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| Colin Murray on Clare Balding: 'The second I said it I knew it was too much' | Colin Murray on Clare Balding: 'The second I said it I knew it was too much' |
| (25 days later) | |
| Appropriately for the man who used to present BBC Radio 5 Live show Fighting Talk, Colin Murray is in combative mood. Since transferred to 5 Live's commercial rival TalkSport, where he presents a three-hour weekday show, Murray says his new employer is a place where he can "be myself without every so often spasmodically having to deal with the shit of the outraged few". | Appropriately for the man who used to present BBC Radio 5 Live show Fighting Talk, Colin Murray is in combative mood. Since transferred to 5 Live's commercial rival TalkSport, where he presents a three-hour weekday show, Murray says his new employer is a place where he can "be myself without every so often spasmodically having to deal with the shit of the outraged few". |
| This is a barely-veiled reference to his final episode of Fighting Talk, on 1 June this year, when the panel show was accused of "homophobic bullying" after a contestant was invited to advance reasons why if given "20 minutes with her, I'm pretty sure I could turn around Clare Balding". | This is a barely-veiled reference to his final episode of Fighting Talk, on 1 June this year, when the panel show was accused of "homophobic bullying" after a contestant was invited to advance reasons why if given "20 minutes with her, I'm pretty sure I could turn around Clare Balding". |
| It was intended as satire, a "mockery of idiot views" as Murray put it, in a round called Defend The Indefensible. But the punchline fell flat, prompting jeers in the Liverpool Echo Arena from where the show was broadcast live as part of a 5 Live Big Day Out, and 19 complaints to the BBC. The "outraged few", presumably. | It was intended as satire, a "mockery of idiot views" as Murray put it, in a round called Defend The Indefensible. But the punchline fell flat, prompting jeers in the Liverpool Echo Arena from where the show was broadcast live as part of a 5 Live Big Day Out, and 19 complaints to the BBC. The "outraged few", presumably. |
| Murray, speaking publicly for the first time about the broadcast, voices a mixture of regret that it happened and anger at what followed. "Do I think it was over the line? I do think it was over the line," says Murray. "The minute I said it, the second I said it, you know as a presenter, everyone on the team knew, fuck, that was over the line. It was just too much." | Murray, speaking publicly for the first time about the broadcast, voices a mixture of regret that it happened and anger at what followed. "Do I think it was over the line? I do think it was over the line," says Murray. "The minute I said it, the second I said it, you know as a presenter, everyone on the team knew, fuck, that was over the line. It was just too much." |
| Murray says there were contributory factors: switching from the show's usual studio base to an outside broadcast had led to a series of production difficulties ("you'd think it was some episode of Fawlty Towers"), which meant the usual series of meetings, checks and balances hadn't happened. | Murray says there were contributory factors: switching from the show's usual studio base to an outside broadcast had led to a series of production difficulties ("you'd think it was some episode of Fawlty Towers"), which meant the usual series of meetings, checks and balances hadn't happened. |
| "The first time I saw [the Balding item] was when I looked down and had to read [it] out," says Murray. | "The first time I saw [the Balding item] was when I looked down and had to read [it] out," says Murray. |
| He responded to a couple of complaints on Twitter before he was told to stop by the BBC which, after initially defending the programme, offered a full apology. | He responded to a couple of complaints on Twitter before he was told to stop by the BBC which, after initially defending the programme, offered a full apology. |
| Murray insists it was not a "debate" about Balding's sexuality – "What neanderthal would have a debate on Clare Balding's sexuality?" – although some critics might struggle to detect a difference. | Murray insists it was not a "debate" about Balding's sexuality – "What neanderthal would have a debate on Clare Balding's sexuality?" – although some critics might struggle to detect a difference. |
| "The BBC has a policy, and they can stick to it if they want, of apologise to kill the story. What about the truth?" says Murray. | "The BBC has a policy, and they can stick to it if they want, of apologise to kill the story. What about the truth?" says Murray. |
| "I would love to have said 'I didn't see it before it went on air, we take responsibility as a team, this is how we messed up', and there was no place for me to do that. | "I would love to have said 'I didn't see it before it went on air, we take responsibility as a team, this is how we messed up', and there was no place for me to do that. |
| "The thing is, it's not me, I can handle it, I know what happened. But you've no idea how it affects your mum, that people are coming up to her and going 'he says he can turn Clare Balding'. I never said I could turn Clare Balding, I never made that statement. It's hugely upsetting." | "The thing is, it's not me, I can handle it, I know what happened. But you've no idea how it affects your mum, that people are coming up to her and going 'he says he can turn Clare Balding'. I never said I could turn Clare Balding, I never made that statement. It's hugely upsetting." |
| Along with Murray's former colleague John Inverdale's remarks, on the same station, that Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli was "never going to be a looker", the incident reinforced the perception of a corporation stuck in the dark ages. | Along with Murray's former colleague John Inverdale's remarks, on the same station, that Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli was "never going to be a looker", the incident reinforced the perception of a corporation stuck in the dark ages. |
| Murray went on holiday the next day, and later talked to Balding about it. "I won't speak for Clare or what was said, but Clare and I don't have a problem." | Murray went on holiday the next day, and later talked to Balding about it. "I won't speak for Clare or what was said, but Clare and I don't have a problem." |
| Within the BBC, Murray recalls: "I didn't get any blame. I wasn't dragged through the coals. Quite the opposite, because of what happened." His subsequent departure for TalkSport was unrelated, he says, after he let his contract run out and he was offered fewer shows on 5 Live than he wanted. | Within the BBC, Murray recalls: "I didn't get any blame. I wasn't dragged through the coals. Quite the opposite, because of what happened." His subsequent departure for TalkSport was unrelated, he says, after he let his contract run out and he was offered fewer shows on 5 Live than he wanted. |
| Murray joined 5 Live after making his name as a music presenter on BBC Radio 1, co-hosting a show with Edith Bowman and later presenting the late night "John Peel" slot, winning a coveted Sony gold award for music broadcaster of the year. | Murray joined 5 Live after making his name as a music presenter on BBC Radio 1, co-hosting a show with Edith Bowman and later presenting the late night "John Peel" slot, winning a coveted Sony gold award for music broadcaster of the year. |
| His 5 Live remit grew from Fighting Talk to encompass its Sunday sports coverage and a Friday night preview show, as well as co-presenting the drivetime slot during last year's London Olympics with Peter Allen, earning him another Sony gold. | His 5 Live remit grew from Fighting Talk to encompass its Sunday sports coverage and a Friday night preview show, as well as co-presenting the drivetime slot during last year's London Olympics with Peter Allen, earning him another Sony gold. |
| He also presented live European football on Channel 5 and went on to succeed Adrian Chiles as presenter of Match of the Day's Sunday night spin-off, Match of the Day 2. When he was dropped from the show at the end of last season, it was reported that a falling-out with some of its big-name pundits was to blame. | He also presented live European football on Channel 5 and went on to succeed Adrian Chiles as presenter of Match of the Day's Sunday night spin-off, Match of the Day 2. When he was dropped from the show at the end of last season, it was reported that a falling-out with some of its big-name pundits was to blame. |
| Not so, says Murray, who attributes it to a change in format when the show was moved to BBC1, to bring it closer in line with the more straightforward approach of its Saturday night sibling. | Not so, says Murray, who attributes it to a change in format when the show was moved to BBC1, to bring it closer in line with the more straightforward approach of its Saturday night sibling. |
| "I felt it should be as far removed from Saturday night as possible. Which wasn't disparaging to Saturday night, it was just that [MOTD2] was created for a different, younger market. | "I felt it should be as far removed from Saturday night as possible. Which wasn't disparaging to Saturday night, it was just that [MOTD2] was created for a different, younger market. |
| "I'm not saying I went 'the show is not right for me, I'm off'. They had the option, they could have stayed with me and made it very different; it's not the way they wanted to go. I don't want to be the next Gary Lineker." | "I'm not saying I went 'the show is not right for me, I'm off'. They had the option, they could have stayed with me and made it very different; it's not the way they wanted to go. I don't want to be the next Gary Lineker." |
| Pundits such as Alan Hansen and Mark Lawrenson got in touch with Murray after the story appeared, he says. "You don't get on with everyone perfectly, I'm not saying that, but I didn't have an argument other than a good old footballing argument." | Pundits such as Alan Hansen and Mark Lawrenson got in touch with Murray after the story appeared, he says. "You don't get on with everyone perfectly, I'm not saying that, but I didn't have an argument other than a good old footballing argument." |
| "I'm a believer in people," he adds. "When that story was printed I didn't go 'has he stabbed me in the back?' I would rather be proven wrong at some stage down the line. But my complete conviction was, it's nonsense." | "I'm a believer in people," he adds. "When that story was printed I didn't go 'has he stabbed me in the back?' I would rather be proven wrong at some stage down the line. But my complete conviction was, it's nonsense." |
| Murray brought a distinctive attitude, and an edge, to the Sunday night show which was not to every critic's taste. But suggest he is "leftfield" at your peril. | Murray brought a distinctive attitude, and an edge, to the Sunday night show which was not to every critic's taste. But suggest he is "leftfield" at your peril. |
| "I don't buy that I am leftfield at all," he says. "I don't mean this to sound arrogant but every radio show I have presented nationally has increased the ratings … That's quite a leftfield performance I'm putting in there, I must be a real acquired taste." | "I don't buy that I am leftfield at all," he says. "I don't mean this to sound arrogant but every radio show I have presented nationally has increased the ratings … That's quite a leftfield performance I'm putting in there, I must be a real acquired taste." |
| The presenter is now three weeks into his new TalkSport show, having signed a three-year contract with the UTV-owned station. He left 5 Live after the level of his ambition – boosted by a documentary he made for the network, Colin Murray's Gold Run, in which he travelled around the world meeting 113 of the 114 living British Olympic gold medal winners – was not matched by the offer management put on the table. | The presenter is now three weeks into his new TalkSport show, having signed a three-year contract with the UTV-owned station. He left 5 Live after the level of his ambition – boosted by a documentary he made for the network, Colin Murray's Gold Run, in which he travelled around the world meeting 113 of the 114 living British Olympic gold medal winners – was not matched by the offer management put on the table. |
| Another factor was that London-based Murray is recently married (to a Canadian-born musician, on St Patrick's Day last year) and didn't want to spend half the week in Salford, where 5 Live is now based. | Another factor was that London-based Murray is recently married (to a Canadian-born musician, on St Patrick's Day last year) and didn't want to spend half the week in Salford, where 5 Live is now based. |
| Born in a suburb of Belfast in 1977, Murray's background is in journalism. A hyperactive child who was asked to leave school and left home at 16, he trained in Northern Ireland at the News Letter and spent a year on a fellowship at the Toronto Sun in Canada. He set up a Belfast music magazine, Blank, and organised gigs for an up-and-coming band called Snow Patrol. | Born in a suburb of Belfast in 1977, Murray's background is in journalism. A hyperactive child who was asked to leave school and left home at 16, he trained in Northern Ireland at the News Letter and spent a year on a fellowship at the Toronto Sun in Canada. He set up a Belfast music magazine, Blank, and organised gigs for an up-and-coming band called Snow Patrol. |
| His big break was as the presenter of a regional music show in Northern Ireland for Radio 1, although an early switch to TV on Channel 4's ill-fated breakfast show RI:SE proved short-lived. After three years co-presenting with Bowman followed by the late-night solo show, the then Radio 1 controller Andy Parfitt persuaded him to stay on at the music station a year longer than he originally intended. | His big break was as the presenter of a regional music show in Northern Ireland for Radio 1, although an early switch to TV on Channel 4's ill-fated breakfast show RI:SE proved short-lived. After three years co-presenting with Bowman followed by the late-night solo show, the then Radio 1 controller Andy Parfitt persuaded him to stay on at the music station a year longer than he originally intended. |
| "I said from the very beginning, this is a youth station, I don't want to be the claw marks around the door. I want to leave here when I am relevant," remembers Murray. | "I said from the very beginning, this is a youth station, I don't want to be the claw marks around the door. I want to leave here when I am relevant," remembers Murray. |
| "You can hear when a presenter has looked it up and is faking it, using terminology they know nothing about. It's like when you hear the word digital. Kids do not use the word digital. They don't live in the digital era, that is their era – iPhones and computer games and tablets. As soon as you start using words like digital you are probably wrong for the youth market." | "You can hear when a presenter has looked it up and is faking it, using terminology they know nothing about. It's like when you hear the word digital. Kids do not use the word digital. They don't live in the digital era, that is their era – iPhones and computer games and tablets. As soon as you start using words like digital you are probably wrong for the youth market." |
| Murray's big passions are jazz music (he has dreams of owning a jazz cafe), cars – he learned to drive four years ago – and darts, which he still presents for the BBC. Plus, Channel 4's Countdown, on which he has appeared in dictionary corner twice. | Murray's big passions are jazz music (he has dreams of owning a jazz cafe), cars – he learned to drive four years ago – and darts, which he still presents for the BBC. Plus, Channel 4's Countdown, on which he has appeared in dictionary corner twice. |
| "I have probably watched more episodes of Countdown in my life than any other human being. That's the only place I want to end up. I'm 36 now, give me four or five more years and come and get me, please." | "I have probably watched more episodes of Countdown in my life than any other human being. That's the only place I want to end up. I'm 36 now, give me four or five more years and come and get me, please." |
| A few weeks before we meet, Murray was involved in another controversy, when he suggested, broadcasting to the crowd in the warm-up to the Anniversary Games at the Olympic Stadium, that the perfect athlete would combine "the stamina of Mo [Farah], the speed of [Usain] Bolt, the leap of [Greg] Rutherford and the bottom of Jessica Ennis". | A few weeks before we meet, Murray was involved in another controversy, when he suggested, broadcasting to the crowd in the warm-up to the Anniversary Games at the Olympic Stadium, that the perfect athlete would combine "the stamina of Mo [Farah], the speed of [Usain] Bolt, the leap of [Greg] Rutherford and the bottom of Jessica Ennis". |
| "I didn't get any tweets, there was no outrage," says Murray. "I also said that, pound for pound, Jessica Ennis was the greatest athlete in the world. If you ask me 'do I think it's a sexist comment?', I don't think it was in the context of how it was said. I'm not going to make myself beige on any issue, I'm not going to make myself beige so that certain newspapers don't stick the knife in." Sounds like fighting talk. | "I didn't get any tweets, there was no outrage," says Murray. "I also said that, pound for pound, Jessica Ennis was the greatest athlete in the world. If you ask me 'do I think it's a sexist comment?', I don't think it was in the context of how it was said. I'm not going to make myself beige on any issue, I'm not going to make myself beige so that certain newspapers don't stick the knife in." Sounds like fighting talk. |
| Curriculum vitae | Curriculum vitae |
| Age 36 | Age 36 |
| Education Regent House Grammar School, Newtownards; Dundonald High School | Education Regent House Grammar School, Newtownards; Dundonald High School |
| Career 1994 trainee journalist, The News Letter, Belfast 1999 co-presenter, Radio 1's Session in Northern Ireland 2002 Channel 4 breakfast programme RI:SE 2003 co-hosts Radio 1 show with Edith Bowman 2004 Murray and Bowman move to Radio 1 afternoon slot 2006 Fighting Talk on Radio 5 Live, 10-12pm Radio 1 slot, anchors Channel 5 football 2009 leaves Radio 1 for 5 Live 2010 Match of the Day 2 2013 joins TalkSport | Career 1994 trainee journalist, The News Letter, Belfast 1999 co-presenter, Radio 1's Session in Northern Ireland 2002 Channel 4 breakfast programme RI:SE 2003 co-hosts Radio 1 show with Edith Bowman 2004 Murray and Bowman move to Radio 1 afternoon slot 2006 Fighting Talk on Radio 5 Live, 10-12pm Radio 1 slot, anchors Channel 5 football 2009 leaves Radio 1 for 5 Live 2010 Match of the Day 2 2013 joins TalkSport |
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