The Commentators' View: Hospital pass & boxing is back

Nov 28, 2025

Steve Bunce, a seasoned boxing journalist and presenter, joins the discussion as professional boxing makes its return to BBC primetime after 20 years. He delves into the excitement surrounding the upcoming British Heavyweight Championship and shares insights on how the style of commentary differs between radio and television. The hosts also engage in fun segments, including a lighthearted competition about football trivia and listener-submitted pub names inspired by commentary, making for a lively and entertaining conversation.

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ANECDOTE

New Coat Ritual For Commentators

Alistair bought a new winter coat and is excited to test it at West Ham v Liverpool this weekend.
He emphasised fit matters for commentators because cramped gantries punish oversized coats.

INSIGHT

League Phase Reduces Group Drama

John argues the new Champions League league phase lacks the tension and fairness of traditional groups.
He highlights you miss marquee home-and-away ties and lose the 'every match matters' drama.

INSIGHT

Why Liverpool Have Lost Momentum

The panel dissects Liverpool's slump as a mix of injuries, confidence loss and poor form from key players.
They note scoring first still helps, but once Liverpool concede their collective belief often collapses.

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Ian Dennis returns alongside John Murray & Ali Bruce-Ball to talk travels, football and commentary. Steve Bunce joins the pod with boxing returning to BBC primetime television this weekend for the first time in 20 years. Clash of the Commentators returns. Plus your unintended pub names and the Great Glossary of Football Commentary. Suggestions welcome on WhatsApp voicenotes to 08000 289 369 & emails to TCV@bbc.co.uk

01:10 Ali excited about his new purchase 03:40 The In-Form Ian Dennis 05:40 Premier League commentaries this weekend 09:35 Champions League format ‘not right’ 14:15 Where is Liverpool’s next win coming from? 20:25 Unintended pub names from sport commentary 26:35 Steve Bunce joins the pod to talk boxing 35:35 Clash of the Commentators 42:20 Great Glossary of Football Commentary 49:30 An observation from Jamie and Oliver

5 Live / BBC Sounds Premier League commentaries: Sat 1500 Man City v Leeds, Sat 1500 Sunderland v Bournemouth on Sports Extra, Sat 1730 Everton v Newcastle, Sun 1405 West Ham v Liverpool, Sun 1405 Aston Villa v Wolves on Sports Extra, Sun 1405 Nottingham Forest v Brighton on Sports Extra 2, Sun 1630 Chelsea v Arsenal.

Glossary so far (in alphabetical order):

DIVISION ONE Bosman, Couldn’t sort their feet out, Cruyff Turn, Dead-ball specialist, Fox in the box, Giving the goalkeeper the eyes, Head tennis, Hibs it, In a good moment, The Maradona, Olimpico, Onion bag, Panenka, Rabona, Schmeichel-style, Scorpion kick, Spursy, Tiki-taka, Where the kookaburra sleeps, Where the owl sleeps, Where the spiders sleep. DIVISION TWO Ball stays hit, Business end, Came down with snow on it, Catching practice, Cauldron atmosphere Coat is on a shoogly peg, Come back to haunt them, Corridor of uncertainty, Easy tap-in, Daisy-cutter, First cab off the rank, Good leave, Half-turn, Has that in his locker, High wide and not very handsome, Hospital pass, Howler, Johnny on the spot, Leading the line, Nutmeg, One for the cameras, One for the purists, Played us off the park, Purple patch, Put their laces through it, Rolls Royce, Root and branch review, Row Z, Screamer, Seats on the plane, Show across the bows, Stramash, Taking one for the team, That’s great… (football), Thunderous strike. UNSORTED 2-0 is a dangerous score, After you Claude, All-Premier League affair, Aplomb, Bag/box of tricks, Brace, Brandished, Bread and butter, Breaking the deadlock, Bundled over the line, Champions elect / champions apparent, Clinical finish, Commentator’s curse, Coupon buster, Cultured/Educated left foot, Denied by the woodwork, Draught excluder, Elimination line, Fellow countryman, Foot race, Formerly of this parish, Free hit, Goalkeepers’ Union, Goalmouth scramble, Good touch for a big man, Honeymoon Period, In and around, In the shop window, Keeping ball under their spell, Keystone Cops defending, Languishing, Loitering with intent, Marching orders, Nestle in the bottom corner, Numbered derbies, Opposite number, Park the bus, PK for penalty-kick, Postage stamp, Put it in the mixer, Rasping shot, Red wine not white wine, Relegation six-pointer, Rooted at the bottom, Route One, Roy of the Rovers stuff, Sending the goalkeeper the wrong way, Shooting boots, Sleeping giants, Slide rule pass, Small matter of, Spiders web, Stayed hit, Steepling, Stinging the palms, Stonewall penalty, Straight off the training ground, Taking one for the team, Team that likes to play football, Throw their cap on it, Thruppenny bit head / 50p head, Towering header, Two good feet, Turning into a basketball match, Turning into a cricket score, Usher/Shepherd the ball out of play, Walking a disciplinary tightrope, Wand of a left foot, We’ve got a cup tie on our hands, Winger in their pocket, Wrap foot around it, Your De Bruynes, your Gundogans etc.