I bumped into the Philosopher at the Hampton Court Flower Show this year. She was compiling her list of things to be banned forthwith which included tennis commentators who didn't know when to belt up. I commiserated, and thought how well off cricket listeners were in comparison. John Arlott; he knew the score, as did Brian Johnston. As for Wimbledon, we liked to listen to McEnroe, but not to have to endure most of the other witterers, save possibly Boris.
She wasn't that keen on the cameraman's propensity to focus in on the family and girlfriends of the players, almost to the exclusion of all else. That's our celebrity culture for you. She overheard a couple talking about the "Bog Brush" versus "Bum Fluff" match, and instinctively knew who they were referring to, despite not having experienced a British public school. Mind you, she doesn't have a clue what an apple pie bed is.
I'd only add the use of graduated filters on cameras to her list, including those used by the BBC on their coverage of the flower show. So 1970s. So dreadful, so amateur!
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