Ex sports stars becoming commentators-good and bad

I quite like Alison Curbishley on fivelive (I think thats her name) She was comparatively rubbish on the track, but has ended up being a pretty good commentator.

I like the Blue Peter guy, whose name escapes me. Much more real, and less of a perfectionist compared to the others.

Gary Richardson though, not a past sportsmen, is a complete and utter tosser. I hate him with a passion.

Steve Parry, the scouse swimming guy is good, and ultra-enthusiastic! ?

Whilst I quite like John Barnes as a personality he really cannot read an autocue for toffee. Whatever Five were/are paying him was too much.

VS, mark foster is gay.

At the time I knew him he was dating girls (he was with that female swimmer for ages - not Karen Pickering the other one)- whether that be to cover up he was gay, I wouldn't know. So he is openly gay now?

Elton john was married wasnt he? [laugh

he s gay. he s with colin jackson. and no, not openly.

My favourite players turned pundit / commentator are David Pleat, Martin O'Neill, Gary Linekar and Stan Collymore (for pure hilarity). I really can't bear to listen to Alan Shearer, Andy Gray or Mark Lawrenson.

I can only really comment on football as I don't watch enough of other sports to really know the pundits very well.

ETA: Can I also include Stuart Hall please, although his sporting career was incredibly short, technically he did have one before he started commentary.

"You've got to hold and give
But do it at the right time
You can be slow or fast
But you must get to the line
They'll always hit you and hurt you
Defend and attack
There's only one way to beat them
Get round the back
Catch me if you can
Cos' I'm the England man
And what you're looking at
Is the master plan
We ain't no hooligans
This ain't a football song
Three lions on my chest
I know we can't go wrong"

Sory i meant not openly in the relationship, but he is openly gay

They did used to go shopping together in Waitrose a lot.......so Mr Gay Sportperson Expert, are the Kelly Holmes rumours true?

no idea ?

i just really wish that gay or straight or whatever, that they just say so if asked. its 2008, not 1978

Is Kelly Holmes Gay?

Whatever, she is rubbish on that cereal advert.

exactly - the people of hitched demand to know!

I've never understood why folk are bothered when they find out a celebrity, sportsperson etc are gay. Surely you can still fancy them as it's pretty unlikely they will be knocking at your door for a night of passion anyway. ?

Mrs M .. you never know!

Quite a few years back there was a lady that came to my mum's shop who told us she was being romanced by Pierce Brosnan - he was filling her living room with roses !!! this all apparently when he was pictured with Keely (his now wife) in Hello

I think she was seriously deluded - especially where she lived and the fact that every week she would say she was filming another fitness video

still she gave us a good laugh