 'stringers' in local areas to cover games-with some odd results
- Sitting in Bert Millichip's posh seat!
- Contact with audiences in African villages who rely on radio commentary
- Many happy (and some less happy) memories of the late great Graham Taylor
- And much more!
Seb from ITV/Sky/BT and many more along with Vicki from the BBC tell their commentary story to Ian, including:
- Development of the WSL and holding players to the appropriate standards
- Childhood commentary using something other than Subbuteo!
- Taking a mate who's come over from Australia to your first ever commentary
- Working in loads of TV roles to bring perspective to being a TV commentator
- Specialist Media Studies courses
- 'Spoof' commentaries and how to spot them
- Plus much more
Ian chats to MOTD stalwart John and ESPN's Mark (over in Connecticut USA) on a whole host of topics surrounding the weird world of commentary. Including:
- Getting a big break thanks either to missing spectacles or a court case
- Babysitting one Alan Bernard Brazil at Hampden Park (Includes classic clip!)
- Did Richard Keys & Andy Gary muck in for talkSPORT @ Euro 2012?
- Which England legend led a conga at a Madness gig?
- Being last (and indeed first) on Match Of The Day
- And much much more
A man who requires little introduction in the world of television sports commentary joins Ian to reflect on a lifetime behind the mic. Includes
- What he felt was his worst moment as a football commentator
- When his favourite moment came subsequently away from football!
- Voicing computer games and the Big Train 'staring competition' sketches
- The occasion he wishes he could have provided commentary for
- And much more
A Tyne/Wear special as Ian brings Mick and Simon back together to talk about their emergence in the North East covering Newcastle and Sunderland, plus the journeys that got them there. Including:
- Filing copy to attractive-sounding Scottish ladies
- More on the rise of Clubcall in the 90's
- Following a rugby club just at the right time
- Genuine & astonishing hate mail
- Going 'national' on Soccer AM
- A very funny story about a TV show taping!
- Plus so much more...
Peter of ITV/BT Sport fame and Ian's talkSPORT colleague Alex discuss the weird world commentators inhabit. Including:
- More love for Subbuteo as a first attempt at commentary!
- Auditioning using 'FIFA' whilst drunk
- Shirt number horrors and the importance of the warm up
- Print Journalism & its benefits to commentary
- Plus much more!
Ian is joined by Adam, the Head of Sport at BBC Radio Solent and Mark, his talkSPORT colleague - two gents who, like Ian, got their start in radio a little later in life. Including;
- How a snowstorm accidentally launched a commentary career
- Joining a supposedly 'parochial radio station' at the perfect time sports-wise
- Dealing with spiky managers post-match
- The "best summariser" in football
- Not knowing Press Room food is meant for you!
- Accidentally swearing on air
- Plus much more!
Ian talks with Sky's Gary Taphouse and BT Sport's Darren Fletcher about their broadcasting life and times. Includes:
- From suspended ceilings to the suspense of a Cloughie interview
- The panic of arriving late to a game
- Gary's 'job opportunities' scheme on social media
- Darren's move not only from radio to TV but also from UK to US sports
- Plus loads more besides
BBC Wales lead commentator Rob & Sky/BBC/ITV's Jacqui join Ian for a chat about their life and times in the weird world commentators inhabit. Includes:
- Having to commentate from a nowhere near the pitch
- The Rock legends who wanted commentary on a song!
- Quitting your job, flat and relationship to pursue your ambitions
- Testing your commentary skills on things far removed from football
- The age-old 'best services' debate
- Plus much more!
BRMB's former head of Sport Tom Ross & talkSPORT's Nigel Adderley join Ian for an hour long chinwag about the weird world of commentating. Including
- Learning editing skills with huge tape machines!
- How Trevor Francis helped Tom get his first break
- How Nigel welcomed a future megastar into Preston North End's reception area...and had to keep quiet about it!!
- Developing trust with clubs and avoiding compromising situations
- The differences between commentating at the BBC & talkSPORT
- And much more!
ITV & talkSPORT's main man Sam and Sky stalwart Daniel join Ian to look back at their commentary journey.
- Doing a match report from your bedroom using surround sound speakers!
- The classic 'hospital radio' route and how long it took to get a first paid gig!
- Angering Scottish bosses
- Gadgets, gizmos and losing your notes to the 4 winds!
- More on the radio rights 'war' of the '90's/'00's
- England & Dancing On Ice
Some great stories and wise thoughts on the business of commentary from Denno and Clive
- Clive on cutting his teeth with Cloughie in Nottingham
- Denno on the challenge of calling greyhound racing!
- The '2 commentator format' and how it can be of benefit
- Life reporting on England
- Getting the team news for a Cup Final behind the boss' back!
talkSPORT & PLP's Jim Proudfoot and Sunderland commentator for BBC Newcastle, Nick Barnes, join Ian for an hour's chat on the weird world of football commentary
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Was there a BBC/ILR ‘war’ over local football coverage?
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The owner who became a manager and tapped club phones to catch out reporters
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What really happened with unofficial Euro 2000 commentaries in Amsterdam?
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Running commentaries NEXT TO the press box
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Nick stuns us with a revelation on his prep work!
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And much more!
Ian talks to Bundesliga match commentator Kev Hatchard and Match Of The Day's Robyn Cowen about the weird world of commentary we inhabit.
- Kev’s tape player that stopped him socialising at Uni!
- Useless stats and how to avoid them
- Robyn’s progress through a male-dominated industry
- The joys of whistle-stop European football travel
- Being a ‘social ghost’
- And much more
Jon joins us from across the pond with Nigel (not the Leicester boss, but you knew that) live from Staffs!
- How a decent knock at a cricket match led to a 30+ year broadcasting career!
- Tough decisions at crucial points
- The vagaries of sporting rights and how to survive them
- Starting a new career in the USA
- Do Yorkshiremen approve of heaters in the press box?
- Plus much more in an hour-long chinwag
Guy and Crock join Dants for the first episode
- The terror of the post-match interview!
- What did Crock do to inspire a fan’s tattoo?
- When was Guy’s brief, sweary encounter with a World Cup winner!
- Who may have caused a floodlight failure?
- Who needed a safety harness on a gantry?