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Help for a history of olympics presenters

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 23
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in Broadcasting #1
hi.

since many of you have been so helpful in providing commentator/co-commentator information for some of football's biggest events, i am wondering if you good people can help with a history of olympics presenters, mostly those in the evening time slot (about 7 pm-11 pm or so) from the first olympics telecasts thru the turin/torino winter games.

as a service, i can provide the information for the anerican & canadian presenters:

u.s. olympics presenters:

2006 (w) - NBC. Bob Costas
2004 (s) - NBC. Bob Costas
2002 (w) - NBC. Bob Costas
2000 (s) - NBC. Bob Costas
1998 (w) - CBS. Jim Nantz
1996 (s) - NBC. Bob Costas
1994 (w) - CBS. Greg Gumbel
1992 (w) - CBS. Tim McCarver, Paula Zahn
1992 (s) - NBC. Bob Costas
1988 (w) - ABC. Jim McKay
1988 (s) - NBC. Bryant Gumbel
1984 (w) - ABC. Jim McKay
1984 (s) - ABC. Jim McKay
1980 (w) - ABC. Jim McKay
1980 (s) - NBC*. Dick Enberg*
1976 (w) - ABC. Jim McKay
1976 (s) - ABC. Jim McKay
1972 (w) - NBC. Curt Gowdy
1972 (s) - ABC. Chris Schenkel
1968 (w) - ABC. Chris Schenkel
1968 (s) - ABC. Chris Schenkel
1964 (w) - ABC. Jim McKay
1964 (s) - NBC. Bill Henry
1960 (w) - CBS. Walter Cronkite
1960 (s) - CBS. Jim McKay

*U.S. boycotted, but Enberg presented a wrap-up show.


canadian:

2006 (w) - CBC. Brian Williams
2004 (s) - CBC. Brian Williams
2002 (w) - CBC. Brian Williams
2000 (s) - CBC. Brian Williams
1998 (w) - CBC. Brian Williams
1996 (s) - CBC. Brian Williams
1994 (w) - CTV. Rod Black
1992 (w) - CBC. Brian Williams
1992 (s) - CTV. Rod Black
1988 (w) - CTV. Lloyd Robertson
1988 (s) - CBC. Brian Williams
1984 (w) - CTV. Lloyd Robertson
1984 (s) - CBC. Brian Williams
1980 (w) - CTV. Johnny Esaw
1980 (s) - Not covered
1976 (w) - CTV. Johnny Esaw
1976 (s) - CBC. Lloyd Robertson, Ernie Afaganis
1976 (s) - CTV. Johnny Esaw
1972 (w) - CTV. Johnny Esaw
1972 (s) - CBC. Lloyd Robertson
1968 (w) - CTV. Johnny Esaw
1968 (s) - CBC. Lloyd Robertson
1964 (w) - CTV. Johnny Esaw
1964 (s) - CBC. Ted Reynolds
1960 (w) - CBC. unknown
1960 (s) - CBC. Doug Smith

any help for same for the British presenters is most appreciated!

tb
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    marke09marke09 Posts: 12,139
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    #2
    Alan Weeks, David Coleman, Frank Bough, Desmond Lynam, Steve Rider, Sue Barker, Hazel Irvine, Helen Rollanson, Claire Balding, Steve Cram, Rishi Persad - have all been used by the BBC to present their Olympic coverage
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    Simon JacksonSimon Jackson Posts: 8,687
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    #3
    Didn't John Inverdale present Sydney 2000 and Gary Lineker presented Atlanta 1996?
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    marke09marke09 Posts: 12,139
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    #4
    Simon Jackson wrote:
    Didn't John Inverdale present Sydney 2000 and Gary Lineker presented Atlanta 1996?

    and Jill Douglas some for 2004 too
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 23
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    #5
    have itv ever had the rights to olympic coverage, or has it been exclusive to the bbc?

    also, while all the presenter info is great, i am keying in on the - as we call it in the u.s. "prime time" - presenters.

    thanks again!

    tb
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    marke09marke09 Posts: 12,139
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    #6
    1960 -1968 David Coleman
    1972 - 1980 Frank Bough
    1984 - 1996 Des Lynam/Steve Rider
    2000 - 2004 Steve Rider/Sue Barker/Clare Balding/John Inverdale

    same presenters used for both summer and winter games
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 447
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    #7
    timmy b wrote:
    have itv ever had the rights to olympic coverage, or has it been exclusive to the bbc?

    ITV definetley had live rights to the Seoul '88 games, and I think they might have covered Olympiads in 80, 84 and 92 as well.

    At Seoul '88, Jim Rosenthal (track and field) and Gary Newbon (boxing) were amongst their anchormen I believe.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 107
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    #8
    They didn't do 84 or 92.

    88 featured shared coverage with Channel 4 hosted, among others, by Nick Owen, Barry Norman and Alison Holloway
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    marke09marke09 Posts: 12,139
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    #9
    Barry Norman introduced the ITV olympics in 1988 dont think they ever bothered after that or really before it
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 250
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    #10
    ITV last covered the Olympics in 1988 (Seoul) with Barry Norman (!!!) but the viewing figures were so bad compared to the BBC that they justgave up after that.
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    ftvftv Posts: 31,668
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    #11
    keithl wrote:
    ITV last covered the Olympics in 1988 (Seoul) with Barry Norman (!!!) but the viewing figures were so bad compared to the BBC that they justgave up after that.
    Basically ITV have taken the view since 1988 that they always get hammered in the ratings by the BBC over the Olympics and there's not a lot of point spending the money to no great effect. BBC already have the rights to the 2008 and 2012 Olympics,ITV did not enter the race
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    ftvftv Posts: 31,668
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    #12
    marke09 wrote:
    Alan Weeks, David Coleman, Frank Bough, Desmond Lynam, Steve Rider, Sue Barker, Hazel Irvine, Helen Rollanson, Claire Balding, Steve Cram, Rishi Persad - have all been used by the BBC to present their Olympic coverage
    Between July 29 and August 14, 1948, the BBC televised 68 hours and 29 minutes of the London Olympics.At the time there were just over 50,000 registered TV licence holders,all in the London area.The commentary team included Richard Dimbleby and a (young) Kenneth Wolstenholme.The team was headed by Peter Dimmock who went on (1954) to become the inaugural presenter of TV's first regular sports programme ''Sportsview''. :p
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    Miss HavershamMiss Haversham Posts: 877
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    #13
    Sue Barker - the worst presenter ever to front the Olympics, or in fact ANY athletic event - horrible, terrible, embarrassing, dire, atrocious (and any other adjectives that come to mind, I think you get the picture...)
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    Steve WilliamsSteve Williams Posts: 12,001
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    #14
    Walsall_Chris wrote:
    ITV definetley had live rights to the Seoul '88 games, and I think they might have covered Olympiads in 80, 84 and 92 as well.

    ITV covered 1972 with coverage presented by Brian Moore and Fred Dinenage, although it was only on for two hours or so a day. Indeed, the TV Times said that 'Husbands and wives don't have to argue about whether they watch the Olympics or Max Bygraves - on ITV they can watch both!'

    They didn't cover 1976 but they did do 1980. Indeed, as the BBC coverage was scaled down quite substantially with the boycott, ITV may even have given it more coverage than the Beeb. They had planned to cover 1984 but TVam couldn't agree terms with their unions and pulled out, and that caused the collapse of the entire ITV/C4 coverage.

    1988 were the last ITV/C4 Olympics, with coverage on ITV in the day and C4 overnight. Barry Norman and Elton Welsby did the through-the-night coverage, Nick Owen and Alison Holloway did breakfast on C4 and Dickie Davies and Hazel Irvine did the ITV morning coverage.
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    ftvftv Posts: 31,668
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    #15
    marke09 wrote:
    1960 -1968 David Coleman
    1972 - 1980 Frank Bough
    1984 - 1996 Des Lynam/Steve Rider
    2000 - 2004 Steve Rider/Sue Barker/Clare Balding/John Inverdale

    same presenters used for both summer and winter games
    David Coleman also co-presented in 1972
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 718
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    #16
    marke09 wrote: »
    Barry Norman introduced the ITV olympics in 1988 dont think they ever bothered after that or really before it

    Both ITV & Channel 4 covered the Seoul Olympics.

    Anyone remember the oriental-esque theme tune by Simon May?

    I'd love to hear it again.
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    mr williamsmr williams Posts: 1,744
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    #17
    ITV also covered Mexico 1968 - think Eamonn Andrews and Dickie Davies presented.

    Who commentated on the opening/closing ceremonies for ITV? On BBC David Coleman did every Summer Olympics from 1956 - 1996 and Barry Davies 2000 - 2004.

    Have ITV ever covered the Winter Olympics?
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    ftvftv Posts: 31,668
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    #18
    mr williams wrote: »
    ITV also covered Mexico 1968 - think Eamonn Andrews and Dickie Davies presented.

    Who commentated on the opening/closing ceremonies for ITV? On BBC David Coleman did every Summer Olympics from 1956 - 1996 and Barry Davies 2000 - 2004.

    Have ITV ever covered the Winter Olympics?

    I don't believe ITV ever covered any Winter Olympics.
    I can find no record of the 1952 Helsinki Summer Olympics being covered live as the Eurovision network did not extend to Finland and there were no satellites in those days.The BBC managed to get programmes only from Paris in July 1952.The 1956 Melbourne
    Olympics coincided with the start of television in Australia .As there wre no microwave links to other cities only viewers in Melbourne could watch it live.Film was flown back to the UK for screening several days later by the BBC.
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    Jason CJason C Posts: 31,534
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    #19
    Steve Williams wrote: »
    1988 were the last ITV/C4 Olympics, with coverage on ITV in the day and C4 overnight. Barry Norman and Elton Welsby did the through-the-night coverage, Nick Owen and Alison Holloway did breakfast on C4 and Dickie Davies and Hazel Irvine did the ITV morning coverage.

    Who did they find to do the commentary?
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    Darren LethemDarren Lethem Posts: 62,131
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    #20
    Jason C wrote: »
    Who did they find to do the commentary?
    ones i can remember where

    Athletics - Alan Parry and Adrian Metcalfe
    Hockey - Gerry Harrison
    Gymnastics - Simon Reed
    Boxing - Reg Gutteridge
    Swimming - David Wilkie
    Football - Gerald Sinstadt

    Although I guess there may be some memory lapses there and somebody will pick me up on them
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    ftvftv Posts: 31,668
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    #21
    I believe the notorious 1936 Berlin Olympics were televised on a sort of experimental basis by a fledgling German TV service so they probably have the honour of being the first televised Olympics.As for the commentators......
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    kentkiwikentkiwi Posts: 67
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    #22
    marke09 wrote: »
    1960 -1968 David Coleman
    1972 - 1980 Frank Bough
    1984 - 1996 Des Lynam/Steve Rider
    2000 - 2004 Steve Rider/Sue Barker/Clare Balding/John Inverdale

    same presenters used for both summer and winter games

    1968 David Coleman was in Mexico leading the commentary team (and delivered his famous "who cares who's third?" commentary when David Hemery won the 400m hurdles). Frank Bough presented from London with David Vine as second presenter.
    1972 Bough and Vine again, from Munich, but Coleman took over during the Israeli athletes siege.
    1976 Bough from London, with Tony Gubba as back-up.
    1980 Bough, Coleman and Lynam sharing duties from Moscow.
    1984 Lynam the main presenter in London, with David Icke as back-up and Bough doing breakfasts. Rider did not move from ITV until 85 or 86.
    1988 Lynam, though he was mostly restricted to the peak-time highlights, with Rider doing the overnight live broadcasts. I think that Icke and Sally Jones were also involved.
    Coleman presented the Winter Olympics from London in 76 and 80.
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    kentkiwikentkiwi Posts: 67
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    #23
    Darren Lethem wrote: »
    ones i can remember where

    Athletics - Alan Parry and Adrian Metcalfe
    Hockey - Gerry Harrison
    Gymnastics - Simon Reed
    Boxing - Reg Gutteridge
    Swimming - David Wilkie
    Football - Gerald Sinstadt

    Although I guess there may be some memory lapses there and somebody will pick me up on them

    Also Derek Thompson for Equestrian events
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    Steve WilliamsSteve Williams Posts: 12,001
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    #24
    mr williams wrote: »
    Who commentated on the opening/closing ceremonies for ITV?

    It was Alan Parry in 1988.

    In 1980 on BBC1, Frank Bough did the live stuff and Des did the late night highlights which were, oddly, shown as part of Newsnight. In Des' autobiography he mentions how he was once asked to get to the studio because Bough had had "a blazing row" and was refusing to present, although it was sorted out before the coverage started.

    There's another biog of Des which says Bough had real problems during those Olympics and at one point they had to script everything for him as he'd completely lost the power of ad-libbing. There is a clip of him trying to close one programme but forgetting how to say goodbye, and eventually going "We must get out of this programme... er, here's my music, time I went". The biog suggests that from then on Frank was on his way out.

    Oh, also, Bob Wilson was secondary presenter of the BBC Olympics in 1984, 1988 and 1992.
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    jeffersbnljeffersbnl Posts: 4,725
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    #25
    Des Lynam was the main presenter in 1996. Steve Rider was also there. Gary Lineker presented the morning highlights programme, possibly with Hazel Irvine?

    I believe the BBC's coverage of the Sydney 2000 games won an award for the best Olympic broadcaster in the world. If it didn't it should have, it was outstanding.
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    realwalesrealwales Posts: 3,110
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    #26
    I'm guessing Peter Matthews may have joined the ITV athletics commentary team by Seoul 88, though I may be wrong on that one. He was certainly part of the team throughout the 1990s.

    I think the 88 Olympics would have been amongst Dickie Davies' last work for ITV Sport. He stopped presenting snooker around this point, with Tony Francis taking over.

    Barry Norman actually mentioned his Olympics presenting on Countdown the other day!
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