Gaffes & Giggles

Brian Johnston was famous for making gaffes during his cricket commentaries on radio and television, such as the occasion when he greeted the listeners with: 'Welcome to Worcester where you've just missed seeing Barry Richards hitting one of Basil D'Oliveira's balls clean out of the ground!'

A classic television moment occurred at Headingley in 1961, when the camera panned in on the Australian fielder Neil Harvey. Johnners had to think of something to say quickly and came out with: 'There's Neil Harvey standing at leg slip with his legs wide apart waiting for a tickle!' This and many more of Brian’s best gaffes can be heard on the BBC CD and audio cassette Johnners at the Beeb.

Clip Listen Now

One of Brian's earliest gaffes occured when he tried to tell radio listeners about the funny stance of Hampshire batsman Henry Horton.

Another favourite slip-up involved the Leicestershire captain Ray Illingworth.

One of Johnners' funniest gaffes came when he was describing a painful blow received by the New Zealand batsman Glenn Turner.

Then there is the famous occasion when the West Indian Michael Holding was bowling to the England batsman Peter Willey.

Or how about the time when Freddie Titmus came on to bowl!

Johnners loved terrible jokes and Test Match Special listeners would often send him new ones in the hope that he would tell them on the air. Here is one of Brian's favourites.

But the most famous radio moment of all happened at the Oval in August 1991 when Johnners and Jonathan Agnew got the giggles while trying to describe how Ian Botham had hit his wicket.

You can hear Brian Johnston telling these gaffes and giggles on the best-selling CD and audio cassette An Evening With Johnners.