Sorry to be so ridiculously British, but there’s no avoiding mentioning the soggy weather when it comes to the opening day television coverage of the Paris Olympics. As the Games began, the rain was giving “main character” energy as it cascaded down the panes of the BBC Sport studio window. Sofa-bound presenters Jeanette Kwakye and JJ Chalmers beseeched viewers to behold their wonderful (albeit hazy) view of the Eiffel Tower instead.
They then moved to sit in a “virtual Parisian cafe”, a plate of croissants grandly plonked on a table, with no rain to deal with. Here, they interviewed First Dates’ Fred Sirieix, who was practically combusting with pride about his daughter, Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix, diving for Team GB. “She’s going to fight like a lion!”, he roared.
