Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
2 appearances
Voice of Formula One, the broadcaster known for his excitable, passionate commentary that embodied the sport for fans.
On the island
Eight records
I spent most of my broadcasting years working with the BBC, but the thing that really got me in front of the public in terms of television was Formula One, and it was somebody's inspired idea to use a particular piece of music to introduce the show. It was Fleetwood Mac's The Chain.
I'm not good as a dancer. Well I got I've got two left feet, but I love waltzes and I love to hear the skaters' waltz.
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
I said I was very lucky to be in the Scots Greys with its own pipes and drums band, which has had a number one disc with amazing grace, which mm m most of the people who are listening will probably hear, but they won't hear it with nearly as much emotion as I do.
I am besotted with Australia, and while I'm on my desert island I would like to remind myself about this much larger island and what better to do it than b to be able to hear Warcy [Waltzing] Matilda.
Sound Stories of the TT Races (1961 Isle of Man TT)
Murray Walker and Graham Walker
one of the things that we did together was to produce what were called sound stories of the TT races. I would write the story of the race, my father would then record it, put it on disc and it would be illustrated with the actual sound about which my father was talking.
South Rampart Street ParadeFavourite
I'm a jazz fan. Chris Barber, whose jazz band needs no introduction from me, used to race himself with some distinction and also gave me one of the outstanding memories of my life, and that was the memorial service to the late, great Ken Tyrrell, who owned and ran the Tyrrell racing team, and it was at Guildford Cathedral. And it finished with the Chris Barber band marching down the nave, playing When the Saints Come Marching In. I don't want to hear that, but I do want to hear them playing the South Rampart Street Parade.
I love military marches, and one of the best of them all is the Stars and Stripes Forever.
I absolutely adored the Glenn Miller Orchestra and one of the greatest records they've ever produced was American Patrol.
In conversation
Presenter asks
1:28In what way do you think does Formula One represent everything we have to deal with in the real world?
Everybody in Formula One Kirstie, it doesn't matter whether they're the truckey who is bringing the tyres to the circuit, or Bernie Ecclestone himself, or one of the top drivers like Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton and Jensen Button, they're all the best at what they do. And it's an enormously satisfying and stimulating environment to be in because you are strong rivals, in some cases bitter rivals, on Saturday and Sunday. … it is something where, sadly, you can lose your life, although thank heavens uh that's not something that is usual now, it used to be usual in Jackie Stewart's day. I'm not very good at putting things in a nutshell, but that's my idea of why Formula One is the ultimate distillation of life.
Presenter asks
2:37What does it take to be a successful commentator?
First of all, to know what you're talking about, there's a lot of people who didn't think I knew what I was talking about, but actually, like any professional broadcaster, you do an enormous amount of research. When I wasn't at meetings, I was reading magazines, meeting people, going around, doing interviews. And you also need to be able to talk about it.
Presenter asks
5:37What's your earliest memory of life at home?
The keepsakes
The book
How to Survive Anything Anywhere
because I am not a practical chap. I will be wanting to get away as quickly as I possibly can, and anything I can do to speed that day up will be essential
The luxury
I'm an old chap, Kirsty. I need my sleep. I would like a hammock, and if I can have a pillow to go with it, that would be a generous gift
It was my birthday, Kirsty, and I wanted a toy submarine that you operated in the bath with a bladder thing, and you squeeze it and the the submarine went down. … This wasn't good enough as far as my father was concerned to give his beloved son. And my father said Happy birthday, son, and yanked out an enormous plywood box with a Bowmaker steam launch in it. And I burst into tears. … It wasn't what I wanted, no. I mean, bless him. He'd given me what he thought was going to send me over the moon.
Presenter asks
11:10I understand your father at one point joined you on the battlefield. Is that true?
Um yes, it is true, and it's a quite incredible experience. Um this was just before the Rhine crossing. … as we drove along towards the replenishment depot, I saw four people standing there and I idly thought to myself Gosh, that bloke there looks just like my father and as we got closer I saw that this man in military uniform, and my father was not in the army was my father. … I can't remember what I said, but it's probably something like what the hell are you doing here? Because we were half an hour away from extreme shot and shell. … He'd got up there. And I was pretty worried, because the last thing I wanted to see was my father where he was.
Presenter asks
14:16How long did your motorcycle racing last, and were you any good?
Not very long, Kirsty, and I suspect I did it because I felt I ought to do it. … But I was reasonably good club standard, but not good enough. … I proudly won a gold medal in the International Six Days Trial in 1949. But … I was either going to have to spend money on developing my not very successful motorcycle racing life, or make money, hopefully, at developing my more successful advertising life. And I pragmatically chose the latter.
Presenter asks
24:05You shared one microphone with James Hunt. Why was that?
Well Jonathan Martin, who was the head of sport at the BBC at the time, knew that it was very difficult to get the microphone away from me, … but he also knew that if he gave us both microphones, we would be talking over each other. So in order to ensure that only one person at a time was talking, we had one microphone, which involved the extreme physical sacrifice, as far as I was concerned, of giving up the microphone to James Hunt occasionally. And we were oil and water. … there was one occasion at Silverstone when I was standing up, James was sitting down and I was giving it plenty and James thought the old boy had been talking long enough and he gave the microphone wire a terrific tug and the microphone flew out of my hands into his and I actually had my fist back to give him a Fortney one because I was absolutely incandescent with rage and I looked across and Mark Wilkin, the producer, was wagging his finger at me saying, No, Murray, don't. And so I didn't. And what turned out to be a good friendship was retained.
“See, just then I I got goosebumps. I always do because I knew But when that stopped I started.”
“Gosh, that bloke there looks just like my father and as we got closer I saw that this man in military uniform, and my father was not in the army was my father. … I can't remember what I said, but it's probably something like what the hell are you doing here?”
“Anything that you have seen or heard about James pales into insignificance compared with the real thing.”
“when Senna crashed, Kirstie, my immediate reaction was wow, that's a big one. But then I immediately realized that it was far worse than that … I was having to walk the tightrope between don't worry folks, I've seen three other drivers and they were perfectly all right and This is terrible, I fear it's terminal, which you don't say, and it was not easy.”