The 2008 Beijing Olympics
and Paralympics
on the 91Èȱ¬
91Èȱ¬ TV team Olympic impressions
Huw Edwards
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Huw Edwards is known to millions of viewers
as main presenter of the 91Èȱ¬'s award-winning,
flagship Ten O'Clock News, broadcast
on 91Èȱ¬ One and 91Èȱ¬ News 24.
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He joined
the 91Èȱ¬ more than 20 years ago, and has
presented a wide range of programmes
including Newsnight, Panorama and the Six
O'Clock News, and he has co-hosted two
General Election results programmes on 91Èȱ¬
Radio 4.
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Huw is the 91Èȱ¬'s voice at Trooping the
Colour, the Festival of Remembrance and the
State Opening of Parliament. He hosted the
91Èȱ¬'s coverage of the death of Pope John
Paul and the election of Pope Benedict. In
2004, he anchored the coverage of the 60th
Anniversary of D-Day.
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Huw spent more than a decade reporting
politics at Westminster, including a period as
Chief Political Correspondent.
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He has also
presented a range of programmes on history
and classical music on 91Èȱ¬ Four, 91Èȱ¬ Two,
91Èȱ¬ Radio 3, Radio 4 and S4C. His recent
projects have included a major documentary
on David Lloyd George for 91Èȱ¬ Four, and he
is now working on a television series on
Gladstone and Disraeli.
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"The Olympics for me represents happy,
shared experiences of enjoying great sport
with family and friends. My earliest memory
of getting 'hooked' on Olympics coverage
was watching Olga Korbut win three golds at
Munich in 1972, and Mark Spitz's record
seven golds in the same Games.
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"My sister
and I were quite young, but we watched
every moment. From then on, I have
watched every Summer and Winter Games.
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"My favourite moment from past Olympics
has to be Daley Thompson's gold in the
decathlon in Los Angeles in 1984 (he had also
won in 1980) when he set a record points
score, which stood until 1992. I was also
enthralled by the Coe/Ovett battles in
Moscow in 1980.
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"I have been to China before, to cover News
events. China has changed more in the past
few years than for the previous few
centuries.
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"It is a fantastically exciting and
vibrant country, and our Olympics coverage
will have to do justice not only to what's
going on inside the stadium, but beyond it,
too.
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"The Olympics are a showcase for
modern China, and we need to give British
viewers a much better sense of what this
superpower is about.
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"China is already a big influence on our lives
in the West, and that influence is going to
grow exponentially. There is very little
understanding (or knowledge) of China
beyond its frontiers. The Olympics can be
much more than a momentous sporting
event, they can also allow us to gain a better
understanding of China and its people.
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"As for the highlights of the actual events
themselves, I'm no expert, but from what
I've heard I'd have to say the diver Thomas
Daley, who's just 14, but is already showing
incredible promise. But I don't want to make
any predictions for British glory – I don't
want to jinx anyone!
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"Looking ahead to 2012, it's going to be a
defining two weeks for London and for all of
the United Kingdom. Everyone in the 91Èȱ¬ is
looking forward to providing the best-ever
coverage of the Olympic Games.
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"And for Team GB, and London itself, it will
be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. China is
about to present its best face to the world in
2008, and London will get that chance in
2012. The stakes will be very, very high for
everyone involved."
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