大象传媒

By Sue Barker, A Question of Sport presenter

To mark A Question of Sport reaching the magnificent milestone of 50 years on 大象传媒 Television, I鈥檝e been asked to come up with my 10 favourite moments from my time involved with the show.

It has been a near impossible task as there were so many great memories to choose from.

QS has been such a huge part of my life - from watching it with my family growing up through my tennis-playing days, and then, of course, as the presenter. I鈥檝e had such good fun and made so many great friends. Every single moment has been a real delight.

So here goes with my 10 most memorable A Question of Sport moments:

10. My first appearance as a guest

In 1984 I made my debut on the show, when I was invited to be on Emlyn Hughes鈥檚 team alongside Wales rugby great Gareth Edwards. It was actually the 150th episode of the programme, and I remember that we were up against Bill Beaumont and his guests - golfer Sam Torrance and jockey Willie Carson. It was a badge of honour to be asked, although I was very nervous! I can really empathise now with guests who come on and are worried about getting their home question right!!

WATCH: First appearance on QS in 1984

9. It鈥檚 a mutiny

A few years ago I saw something on QS that I鈥檇 never seen before. Phil鈥檚 team had been shown a Mystery Guest clip of someone receiving a massage 鈥 nothing out of the ordinary so far. But during the deliberation as to who it was, Phil鈥檚 teammates Chris Sutton and Max Chilton both disagreed so vehemently with their captain that they turned their back on Tuffers.

That left Phil with a big decision to make, did he go with who he thought it was 鈥 Brian O鈥橠riscoll, or go with his team who were convinced it was AP McCoy.

Luckily for Phil, he used the law of democracy and went with AP, because of course he was wrong and they were right!

WATCH: Chris Sutton and Max Chilton rebel against team captain Phil Tufnell

8. Record breaker

Image caption,
QS was awarded the Guinness World Record for The World鈥檚 Longest Running Sports Quiz in 2014

At the end of the 2014 Christmas episode, I was just wrapping up the show when Matt interrupted me and said he had an announcement and a little gift for me.

He then welcomed on to the set an official from the Guinness Book of World Records, who duly presented me with an award on behalf of A Question of Sport as the World鈥檚 Longest Running Sports Quiz. It was a very proud moment.

Image caption,
QS was awarded the Guinness World Record for The World鈥檚 Longest Running Sports Quiz in 2014

7. What an answer!

A few years ago we had Ireland rugby captain Paul O鈥機onnell on the programme, and I remember he was on Phil鈥檚 team. There was a round where the teams had to try and fill in a word puzzle by answering a number of questions and their initials would help solve it.

I had loads of questions ready to ask but, unbelievably, after only one question and a couple of letters in the puzzle, Paul came up with the answer! Nobody was stunned more than Tuffers, and I had to discard all the hard work of the production team. Quite possibly the greatest answer ever given on A Question of Sport.

WATCH: Paul O鈥機onnell gives one of the greatest answer ever on QS

6. It鈥檚 a mystery

Image caption,
Mistaken for Chris Hoy and Dennis Taylor in a Santa outfit!

This isn鈥檛 one particular moment, it is a collection of moments. The Mystery Guest round is one of the most famous in our programme and certainly one of the most popular.

Personally, I am terrible at it and am often left amazed when our contestants recognise the celebrities.

However, I myself have been the subject on a few occasions, and these are some of the people who have been guessed instead of me: England goalkeeper Ray Clemence, World Champion boxer Alan Minter, Olympic cycling great Chris Hoy and World Snooker champion Dennis Taylor!! Safe to say I wasn鈥檛 best pleased.

Image caption,
Mistaken for Chris Hoy and Dennis Taylor in a Santa outfit!

5. Big shoes to fill

When I was asked to take over from the great David Coleman as the host of A Question of Sport, I was hugely honoured but, equally, I was nervous at the same time.

There had only ever been two hosts prior to me and the two Davids 鈥 Vine and Coleman 鈥 they were two of the greatest broadcasters the 大象传媒 had ever seen. Luckily for me, I had two magnificent captains in Ally McCoist and John Parrott to work with. They made me feel so welcome and the rest, as they say, is history.

WATCH: Taking over from David Coleman as host

4. On a wing and a prayer

For a couple of series the captains, Matt and Phil, tried out a number of physical challenges as part of the show, both in the studio and outside. We had them boxing, fencing, rally driving, pole vaulting all sorts of crazy stunts. I thought they were bonkers.

One challenge however took the absolute biscuit. I heard from the producers that they were going to take the boys to an airfield in Gloucestershire and strap them to the wings of a bi-plane whilst they had to answer questions. I thought there was no chance they would do it, but hats off to them both. They did it AND managed to answer some questions as well. I think Tuffers is still recovering now. It really was a memorable moment.

WATCH: Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnell take on a challenge like no other

3. A dream team

Image caption,
A World Record holder, a rugby legend, a World Heavyweight boxing champion and possibly the most popular golfer of all time

Throughout the history of QS we鈥檝e been fortunate enough to be able to welcome on to the panel a real who鈥檚 who of sporting greats from the UK and abroad. It has been a real honour and great privilege to rub shoulders with some great names from all sorts of sports, including Mark Spitz, Shane Warne, Martina Navratilova and Nico Rosberg.

One episode in particular really sticks in my mind. It was in 2000 and the line-up compromised of 100m World Record holder Maurice Greene from the USA, New Zealand rugby legend Jonah Lomu, World Heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield and, from Spain, possibly the most popular golfer of all time - Seve Ballesteros. Myself and captains John Parrott and Ally McCoist were absolutely thrilled to be joined by such an all-star cast.

Image caption,
A World Record holder, a rugby legend, a World Heavyweight boxing champion and possibly the most popular golfer of all time

2. On yer bike

Image caption,
Ally McCoist and Matt Dawson go head-to-head in a cycling challenge

After the Athens Olympics in 2004, we recorded a show with four of Team GB鈥檚 gold medal winning heroes. It was a fabulous show with a stellar line up of Chris Hoy, Kelly Holmes, Shirley Robertson and Matt Pinsent.

That by itself might well have made this Top 10 list. But this show was elevated even further when it culminated in the then captains Ally McCoist and Matt Dawson getting dressed in head to toe lycra, and facing each other in a cycling challenge to decide the result of the programme. I have never seen anything like it!

Image caption,
Ally McCoist and Matt Dawson go head-to-head in a cycling challenge

1. 50 not out

My number one moment has to be being at the helm of the show as it reaches a magnificent 50 years on 大象传媒 1. So few programmes get anywhere near that level of longevity, and I鈥檓 immensely proud to have been a part of this wonderful show. I鈥檝e often said it is the most fun I鈥檝e ever had in my career and that remains the case to this day. To have worked with some fabulous team captains and amazing sporting celebrities has been a real honour. Long may the show continue鈥 hopefully for another 50 years!

WATCH: 50 years and counting...

Look back at half a century of the popular sports quiz with documentary A Question of Sport at 50 on Friday 27 December at 20:30 on 大象传媒 One.

A special episode to celebrate 50 years of A Question of Sport is on 大象传媒 One on Friday 3 Jan at 19:30.

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