2008 Olympic Commentators

Note if CBC has none in the commentary list, it is assumed that TSN has the rights to the specific event.

Ceremonies (Opening and Closing)

BBC: Sue Barker, Huw Edwards, Hazel Irvine, Carrie Gracie

CBC: Ron MacLean, Peter Mansbridge

NBC: Bob Costas……..yeah they haven’t said, I don’t know, maybe just Costas!

Archery

BBC: Eddie Butler

CBC: None

NBC: Joe Castellano, Denise Parker

Athletics

BBC: Steve Cram, Michael Johnson, Colin Jackson, Jonathan Edwards, Brendan Foster, Paul Dickenson, Stuart Storey

CBC: Mark Lee, Michael Smith, Perdita Felicien, Dave Moorcroft, Scott Oake

NBC: Tom Hammond, Lewis Johnson, Carol Lewis, Dwight Stones, Ato Boldin, Craig Masback, Ed Eyestone, Bob Neumeier

Badminton

BBC: David Mercer, Gillian Clark

CBC: None

NBC: Jim Kozimor, Steve Kearney, Bill Clement

Baseball

BBC: None

CBC: Jim Van Horne, Warren Sawkiw

NBC: Eric Collins, Joe Magrane

Basketball

BBC: John Amaechi, Ron McIntosh

CBC: Paul Romanuk, Jay Triano

NBC: Mike Breen, Chris Carrino, Mike Crispino, Pete Pranica, Eric Collins, Teresa Edwards, Doug Collins, Ann Meyers, Bob Salmi, Snapper Jones, Craig Sager

Beach Volleyball

BBC:Matt Chilton

CBC: Elliotte Friedman, Charles Parkinson and Erminia Russo

NBC: Chris Marlowe, Karch Kiraly, Heather Cox

Boxing

BBC: Jim Neilly, Richie Woodhall

CBC: Vic Rauter, Russ Anber

NBC: Bob Papa, Teddy Atlas, Jim Gray

Canoeing

BBC: Garry Herbert, Helen Reeves

CBC: Scott Oake, Scott Logan

NBC: Tim Ryan, Joe Jacobi

Cycling

BBC:Hugh Porter, Chris Boardman, Gary Sutton, Jill Douglas

CBC: Mark Connolly, Clara Hughes, Kevin O’Brien (BMX only)

NBC: Pat Parnell, Craig Hummer, Kenan Harkin, Paul Sherwin, Marty Snider

Diving

BBC: Bob Ballard, Leon Taylor

CBC: Steve Armitage, I’ll tell you when I watch

NBC: Ted Robinson, Cynthia Potter, Bob Neumeier, Andrea Kremer

Equestrian

BBC Michael Tucker

CBC: Nancy Wetmore, Beth Underhill, Cara Whitham

NBC: Kenny Rice, Melanie Smith-Taylor

Football (soccer)

BBC: Martin Fisher, John Roder, Alistair Mann, Jacqui Oatley

CBC: Nigel Reed, Jason DeVos, Erin Paul

NBC: JP Dellacamera, Glenn Davis, Steve Cangialosi, Adrian Healey, Marcelo Balboa, Brandi Chastain, Shep Messing, Lori Walker

Gymnastics

BBC: Matt Baker, Christine Still, Mitch Fenner

CBC: Brenda Irving, Lori Strong-Ballard (artistic only), BB Ignatova (rhythmic only)

NBC: Al Trautwig (artistic and trampoline) Elfi Schlegel (trampoline, artistic, rhythmic), Tim Daggett (trampoline and artistic), Andrea Joyce (rhythmic and artistic)

Field Hockey

BBC:Barry Davies, Sean Kerly

CBC: Bob Snoek, Hari Kant

NBC: Mike Corey, Nick Conway

Handball

BBC:: None listed

CBC: None listed

NBC: Andrew Catalon, Dawn Lewis

Judo

BBC:Nicola Fairbrother, Nick Mullins

CBC: Jeff Marek

NBC: None listed

Modern Pentathlon

BBC: Andrew Cotter, Eleanor Oldroyd

CBC: None

NBC: Ron Vaccaro, Rob Stull

Race Walking

BBC: None listed

CBC: None listed

NBC: Ron Vaccaro, Ed Eyestone, Carol Lewis

Rowing

BBC: Garry Herbert, Daniel Topolski, Sir Steve Redgrave, John Inverdale

CBC: Scott Oake, Barney Williams

NBC: Tim Ryan, Yaz Farooq

Sailing

BBC:Shirley Robertson, Richard Simmonds, Rob Walker

CBC: Peter Rusch, Fionia Kidd

NBC: None listed

Shooting

BBC: Eleanor Oldroyd

CBC: None listed

NBC: Bill Clement, Shari LeGate

Softball

BBC: None listed

CBC: Jim Van Horne, Haley Wickenheiser

Synchronized Swimming

BBC: None Listed

CBC: Karin Larson, Karin Clark Le Poole

NBC: Craig Hummer, Heather Olson

Swimming

BBC: Andy Jameson, Adrian Moorhouse, Sharron Davies

CBC: Steve Armitage, Byron MacDonald, Scott Oake

NBC: Craig Hummer, Dan Hicks, Rowdy Gaines, Andrea Kremer

Table Tennis

BBC: Matthew Syed

CBC: None

NBC: Bill Clement, Sean O’Neill

Taekwondo

BBC: Nick Mullins, John Cullen

CBC: Nigel Reed, Tino Dossantos

NBC: None listed

Tennis

BBC: John Lloyd, Sam Smith, Chris Bradnum, David Garrido

CBC: Karin Larson

NBC: None listed

Triathlon

BBC: Matt Chilton

CBC: Karin Larson, Barrie Shepley

NBC: Craig Hummer, Siri Lindley, Marty Snider

Volleyball

BBC: Matt Chilton

CBC: Doug Dirks, Charles Parkinson and Erminia Russo

NBC: Paul Sunderland, Kevin Barnett

Water Polo

BBC:< Bob Ballard

CBC: Bob Snoek, George Gross Jr.

NBC: Bob Fitzgerald, Wolf Wigo

Weightlifting

BBC: Andrew Cotter

CBC: Nigel Reed, Aldo Roy

NBC: Pete Pranica, Shane Hamman

Presentation team

BBC:Sue Barker, Hazel Irvine, Adrian Chiles, Clare Balding, Gabby Logan, Jake Humphrey, John Inverdale, Rishi Persad

CBC: Diana Swain, Scott Russell, Ian Hanomansing, Peter Mansbridge, Ron MacLean

NBC: Bob Costas, Jim Lampley, Mary Carillo, Melissa Stark, Fred Roggin, Matt Vasgersian, Bill Patrick, Alex Flanagan, Lindsay Czarniak

Reporters

BBC: Garry Richardson, Phil Jones, Jill Douglas, Sir Matt Pinsen

CBC: Scott Oake, Erin Paul, Elliott Friedman

NBC: Cris Collinsworth, Mary Carillo, Jimmy Roberts

Please e-mail me if I’ve missed anyone.

  1. Rita-Jay Sührig, Germany
    08/10/2008 at 8:09 am | #1

    Dear Sir,
    could you please tell me when Daniel Topolski will be in the commentator´s seat?
    With interest
    Rita-Jay Sührig from Germany

  2. Mookie
    08/10/2008 at 12:53 pm | #2

    Should be for any of the rowing events, likely on BBC Radio.

  3. Neil Watson
    08/14/2008 at 6:10 am | #3

    Paul Dickenson is alongside Helen Reeves for the Canoeing/Kayaking on the BBC not Garry Herbert.

  4. Sandra
    08/16/2008 at 4:20 pm | #4

    Can you tell me when someone will mention an “english” person. Whenever a Scot, Irish or Welshman wins, they mention their nationality. When an English person wins something, they say Great Britain. Can we not have the same treatment for the English please? There are still some of us left.

  5. Rod
    08/17/2008 at 6:28 am | #5

    Will Matthew Syed please tell me why Ma Lin is allowed to foul serve? Every time he throws the ball in the air he throws it backwards!

  6. Louise T
    08/18/2008 at 8:54 am | #6

    I have been listening and watching the CBC commentators and was extremely impressed with Rosie who did some commentary on the track events. She was fanatastic. Her knowledge is great, her voice is wonderful – doesn’t rub you the wrong way tone-wise. She is a bright young women and should be made a part of CbC’s future.

  7. Carrie S
    08/19/2008 at 6:30 am | #7

    I can’t stand the CBC female diving commentator. She has terribly inconsistent volume, even yelling at times, coupled with a grating voice and primarily negative comments about all the non-Canadian divers. I just hope they have someone new for 2012.

  8. 08/20/2008 at 6:40 pm | #8

    Can anyone tell me who the young, Scouse, male, co-commentator for both the Men’s & Women’s 10k Open Water Swim, is, please? Great fun, yet highly informative, while seeming to enjoy things from the viewers’ perspective too. Doesn’t try & make things seem complicated as if the viewer is daft, like many others do. A joy to listen to – PLEASE try & use him somewhere again.

    Also, the informative, yet friendly style of Matt Baker, & his GENUINE sheer joyful exuberance commenting on the Gymnastics is another joy. To see him as pleased for the competitors as they were for themselves was lovely!!!!

  9. 08/20/2008 at 8:33 pm | #9

    caroll lewis does’t know what she’s talking about! I’d like to see her go try all of those olympic events. the only thing her fat bottom would be good at is making a good splash in the diving events!

  10. olympics girl
    08/20/2008 at 8:58 pm | #10

    I am getting sick of the commentators asking the athletes who have a heart break completely ridiculous and rude questions like “how does it feel to just miss the medals.” Or how about the comment made to the gymnast after they won second, “Don’t worry, I never won a super bowl.. So I know how you’re feeling” I am about ready to slap one of them! Or maybe the best question of all that they seem to keep repeating “What happened? You only won Silver. What went wrong?” DUH!!! Why not, “Congratulations!!” I feel like the commentators are portraying the US athletes as not measuring up, rather than how outstanding they truly are to have made it to the Olympic Games.

  11. Lizzie G
    08/21/2008 at 8:29 am | #11

    In answer to Allison Hughes’s question: it’s Stephen Parry commentating on the open-water swimming. He won bronze for GB in the 200m butterfly in Athens – behind Phelps, of course! There’s a great bit of BBC video doing the rounds of him filming in Tianenman Square and being mobbed by Chinese fans who think he’s the great man Phelps himself…try to catch it!

  12. 08/21/2008 at 1:18 pm | #12

    During gymnastics I thought I heard Bart Conner voice/ commentary…but apparently not? Very similar….S

  13. Mookie
    08/21/2008 at 3:06 pm | #13

    Don’t know where you’re coming from, so I don’t know what you’re talking about, sorry. :(

    An update, Ron MacLean will leave Beijing, his mother passed away and Scott Russell will now host Olympic Prime.

  14. Jeff
    08/21/2008 at 5:42 pm | #14

    Could someone please tell Lewis Johnson to put a sock in it. He is ruining the whole track and field olympic experience with his continual negative commentating. Sometimes too much is way too much.

  15. Sam
    08/21/2008 at 6:02 pm | #15

    “AND THAT WAS A MISS FOR HER”
    That female diving commentator for CBC was definitely a miss for the network…

  16. Tiger
    08/21/2008 at 6:39 pm | #16

    Indeed, Sam. The female commentator is Ann Montminy (sp?). She’s so outrageously negative, it’s sick.

  17. Kim Warner
    08/21/2008 at 7:36 pm | #17

    Does anyone know who was the gymnastic commentators?

  18. Mookie
    08/21/2008 at 8:26 pm | #18

    For who?

  19. Oran
    08/22/2008 at 7:18 pm | #19

    Anne Montminy is the MOST biased reporter on CBC I’ve ever seen… it’s really annoying seeing her talk, and giving stupid comments

    Anne Montminy on a pair of American synchronized divers: “They have matching suits and tans.”

    (who doesn’t have matching suits in synchro diving?! They are from the same team/country~)

    just fire her already………….

  20. plato
    08/22/2008 at 7:22 pm | #20

    who is the female commentator for th men’s platform diving??

  21. Mookie
    08/22/2008 at 7:44 pm | #21

    @ Plato, it’s Cynthia Potter for NBC.

  22. atticus
    08/23/2008 at 7:25 pm | #22

    See MSNBC Blog: Please Fire Female Diving Commentator

  23. Tito
    08/23/2008 at 10:09 pm | #23

    how many times did the commentator call the marothon gold medallist silly for just been good?

  24. NBC Sicker
    08/24/2008 at 6:27 am | #24

    NBC is the worst broadcast network ever. NBC sucks big time. When the rest of world is having fun, we are not! Soon or later, we will see the rest of world is forgetting about us!!!

    This is what we have been doing for years. The world is “US”. SO anything you see and hear is “US” and money. However, the rest of world know how to collaborate while enjoying the life in a better way. When you see what we can get from NBC, you will see what we will have in the future. It is very sad!

    Because of “money”, NBC deprives us of the right of “witness the history”!

  25. andrea and paul edwards
    08/24/2008 at 7:34 am | #25

    we loved the enthusiasm and commentating of matt baker, he was great, he really grabbed our interest in the games. next games more from matt please!

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