This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2013/feb/01/david-beckham-national-newspapers
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Sun wins the Beckham punning prize | Sun wins the Beckham punning prize |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| David Beckham's decision to join Paris Saint-Germain got major billing in Friday's national newspapers, offering sub-editors the chance to compose a range of punning headlines. | David Beckham's decision to join Paris Saint-Germain got major billing in Friday's national newspapers, offering sub-editors the chance to compose a range of punning headlines. |
| Most were on the front page. Some led off the sports sections. A few were straightforward, such as "Saint David" in the Daily Telegraph and "Saint Becks" in the Daily Mirror. Similarly, the Daily Express went with "Now Saint Becks heads to France … and gives £3m salary to charity." | Most were on the front page. Some led off the sports sections. A few were straightforward, such as "Saint David" in the Daily Telegraph and "Saint Becks" in the Daily Mirror. Similarly, the Daily Express went with "Now Saint Becks heads to France … and gives £3m salary to charity." |
| The Daily Mail also highlighted the charity angle with "Golden Gift: I'll give my £3.4m PSG wages to charity, says Beckham." | The Daily Mail also highlighted the charity angle with "Golden Gift: I'll give my £3.4m PSG wages to charity, says Beckham." |
| The Daily Star chose "Bonjour Beckham" but the Times wittily stretched its readers' knowledge of French just a little further with "Alors, sur ma tête, mon fils." | The Daily Star chose "Bonjour Beckham" but the Times wittily stretched its readers' knowledge of French just a little further with "Alors, sur ma tête, mon fils." |
| Its inside page was "Beckham delighted with Paris match", and the Guardian's front featured that pun too: "Paris match: Beckham signs for France's richest club – and gives wages to charity." | Its inside page was "Beckham delighted with Paris match", and the Guardian's front featured that pun too: "Paris match: Beckham signs for France's richest club – and gives wages to charity." |
| The Independent, under a picture of Beckham walking smartly along a street, presumably in the French capital, preferred "Our new man in Paris scores an early goal." | The Independent, under a picture of Beckham walking smartly along a street, presumably in the French capital, preferred "Our new man in Paris scores an early goal." |
| Oddly, its little (actually big) sister, i, carried only a blurb: "Paris says bonjour to Le Spice Boy." And Metro preferred "One free man and a French revolution." | Oddly, its little (actually big) sister, i, carried only a blurb: "Paris says bonjour to Le Spice Boy." And Metro preferred "One free man and a French revolution." |
| The Financial Times shunned puns with "Beckham joins Paris Saint-Germain". But it was carried only on its website (where puns don't go down well with SEO requirements). | The Financial Times shunned puns with "Beckham joins Paris Saint-Germain". But it was carried only on its website (where puns don't go down well with SEO requirements). |
| Top pun by far was, unsurprisingly, in The Sun: "Golden Boules". And, thanks to commenters, I now see the Mirror carried the same head on its back page (sorry for the oversight - memo to self: turn to the back when dealing with sport). | |
| Arguably the most delightful spoken pun came from Garry Richardson on Radio 4's Today programme, who asked at the end of his sports spot: "Do you think he went through the French window?" |