Dan Walker
@mrdanwalker • 739,795 subscribers
That tall fella off the telly, President of #EggClub and the bloke off @ClassicFM & @5_news
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This weekend sees the last ever episode of Football Focus broadcast on the BBC. One of my colleagues sent me this earlier this week. A montage of some of the stuff we did on the show and it brought back so many lovely memories ❤️ I can tell you exact spot where I was standing on the old runway at Turnberry golf club when I got the call to see if I wanted to become the presenter of Football Focus. I was covering The Open in 2009 and it was one of the best conversations I have ever had. For a kid who had grown up watching the show every week with my dad it was an amazing privilege to know that I would be hosting a programme which had always been such a big part of my weekend. I called my dad immediately and he was just as pleased as I was. When the news was announced I had a phone call from the one and only Bob Wilson. He was so warm and encouraging, as he always is, and said “Dan, you are gonna love this job. There is nothing like it… make sure you take care of it”. I hope I did. As a former custodian of the couch, Bob knew how special it was and I felt the same way when I handed over the reins to the brilliant Alex Scott when I left Focus after 12 seasons. People still talk to me about the show all the time. Focus is stitched into my life and I know there are still so many fans who really care about it which is why it’s such a crazy decision to get rid of it. Move it to Saturday morning, tinker with the format but, in a world where there is such a premium on reliable and trusted brands, why would you throw away over 50 years of hard work and history? It carries weight. I remember interviewing Pele years ago and I told him I was from Football Focus and he said “I know all about Football Focus” with a big smile. When we were filming a show about the history of Barcelona at the Nou Camp we were about to sit down to talk to Eusebio and Johan Cryuff (I had to pinch myself about that one) and Sir Bobby Charlton walked over and said to them, “You can tell this is important gentlemen… the team from Football Focus are here”. When I called Noel Gallagher to talk about an idea we had to get him to interview Mario Ballotelli at Manchester City he rearranged his world tour to be there. Obviously Balotelli was a draw but Noel said “I’d do anything for Football Focus”. When I interviewed Jurgen Klopp in the tearoom at Exeter City before an FA cup tie the lovely ladies serving brews were wedged into the corner while we spoke. I introduced them to Mr Klopp afterwards and he apologised for stealing their space; “Don’t worry about that” they said. “We’ve just been on Football Focus! Wait until we tell the family about this!”. I know the game has changed and the way we consume it has changed but there is still an audience there if you find the right place for it, promote it, ‘take care of it’ and give fans the chance to be part of the conversation on an informed, thoughtful and entertaining show about the sport we all love. I am gutted it’s going but also so thankful for all the amazing people I got to work with over the years. They remain life-long friends and I still can’t quite believe I got to sit alongside the people I grew up watching play the game at the highest level. I remember when Alan Shearer called me “Dan” on one of the first shows I worked on. The little kid inside me thought “Alan Shearer knows my name!”. It was a pleasure to work with so many brilliant pundits and it was great to watch Alex develop on Focus and then go on to host the programme so well. I was asked this week to pick a favourite moment from my 12 years on the show. It’s a very hard question because I have a huge catalogue of wonderful memories. I always look back on our on-the-road shows because we were taking Focus out to the fans; their club was the canvas and we got to paint a beautiful picture together each week about what the place meant to the community, the history, the culture and all the things that were part of that.
Dan Walker157,501 次观看 • 11 天前
The football was amazing last night and we are so blessed to have brilliant commentators in the UK. John Hunt is one of the best and his world was ripped apart yesterday when his wife and daughters were murdered. Mark Chapman knows himself how brutal life can be at times. Give yourself a moment to listen to how he introduced the football after the news about his colleague and friend had just been reported in the bulletin before he started 💔
Dan Walker2,416,506 次观看 • 1 年前
An update on Tony’s tools which were stolen overnight… Genuinely blown away by the response - as is Tony - who is really emotional because of the outpouring of kindness. So many individuals, families and companies offered to help - I went with the first ones who were Screwfix who are going to replace everything ❤️❤️❤️ Social media can be a pit of despair but occasional it reminds you that there are some decent humans out there.
Dan Walker1,360,179 次观看 • 1 年前
BREAKING NEWS! As chair of Sheffield Theatres we are delighted that the World Snooker Championships are staying in Sheffield - at The Crucible - until at least 2045! This is a big deal which is worth millions of pounds to the city but also enables us to revamp The Crucible, make it even more special, bring it right up to date and secure it for generations to come. The cost of the project is £45,000,000 and we have secured £35,000,000 worth of government funding and the other 10 is coming from the private sector and some of our partners. A lot of people have worked really hard to get this deal over the line and the city council have put the hours in. We know there are understandable questions about closing The Crucible for a projected 18 months and we will answer all of those. I should say that Sheffield Theatres will keep producing work in the Lyceum and the Montgomery while the Crucible is getting refurbished with capacity for an extra 500 seats. We feel that the benefits of this deal give us the chance to secure a sporting and theatrical legacy for Sheffield. This is a HUGE moment for the city but it is also significant for the arts in north of England and the whole of the UK. Crucible Theatre Sheffield City Council
Dan Walker148,868 次观看 • 2 个月前
Every #DDay I come back to Harry Billinge ❤️ If you’re tempted to moan about something meaningless or complain today… watch Harry and think about what he, and many others, went through for the freedoms we all too often take for granted. There aren’t many of those heroes left but they have so much to teach us. We’ll be playing music to commemorate the anniversary throughout the day on Classic FM #DDay80 #LestWeForget
Dan Walker1,146,046 次观看 • 2 年前
I had a lovely catch up with Tony in Endcliffe Park today. He is so thankful for all the love & support. I read him some of your messages ❤️ He wanted to tell you about his trip to America which he always thought would be impossible at his age. The chance to whisper ‘thank you’ at the grave of the pilot of the Mi Amigo, John Kriegshauser, will never leave him. 🇺🇸✈️ He’s got a bit of a bad back and the doctors have told him to take it easy and stop eating so many eggs! Have a wonderful Sunday
Dan Walker65,024 次观看 • 1 个月前
2 things happened this week… a good friend sadly had to put their lovely family dog down and someone told me there was no way they would ever get a dog because they were… “too much work”. It made me think about how much we love our Winnie. You start by getting a dog and think that you’re looking after them but the truth is they care for you. Dogs don’t worry about yesterday or tomorrow - they are kings and queens of living in the moment. ‘Pets’ doesn’t really cover it… they are teachers… they are friends. They mirror you. Their fear grows when yours does. When you are steady, they are at peace and, when something good happens… they’ll celebrate like it’s the best thing in the world. Your dog knows the sound of you coming home, they learn your walk, the rhythm of your laugh and the moment your heart sinks… you are their everything. You are not just their owner… you make them feel safe, you are their routine… you are what home feels like. Every walk is more than exercise… it is precious time with their favourite person. One day… you won’t hear them rushing when you arrrive to show you how much they love having you around. I am not looking forward to that day 💔 You are not just a part of their life… you are their life.
Dan Walker185,590 次观看 • 4 个月前
She may not have been on many UK stages for a while but WOW Jessie J can sing 🎵🎯 When you take on Whitney you’ve got to go big or go home and she went BIG! She opened the Global's Make Some Noise charity event last night and was pretty incredible. #vocals #live #sing #singing
Dan Walker357,856 次观看 • 1 年前
What is a club fitting actually like? I love golf. I love the numbers, the technology and the grind to get better. I had a brilliant few hours with Al Frater trying out the new PXG UK irons at their Esher store. I hit hundreds of balls, learned a lot, had a proper laugh, tried Marco Penge’s new irons and lost a glove on the train back. Seriously in love with the wedges ❤️ Rocking the Galvin Green & FootJoy Europe #golf #golfswing
Dan Walker48,724 次观看 • 2 个月前