Leg over… 30 years on
Can it really be 30 years ago that Brian Johnston and Jonathan Agnew ‘lost it’ on air in a fit of giggles after the description of Ian Botham losing his wicket as ‘he could not quite get his leg over’?
Well it was and one of the most famous events in broadcasting was celebrated in the lunch interval on TMS yesterday.
At the time it was not the iconic descent to total hilarity it has become.
Indeed ‘Johnners’, who was sacked as a TV cricket commentator after 24 years, and Aggers – a rookie at 31 learning the trade – were fearful it might be the end of their careers.
Producer Peter Walker was by no means amused.
The following day the listeners accounts began to roll in. Some were so convulsed by laughter they had to pull their cars over.
I cannot recall if I heard it live and in those days there were no social media, websites or YouTube but it soon went the equivalent of viral.
Yet every time, including yesterday, I hear it I am similarly convulsed.
Quite why it’s so funny is harder to explain. I think it’s the fact that the two of them are out of control, trying to continue but unable to do so.
Extraordinary noises – wheezes mainly – emanate from Johnners culminating in the “Oh do stop it, Aggers”.
Here is a link to the incident, courtesy of – YOUTUBE
In life we have all on occasion feared the worst only to find out that it’s not so bad – just as bad stuff creeps in from nowhere.
After Churchill made the wartime decision to scuttle the French fleet, he was so apprehensive of the reaction in Parliament that he feared he might have to resign, only to receive unanimous cheers and approval.
Yet in 1945 he was decisively beaten in the Election, the Independent in his Essex constituency receiving 10,000 votes.
Aggers and Johnners would have had no idea that what seemed a dreadful gaffe of uncontrolled giggles could result in an event being so celebrated 30 years hence.
