BT Sport’s worst moments – from Savage ‘ruining’ final to Jake Humphrey jabs
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The end of the BT Sport era has seen the broadcaster celebrate its many highs in recent days – but there have also been a fair share of lows.
After a decade on UK television, a sporting staple will be no more this summer as BT rebrands as TNT Sports. And there's no guarantee we'll see quite the same cringe moments with a new team and fresh talents in place.
No guarantee the replacements will ever make guests squirm in the same manner Jake Humphrey often did, or leave fans frustrated like Robbie Savage. No assurance of punditry problems on a par with Steve McManaman or presenters asking players for autograph mid-interview.
With all that being said, Daily Star Sport has collected all those difficult-to-watch moments from BT Sport's 10 years into one cringe compilation.
READ MORE: Roy Keane and Jamie Carragher tuck into fish and chips cooked by Gary Neville
Jake Humphrey's David Ginola jab
The old adage goes that sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, a sentiment with which David Ginola might have agreed after one encounter with Humphrey. The 'High Performance' podcaster found himself in the French legend's sights after one attempt at on-air humour went sideways.
Emphasis on 'attempt' as Humphrey's joke about Ginola's more casual appearance failed to land, resulting in the former Tottenham and Newcastle star joking he could 'hide behind the desk'. A painful silence fell when Humphrey responded 'not your face', and Ginola proceeded to not-so-inconspicuously call his colleague a 'w****r' behind his back.
What's your all-time cringiest BT Sport moment? Let us know in the comments section below
Robbie Savage 'ruins' West Ham magic
There was something of a skin-crawling effect to Savage's pile-on amid West Ham's Europa Conference League triumph over Fiorentina. The pundit never played for the Hammers (or even in London) throughout his 15-year career, though one might not have guessed as much as he 'ruined' their celebrations on the night.
That's after the ex-Wales international bellowed 'West Ham are massive' on repeat following West Ham's first European title in 58 years. The scenes left viewers feeling 'cringe' and 'dirty' online, and Savage even issued a half-apology after co-commentator Don Hutchison's subtle suggestion they should 'be quiet for five seconds and take it in'.
"Congratulations, football is all about emotion," said the former Blackburn midfielder soon after. "You get carried away in commentaries but it's an entertainment business for enjoyment. These are the moments as footballers and now we are in a privileged position in our roles. You know, at times you do get carried away and emotion takes over but that's football and that's why we love this game so much."
Geoffrey Boycott grills Jimmy Anderson
Awkward moments weren't restricted to BT Sport's football coverage, and cricket icon James Anderson found himself at the centre of one such faux pas in early 2018. England had just wrapped up a one-sided 4-0 defeat to Australia in the Ashes when Geoffrey Boycott aimed a tirade of questions at Jimmy.
"Who the hell's going to do the planning," asked Boycott in regards to England's rebuild, with the team's hierarchy in disarray at the time. Fellow pundit Michael Vaughan did his best to intervene by suggesting Boycott was 'in a grumpy mood', but 'Sir Geoffrey' refused to take the hint.
Anderson did his best to deflect by suggesting the question was for 'someone above his pay grade', but the bowling icon was in visible discomfort amid the inquisition.
Real Madrid goal 'made in South Africa'
Many ex-pros and pundits are often tagged with accusations of failing to properly educate themselves on today's game and being underprepared for their roles. And while it may have been a simple slip of the tongue, McManaman appeared to back up such assumptions during a clash between Real Madrid and Chelsea.
That's after the trio of Federico Valverde (Uruguayan), Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo (both Brazilian) combined for a Champions League goal McManaman confidently christened as 'made in South Africa'. A few thousand miles of the Atlantic would argue otherwise, Steve.
More Jake Humphrey
Humphrey was at the centre of so many lead-balloon moments on BT that he could have filled a lowlight reel of his own, from talking about Mario Balotelli's guest fees on air to making an enemy of Martin Keown.
However, arguably the tensest moment of his television career came after trying his hand at comedy with Steven Gerrard. Humphrey made a jibe about Liverpool's penchant for purchasing Southampton players at the time, only to receive a grim look in response.
That was roughly one year after Humphrey made an ill-advised reference to Gerrard's infamous slip, which appeared to sow greater tensions between the two.
Darren Fletcher's UCL final frustrations
There's a debate often running between football purists as to whether English fans of the game should refer to players and clubs in their native tongue. Some argue it's the respectful way of going about things, while others would argue it's impossible to know where to draw the line.
Commentator Darren Fletcher appears to fall in the former camp after his incessant calling of 'Internazionale' during the Champions League final, which frustrated many viewers no end.
"Just call them Inter like everyone ever," exclaimed one infuriated fan. "Does he have to refer to them as Internazionale every single time," asked another. 'No' is the short answer.
Steve McManaman 'doesn't like Wolves'
Another McManaman mistake saw the former Man City and Real star caught on a hot mic giving his true feeling on Wolves. And the west Midlanders will be wondering what they did to annoy the ex-winger.
'Macca' can be heard saying "I don't like Wolves" during Mick McCarthy's in-studio comments, just loud enough to ensure viewers at home could make out what was said. BT Sport's loss was the viewer's gain, however, in what was a hilarious interjection – albeit for all the wrong reasons.
Des Kelly's autograph
The media are taught to be happy bystanders in sport, impartial observers and grateful documentarians for the real athletic talent. But Des Kelly threw the guide book out the window when he asked Man City captain Ilkay Gundogan to pen an autograph for him mid-interview following this month's Treble-clinching moment.
Moments after becoming a champion of Europe, Gundogan found himself fulfilling a bizarre request by signing Kelly's media armband. One can't blame the broadcaster for admiring such an esteemed star, though there's a time and a place.
Kelly previously landed a place in the cringe files following a run-in with then-Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel last year, though his autograph awkwardness arguably trumps that 'feat'.
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