Stuart Hall

Stuart Hall (born 25 December 1929, in Hyde, Manchester) is a former English BBC Radio sports commentator and television presenter. In June 2013, he was convicted of multiple sexual offences against children, effectively ending his media and broadcasting career.

Quotes

• It saddens me that the game has sold its soul to television. What we see now is a televisual game, and it cannot bear the weight of its publicity.
  • "Stuart Hall enjoying time of his life", The Telegraph (28 July 2007).

• When Steve McClaren said that he wasn't in the entertainment business, I asked him what he was doing in football, because the game is all about entertainment. Fans go to watch their team win, sure, but they also want to enjoy the game while they're about it
  • "Stuart Hall enjoying time of his life", The Telegraph (28 July 2007).

BBC Fighting Talk (2005)

On 11 March 2005, Hall contributed to an edition of BBC Radio 5 Live's light-hearted, Saturday morning sport punditry show Fighting Talk. At the time it was hosted by Christian O'Connell, and Hall's fellow pundits were boxing commentator John Rawling, sports show host Danny Kelly and journalist Will Buckley.

• O'Connell: It's been suggested [...] by teachers that live football should be shown after kids have gone to bed. Is swearing in football really such a big deal?

(Rawling, Kelly answer)

• Hall: This is all nonsense [and] you're getting all hot under the collar about nothing. It's the Great British patois. All great truths begin as blasphemies, so why castigate [Wayne] Rooney, young tender sweet bud-on-the-vine Rooney. Your average ten year old can instruct you in oral and anal sex.

(O'Connell and Rawling swiftly interrupt.)

• Kelly: Welcome to the last ever Fighting Talk!
• Hall: Swearing is endemic in our language. It's there to stay... realise it!

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• O'Connell: Which sporting nation would you like to see have a renaissance?
• Hall: Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is a wonderful country - I've been there umpteen times and it is being brought to extinction by [Robert] Mugabe. The average life expectancy is 33, so if you are not dying from AIDS, malnutrition, starvation, deprivation or stagnation, don your flannels, black up, play leather on willow. Mugabe as captain and witch doctor, imagine him out at Lord's casting a tincture of bats' tongues and gorillas' gonads.
• O'Connell: Are we still on air?
• Hall: Give cricket a shot in the bails it needs!"

(pause)

• O'Connell: Let's have a break for the news so we can think about our careers.
  • Sources: The Independent, The Guardian (both 17 March 2005).

Quotes about Hall

• You would have made a player [...] You're beautiful on the ball, you're creative.
  • Joe Mercer, according to Hall, on his abilities as a football player. "Stuart Hall enjoying time of his life", The Telegraph (28 July 2007).

• His use of the English language - especially in football reporting - has made him an icon with the youth of today.
  • Parliamentary motion to commemorate Hall's 40th year in broadcasting. "Everton ready for a new era", The Independent (15 February 1999)