Harry Carpenter obituary | Sport | The Guardian Harry Carpenter obituary Sports commentator renowned for his boxing broadcasts from the ringside Harry Carpenter, centre, with Lennox Lewis, left, and Muhammad Ali in 1999. Photograph: Craig Prentis/Getty Images Monday 22 March 2010 13.24 EDT First published on Monday 22 March 2010 13.24 EDT Share on Messenger Close The commentator Harry Carpenter, who has died aged 84, was a popular professional stalwart towards the end of the age in which the BBC monopolised British television sports broadcasting. The pioneer "anchor" man of the BBC's set-piece outside broadcasts of all the great sporting occasions, he displayed a steadfast unflappability in front of camera that appealed to producers. While he projected very few shafts of "showbiz" charisma, he made a considerable impression with his out-of-vision boxing commentaries. He was closely associated with the career of Muhammad Ali as well as, later, the British fighter Frank Bruno.

Both honed catchphrases to Carpenter's straight-man – "Harry, you're not as dumb as you look," in the case of Ali – while Bruno's "Know what I mean, 'Arry?" briefly entered the general lexicon. A diminutive, definitive south Londoner, young Carpenter, born in South Norwood, went to Selhurst grammar school, Croydon. He was in his first year in autumn 1937 when his fish merchant father, also Harry, woke him at dead of night to listen on the crackly "wireless" line to the US commentary from New York – the first by transatlantic landline of a live sporting event – on Welshman Tommy Farr's brave challenge for Joe Louis's world heavyweight title. After serving the final two years of the second world war in the Royal Navy as a morse code operator, he started out as a journalist on demob in 1946 with the Greyhound Owner. Via stints on the Speedway Gazette and the Sporting Record, he joined the Daily Mail in 1954, where, as well as writing columns on dog racing and boxing, he regularly contributed on those sports for both BBC radio and television from 1949 onwards.

When he moved full-time to the BBC in 1962, he was a seasoned broadcaster. With a clipped staccato delivery punctuating his affability and expertise, Carpenter covered the young Ali's two notorious championship-winning contests against Sony Liston (1964, 1965) as well as his two victories in Britain against Henry Cooper (1963, 1966). The commentator was meticulous in his research as well as his habits: at ringside, he would always dress in a dark suit and tie – "in case of bloodstains showing". Into the 70s, with satellite channels unknown and rival Independent Television's sport concentrating mainly still on wrestling and horse-racing, BBC's sporting pre-eminence seemed unassailable, and Carpenter, his safe pair of hands and unhysterical style ideally suited those presumptions. There was boxing, the Olympic and Commonwealth games, the Boat Race, the greyhound Derby, tennis and golf. The latter became a hobby and he took pleasure in his grace-and-favour memberships of St Andrews and Sandwich's St George's.

In one of his television reviews in the Observer, Clive James wrote in 1979 of anchorman Harry's qualities: "Carpenter calls Wimbledon Wmbldn and is a necessary part of the scene when he delivers his famous Rain Commentary: 'And people quite happy to stand out there under their umbrellas and watch the covers being put on.' What makes Harry's Rain Commentary such a revolution in communications is the underlying assumption that rain is fascinating in itself." At a time when it became good sport to log commentators' gaffes, Carpenter's slip-ups were comparatively few.

At the end of one Boat Race he told the nation: "Ah, what a happy gesture, the wife of the Cambridge president is kissing the cox of the Oxford crew." At the clobbered conclusion of one boxing match, Carpenter observed the vanquished on the canvas "looking up at the victor through bloodstained lips"; and in the eighth round of Ali's epic "rumble in the jungle" in Kinshasa in 1974, at the very moment when Ali launched his famous knockout blow to melt the mandible of George Foreman , the BBC's Harry at ringside was sagely observing: "I'm afraid Ali is now looking terribly, terribly, tired." (For all future recordings, the line was cut.) In 1989, he received the international award of the American Sportscasters Association, and by the time of his retirement in 1994, he had covered tennis at Wimbledon and all the major golf tournaments since 1967, and all the Olympic Games from 1956 to 1992.

He presented Sportsnight, Grandstand and Sports Personality of the Year, and in 1999 returned to pay tribute to Ali as sports personality of the century – "not only the most remarkable sports personality I have ever met, he is the most remarkable man I have ever met". In a further comeback in April 2001, he gave expert analysis of Lennox Lewis's loss of his world heavyweight title to Hasim Rahman in South Africa. Carpenter edited and contributed to a number of books on boxing. In one, he admitted his doubts about the pastime at which he had made his living: "The dangers must make you question the sport's value. But I have also seen the good it can do, principally in re-routing young men from possible deliquency into decent citizenship. No one becomes a proficient boxer without immense self-discipline – and it cannot have escaped your notice that boxers are far better behaved in their arena than are, say, soccer players and tennis stars in theirs." He is survived by his wife, Phyllis, whom he married in 1950, and a son.

• Harry Carpenter, sports commentator, born 17 October 1925; died 20 March 2010 The boxing fraternity turned out in droves to pay tribute to the last link to a bygone era of sports commentary Published: 22 Mar 2010 The former BBC boxing commentator Harry Carpenter has died at the age of 84, a spokesman for his family said today Published: 22 Mar 2010 We look back at the career of veteran BBC sports commentator Harry Carpenter, who has died at the age of 84 Published: 22 Mar 2010 John Plunkett: Whether it was commentating on boxing or hosting Sportsnight, Harry Carpenter sounded like he was enjoying the action as much as you were Published: 22 Mar 2010 Harry Carpenter - Telegraph TV & Radio Obituaries Harry Carpenter Harry Carpenter, who died on March 20 aged 84, was for many years the doyen of television boxing commentators. 6:57PM GMT 22 Mar 2010 Comments As Peter O'Sullevan was to horse racing and Dan Maskell to tennis, so was Harry Carpenter to boxing.

His style – charming, chummy and casual – could sometimes make one forget the business at hand: that two men in a small ring were attempting to beat one another senseless. But his knowledge of the sport was profound, and he had a true gift for communicating his passion for it. Harry Carpenter with Frank Bruno As a result, Carpenter was held in great respect by the boxers themselves. Muhammad Ali, for example, once paid him the compliment of saying that Carpenter was "not as dumb as he looks". And when the world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson first met him, he exclaimed: "Ah, Harry Carpenter, you wrote the first book I ever read on boxing – can I have your autograph?" Most famously, however, Carpenter enjoyed a long association with Britain's much-loved heavyweight fighter Frank Bruno, who would reply to the commentator's questions with the rider: "Know what I mean, 'Arry?" This became a famous catchphrase. Carpenter was commentating when Bruno took on Mike Tyson for the first time, in 1989.

Viewers heard him encouraging the Briton, who had momentarily shaken his apparently unbeatable opponent by landing a huge punch, with the words: "Get in there, Frank!" "You can't afford to be partial," Carpenter later said. "When he fought Tyson I couldn't help it. I could see this man from Britain winning the world title. He hurt Tyson. But Tyson came back and proved too good for Frank in the end.'' Related Articles Ernie Terrell 18 Dec 2014 Carpenter was also at ringside when Ali took on George Foreman in the so-called "Rumble in the Jungle" in Kinshasa, Zaire, in October 1974. His description of the end of the fight became celebrated: "Suddenly Ali looks very tired indeed. In fact Ali, at times now, looks as though he can barely lift his arms up... Oh, he's got him with a right hand! He's got him! Oh, you can't believe it. And I don't think Foreman's going to get up. He's trying to beat the count. And he's out! Oh my God, he's won the title back at 32!

" He described the end of this fight as "the most extraordinary few seconds that I have ever seen in a boxing ring". As presenter of both Sportsnight (1975-85) and Grandstand Carpenter showed himself utterly unflappable, and had the priceless ability to make even the dullest of minority sports appear interesting. When acting as linkman or presenter of the tennis at Wimbledon or The Open golf championship he was not only informative but also managed to avoid any trace of sycophancy when interviewing the protagonists. Other events which came into his orbit were greyhound racing and the Boat Race. Harry Carpenter was born on October 17 1925 at South Norwood, London, the son of a wholesale fish merchant at Billingsgate market, and educated at Selhurst Grammar School in Croydon. His father, besides being an avid fan of dog racing, was vice-president of a boxing club, and Harry's cousin won an ABA title.

During the war Harry found work as a trainee journalist on the Greyhound Express and Greyhound Owner, and then served for three and a half years in the Royal Navy as a telegrapher on board destroyers; he did some boxing while in the Navy, but was "never much good at it". After coming out he was appointed assistant editor of Speedway Gazette. It was Sporting Record which gave him his first break as a boxing writer, in 1950. This led in 1954 to a job with the Daily Mail, where he was a boxing writer and columnist until 1962. He had begun commentating on the sport for the BBC in 1949, and in 1962 he was appointed the Corporation's boxing correspondent, remaining in the post until he retired in 1994. His last commentary was on the Commonwealth Games boxing finals. "I wanted to go before people started saying I should have done it years ago," he said at the time. "I've made up my mind to go now, and I'm determined not to regret it. What could be better than the Commonwealth Games to go out on?

It's a spectacular event." Unlike his colleague David Coleman, Carpenter was not known for his gaffes or double-entendres. It is perhaps apocryphal that, when commentating on the Boat Race, he came out with: "Ah, isn't that nice, the wife of the Cambridge President is kissing the cox of the Oxford crew." Reflecting on how sport had changed during the course of his career, Carpenter said: "Everything is faster, sport is different, more sophisticated, particularly when it comes to manipulating money. I preferred it as it was when I was younger. " Sport, in his view, was "something you did for the sheer pleasure and excitement of it. The word 'amateur' is derived from the Latin verb meaning to love." Carpenter also presented Sports Personality of the Year for the BBC in the 1970s and 1980s, and in 1999 conferred on a frail Muhammad Ali the Sports Personality of the Century award. Carpenter maintained that Sugar Ray Robinson was the greatest fighter he had ever seen, and despite the changes he had witnessed, he never lost his love of the sport: "At its best, it can still be the noble art.

All the aggression is in the ring. Outside it, 90 per cent of boxers are very gentle people." He was the author of Masters of Boxing (1964); Illustrated History of Boxing (1975); The Hardest Game (1981); and Where's Harry? My Story (1992). Carpenter was appointed OBE in 1991, and in 1989 won the American Sportscasters' Association and International Sportscaster of the Year awards. A keen golfer, at his best he played off a handicap of 22. He also enjoyed chess and classical music. Harry Carpenter married, in 1950, Phyllis Matthews, who survives him with their son. BBC Sport - Harry Carpenter, the BBC's 'voice of boxing', dies Harry Carpenter, the BBC's 'voice of boxing', dies Carpenter worked for the BBC for 45 years after joining in 1949 Former BBC boxing commentator Harry Carpenter has died at the age of 84. Carpenter was the BBC's voice of boxing for almost half a century after joining the corporation in 1949, when he first began commentating on the sport.

Known for his double act with British boxing great Frank Bruno, Carpenter also presented Sportsnight, Grandstand and Sports Personality of the Year. He retired in 1994 and died in his sleep at King's College Hospital in London in the early hours of Saturday. His lawyer David Wills said: "He had been unwell since last summer when he had a minor heart attack. "The funeral has not been arranged but will be a family funeral, to be followed by a memorial service in London." Carpenter became closely identified with Frank Bruno, whose catchphrase "Know what I mean, 'arry?" featured in their post-fight interviews. The former world heavyweight champion, 48, was said to be "very upset and shocked" by the death. Bruno and Carpenter formed a well-known double act "He [Carpenter] was obviously part of Frank's up-and-coming career from the early days when Harry used to commentate, particularly at the Royal Albert Hall, on Frank's boxing," said a spokesman for Bruno. "Then they became a bit of a double act with the 'Know what I mean, 'arry' thing.

From there they went on to do appearances together almost like a little cabaret act." He also referred to the moment during Bruno's world-title fight against Mike Tyson in 1989 - which the American won - when Carpenter forgot his impartiality for a moment and cried out: "Get in there, Frank." "The most exciting time was probably the Tyson fight when even Harry Carpenter, who was quite a cool man, sort of lost his cool," the spokesman added. Former world heavyweight champion George Foreman, who took part in the "Rumble in the Jungle" with Muhammad Ali in 1974 - which Carpenter covered - said the commentator brought style to the sport. "We all knew if there was going to be some class in boxing, someone who really brought out boxing and the human being probably, it would be Harry - great Harry," Foreman told BBC Radio 5 live. "We were all accustomed to boxing people bustling in and arguing. but Harry was a real classy human being.

"Always a good smile, sticking right to the point as though he wanted to give the public a bird's-eye view of the human being and of the boxer." Former world heavyweight title challenger Sir Henry Cooper said Carpenter was "a lovely guy" who was "never flash". He added: "If you were good then he'd give you a good write-up and if not, he told you one or two truths. "I always enjoyed his company and enjoyed talking to him. And he knew the game." Promoter Frank Maloney also paid tribute to Carpenter, describing him as "probably one of the greatest commentators of all time". He added: "His voice was so distinctive and I remember all those Ali fights and Bruno fights he commentated on. "It's like a piece of boxing history has been taken away." And former world light-heavyweight champion John Conteh said Carpenter had an "outstanding passion" for boxing. "We in this sport, including people like Muhammad Ali, can intuitively tell when someone loves boxing - and he was steeped in it," added Conteh.

"I remember watching and listening back to some of my fights that he commentated on and there was always constructive, not destructive, criticism from him." 606: DEBATE Get in there Frank is an iconic line from any sporting commentary and is one of my earliest boxing memories. A true legend respected by all Carefree Former world featherweight champion Barry McGuigan also paid tribute to Carpenter, telling BBC Radio 5 live: "This guy was a legend. Harry Carpenter was an amazing man with an amazing voice." Carpenter worked for the Greyhound Express and Daily Mail in the early years of his career before joining the BBC. He commentated on major sporting events including Wimbledon and the Boat Race. But it was as the public face - and voice - of the corporation's boxing coverage that he became best known. One of his best-known pieces of commentary was at the end of the Rumble in the Jungle. He labelled the end of the contest in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), which underdog Ali won by knockout in the eighth round to reclaim the world heavyweight crown at the age of 32 - as "the most extraordinary few seconds that I have ever seen in a boxing ring".

Of Ali himself, Carpenter said: "He is not only the most remarkable sports personality I have ever met, he is the most remarkable man I have ever met." Carpenter also had the privilege of presenting Ali with the BBC's Sports Personality of the Century award in 1999. McGuigan reflects on 'amazing individual' A year later, Carpenter recalled: "It was a wonderfully poignant moment. I was very flattered and pleased that I was asked to do the tribute to him. "It was such a shame to see the old boy tottering about, but we had a chat afterwards and he is still very, very sharp. He remembers all those old days." Carpenter was a regular Sports Personality of the Year co-host throughout the 1970s and 1980s, having first worked on the programme in 1958, and also covered a wide range of sports for the BBC, including rowing, tennis and golf. His immediately recognisable, warm broadcasting style earned him plaudits outside the United Kingdom, too. In 1989, he received American Sportscasters' Association and International Sportscaster of the Year awards.

Director of BBC Sport Barbara Slater also paid tribute to Carpenter, describing him as "one of the standout voices of sports broadcasting". She said: "Harry's passing is a huge loss to the world of sports broadcasting. His journalistic credentials, professionalism and presence marked him out as an inspirational figure for a generation of aspiring presenters, commentators and producers. "He will be sorely missed by all those who had the good fortune to work with and learn from a master." Presenter Des Lynam added: "Harry never yelled or screamed - he was a great wordsmith. "He was modest, humble and never starstruck. He travelled to Television Centre by tube. "He will be very missed." Tony Jeffries, Britain's light-heavyweight bronze medallist at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, said: "He was a brilliant man and his knowledge of boxing was second to none." Andformer GB Boxing coach Terry Edwards said Carpenter and fellow commentator Reg Gutteridge, who died in January 2009, were "monumental people" in the sport. He stated: "Their commentary was so great, detailed and passionate that you remember their voices as much as you remember the bout.

"If you were to ask me now who would take Carpenter's place, there is nobody who could truly take his place - not with the same passion and professionalism." Bookmark with: Harry Carpenter dies aged 84 | Sport | The Guardian Harry Carpenter dies aged 84 • Former BBC boxing commentator passed away at hospital • Best known for reference in Frank Bruno's catchphrase Monday 22 March 2010 10.15 EDT First published on Monday 22 March 2010 10.15 EDT This article is 6 years old The BBC's former voice of boxing, Harry Carpenter, has died at the age of 84. Carpenter worked at the BBC for 45 years, presenting Grandstand, Sportsnight and the BBC's coverage of the Wimbledon tennis championships. But it was boxing for which he will be best remembered, becoming one half of an unlikely partnership with the former world champion Frank Bruno. His lawyer David Wills said: "He had been unwell since last summer when he had a minor heart attack. The funeral has not been arranged but will be a family funeral, to be followed by a memorial service in London." Carpenter died at King's College hospital, London, on Saturday.

He leaves a widow and one son. Carpenter joined the BBC in 1949 and did not retire until 1994. He began his career in Fleet Street and had his first break as a boxing writer with the weekly Sporting Record. He went on to work for the Daily Express and was boxing columnist for the Daily Mail. He was on air for the Rumble in the Jungle between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Zaire in 1974. He described the end of the contest as "the most extraordinary few seconds that I have ever seen in a boxing ring". Carpenter also presented the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year show, and covered a wide range of other sports including rowing and golf. He often interviewed Bruno at the end of the one-time world champion's fights, which led to the boxer's catchphrase, "Know what I mean, 'Arry?" Bruno has yet to release a statement but is said to be "very upset and shocked" by the death of his friend. A spokesman for the former WBC world champion said: "Frank was not aware of it.

He is very upset and at the moment he does not want to give a statement, but has asked me to put some words out to say it was a real shock to him. "He was obviously part of Frank's up and coming career from the early days when Harry used to commentate, particularly at the Royal Albert Hall, on Frank's boxing. "Then they became a bit of a double act with the 'Know what I mean, 'Arry' thing. From there they went on to do appearances together almost like a little cabaret act. "The most exciting time was probably the Tyson fight when even Harry Carpenter, who was quite a cool man, sort of lost his cool. Frank says he will be giving a statement but at the moment he is very upset and shocked by it." The boxing promoter Frank Maloney described Carpenter as "probably one of the greatest commentators of all time". He added: "His voice was so distinctive and I remember all those Ali fights and Bruno fights he commentated on. It's like a piece of boxing history has been taken away." The former world featherweight champion Barry McGuigan told BBC Radio 5 live: "This guy was a legend.

Harry Carpenter was an amazing man with an amazing voice." The minster for sport, Gerry Sutcliffe, described Carpenter as "a household favourite". "Harry Carpenter was a sports broadcasting legend and the voice of boxing spanning decades," he said. "His friendship with Frank Bruno and his personable style made him a household favourite among boxing fans up and down the country. But his talents were not just confined to boxing commentaries. "During a remarkable career at the BBC he presented flagship shows such as Grandstand and Sports Personality of the Year while he also reported on golf and tennis – showing his diversity as a broadcaster and his genuine passion for sport.

"He will be sorely missed." Sports commentator renowned for his boxing broadcasts from the ringside Published: 22 Mar 2010 The boxing fraternity turned out in droves to pay tribute to the last link to a bygone era of sports commentary Published: 22 Mar 2010 We look back at the career of veteran BBC sports commentator Harry Carpenter, who has died at the age of 84 Published: 22 Mar 2010 John Plunkett: Whether it was commentating on boxing or hosting Sportsnight, Harry Carpenter sounded like he was enjoying the action as much as you were Published: 22 Mar 2010 Easter TV highlights - Telegraph BBC Easter TV highlights The best TV programmes over Easter weekend on BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five, Freeview, Freesat, Sky and cable as chosen by the Telegraph's critics.

Good Friday: Philip Glenister and Keeley Hawes star in Ashes to Ashes Photo: BBC Holy Saturday: Matt Smith and Karen Gillan in the new Doctor Who Photo: BBC Image 1 of 4 Easter Sunday: David Jason returns for one last mystery in A Touch of Frost Photo: ITV Easter Monday: Billie Piper stars in BBC One's new drama A Passionate Woman Photo: BBC By Robert Collins, Toby Dantzic, Simon Horsford, Neil Midgley, Gerard O'Donovan and Patrick Smith 4:31PM BST 01 Apr 2010 GOOD FRIDAY 2 APRIL CRITIC'S CHOICE: Ashes to Ashes BBC One, 9.00pm Despite unfavourable comparisons with its popular prequel Life on Mars, the retro detective drama series is back for a third and final run. Perhaps this proves that 1980s nostalgia endures, however glaring the show’s dramatic inconsistencies. Tonight’s episode finds time-travelling cop Alex Drake (Keeley Hawes) still trapped in 1983.

She’s in hospital recovering from a shot wound accidentally inflicted by her boss, DCI Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister), three months earlier. The pair return to CID to find changes afoot, not least in the unsettling presence of baby-faced complaints officer Jim Keats (Danny Mays), who’s been sent to investigate the shooting. There’s also a case to solve: the kidnap of a girl called Dorothy, abducted while out walking with her stepmother (an impressive performance from Tanya Franks). The kidnap gives the episode a strong narrative core, but the scenes in which time zones overlap forgo eeriness for silliness. As Drake tries to find out why she’s been plonked back in the Eighties, talking TV sets and a shadowy figure who seems tohave half his face missing plague her to risible effect. Glenister pulls off the unreconstructed Hunt with aplomb but likeable though she is, the breathless Hawes still doesn’t make a convincing match for him. And while the knowing nods to the era, including the synth-heavy soundtrack, stonewashed denim and Hunt’s bright red Audi Quattro raise a smile, they aren’t quite enough to make you overlook the script’s shortcomings.

TD The Sound of Music (1965) BBC One, 2.55pm It really does go on far too long but apart from that you can’t beat Rodgers and Hammerstein’s last collaboration for sheer enjoyable schmaltz. Ex-nun Maria (Julie Andrews) gets sent to look after the seven wayward children of the stern Captain Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer), but finds she falls not only for the kiddiwinkles but Von Trapp himself. SD The British Face Sky Arts 1/Sky Arts 1HD, 7.00pm The portrait has been a staple of British art and here the actress Fiona Shaw looks at both historical and contemporary pictures. She compares the celebrity portraits of Sir Joshua Reynolds with those of Rankin and also asks whether, in an age of digital photos, there is still a need for artists to paint portraits. SH The Day Jesus Died BBC One, 9.00am Historian Bettany Hughes embarks on a timely journey to discover the complex meaning behind Good Friday. She’s secured interviews with prominent religious figures including Rowan Williams the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of York and the Bishop of Durham.

With their help, Hughes explains the differing attitudes to Christ’s crucifixion both throughout the ages and among different religions. From the Roman Empire to the 20th century, Christ’s death has been interpreted in surprisingly mixed ways. Some see it as the ultimate sacrifice, some as an act of forgiveness, and some as a demonstration of eternal suffering. TD Unreported World Channel 4, 7.30pm The recent sectarian violence in Nigeria has been put down to clashes between Muslims and Christians. But as this harrowing report suggests, the reality involves a complex battle for land and power. Reporter Peter Oborne gained exclusive entry to the town of Jos. After a massacre that left 500 dead, he finds violence still erupting despite a military-enforced curfew. Oborne also witnesses the devastation in Kuru Karama where he uncover claims of police involvement. TD … Sings the Great American Songbook BBC Four, 9.00pm Archive BBC footage from a host of British musicians performing their versions of classic American songs by writers such as Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Rodgers and Hammerstein and Lorenz Hart.

The celebration includes footage of Shirley Bassey doing The Lady Is a Tramp in 1966; Bryan Ferry with a 1974 performance of Smoke Gets in Your Eyes; and recent Brit award-winners Florence + the Machine with My Baby Just Cares for Me. SH The Door ITV1, 9.00pm A new two-part game show in which celebrities must pass through a series of doors, behind which lurk demanding and gory tests designed to disorientate them. Chris Tarrant and Amanda Holden are our hosts, and it’s all in the name of charity. The stars putting themselves on the line include Boyzone’s Keith Duffy and TV presenter Michael Underwoo. TD Friday Night with Jonathan Ross BBC One, 10.20pm Tonight’s main attraction is the current queen of comedy, Tina Fey. Fey has made a highly successful foray into sitcom with 30 Rock, won plaudits for her uncanny impression of Sarah Palin and established herself as an accomplished screenwriter. Other guests include chef Heston Blumenthal and actor Aaron Johnson.

TD The International (2009) Sky Movies Premiere/SMPHD, 10.00pm This conspiracy thriller is an entertaining yarn about globalisation and corporate foul play. It revolves around an Interpol agent (Clive Owen) who’s set on exposing an international bank involved in selling arms both to terrorists and Israel. It’s preposterous, but elevated by some scintillating action sequences such as a shoot-out in the Guggenheim Museum. PS HOLY SATURDAY 3 APRIL Doctor Who BBC One, 6.20pm It won’t just be scared children who’ll be barely able to watch as the Time Lord returns tonight for a new series. The Doctor’s new incarnation, 27-year-old Matt Smith, is a risky choice for British TV drama’s most high-profile role, and BBC executives can’t afford this new series to be a flop. But they can relax. Smith is a revelation: a proper Doctor, with elements of both absent-minded professor and schoolboy, and given rather subtle jokes by Steven Moffat’s first script where he’s in charge of the show.

It’s a welcome relief after the absurd self-indulgence of the end of the Russell T Davies era, when the plots were unfathomable and David Tennant descended into slapstick. Tonight, Smith finishes regenerating, finds his new companion Amy Pond (no fewer than three times, in fact), saves the world from intergalactic policemen and takes delivery of the biggest Tardis we’ve ever seen. Amy (played by newcomer Karen Gillan, a leggy redhead who will instantly be Dad’s favourite) will be joining Smith in the Tardis for the duration of this series, and the way she is introduced – which sets her up both to resent and fancy the Doctor in equal measure – is the cleverest part of tonight’s story. NM The Masters: the Green Jacket – Made to Measure BBC One, 2.10pm The US Masters – golf’s most widely viewed tournament – begins in Augusta this Thursday, with the returning Tiger Woods set to dominate headlines on both the front and back pages.

But, lest we forget that other golfers than the efficient American have made their mark on the Masters, this documentary – featuring contributions from Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, Greg Norman and Ernie Els, as well as Woods – is on hand with stories from some of the great tournament campaigns of the past 50 years. PN When Harry Met Ali: a Tribute to Harry Carpenter BBC Two, 5.10pm Des Lynam pays tribute to Harry Carpenter, the Beeb’s much-loved former boxing commentator who died last month. Carpenter’s TV career dovetailed fortuitously with Muhammad Ali’s rise to global fame, as Lynam notes – leading to some of the sport’s most celebrated and grippingly commentated-on moments. PN Easter from King’s BBC Two, 5.40pm; Scot, 6.10pm With Carols from King’s having been a much-loved mainstay in the Christmas schedules for as long as anyone can remember, it seems a little strange that the Beeb didn’t cotton on to the idea of broadcasting an Easter service from King’s College, Cambridge earlier.

Better late than never, though, with the Chapel Choir in fine voice as they sing a selection of hymns, Easter carols and choral music, including Ride On, Ride On in Majesty, Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus and excerpts from Handel’s Messiah, alongside seasonal poems and readings from the King James Bible. PN Oliver! (1968) Fiver, 6.05pm Mark Lester’s career peaked at the age of 10 after his title role in this musical adaptation of Dickens’s novel about a boy fleeing a Victorian orphanage. But it’s no bad thing to be remembered for: the songs and acting are shot through with a wonderful exuberance, and in the Artful Dodger and Fagin there are two of cinema’s best rascals. The latest London stage production of the musical is currently thriving in the West End.

PN Die Walküre Sky Arts 2/Sky Arts 2HD, 8.00pm Recorded at Valencia’s Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia, this performance of Wagner’s Die Walküre (the second instalment of his Ring Cycle) is rousing enough to wake the dead – providing that they were fans of large-scale Germanic opera in the first place. The proceedings are too complicated to summarise here, but suffice to say they involve Nordic gods, a mortal hero called Siegmund (tenor Peter Seiffert) and some of the toughest-looking women in the Western canon. PN Wallander BBC Four, 9.15pm Stranger, slower-burning and ultimately more gripping than the BBC One version – which is based on the same crime novels by Henning Mankell – Swedish Wallander is one of BBC Four’s better kept secrets. Tonight its second series continues. This episode matches last week’s for sheer narrative tension while outdoing it in creepiness, as a six-year-old boy disappears from school and the finger of blame initially points towards a paedophile recently released from prison. But detective Wallander (Krister Henriksson) soon finds that things are far more complicated.

PN Piers Morgan’s Life Stories: Geri Halliwell ITV1, 9.25pm Ex-Spice Girl Geri Halliwell takes the hot seat in this edition of Piers Morgan’s interview series, to discuss fame, her recovery from bulimia (Robbie Williams “possibly saved my life” by ordering her to go to rehab) and patting Prince Charles on the bottom (“There was a nervous Tourette’s feeling; a lot of it is nerves”). She also tells Morgan – in a revelation that will likely send the haute couture industry into soul-searching mode – that her famous Union Flag dress was in fact a tea towel stitched by her sister onto a slinky black Gucci number. PN EASTER SUNDAY 4 APRIL CRITIC'S CHOICE: A Touch of Frost ITV1, 8.00pm Retirement has been beckoning for DI Jack Frost (David Jason) for quite some time (he must be in his seventies at least by now) but after 18 years and 42 episodes, his hour of reckoning has finally come.

Happily he goes out on a high, as this two-part adventure is easily his best of the last few years with a strong cast and a story that nicely combines contemporary themes with the slightly antique feel of Frost’s style of investigating. If Dogs Run Free sees Jack on the trail of an old enemy, Gerry Berland (Adrian Dunbar), a dangerous criminal who has eluded arrest for far too long. But when an argument over an illegal dogfight results in the arrest, for murder, of Berland’s son (Chris Overton) Jack’s focus turns to protecting the only witness to the incident, RSPCA officer Christine Moorhead (Phyllis Logan), a comely divorcée who brings out the old copper’s more romantic side. As to Frost’s precise fate, ITV is being delightfully mysterious. Two alternative endings were filmed and the decision on which to air won’t be made until shortly before broadcast. Whatever they decide, the other version will be available to view on ITV.com immediately after tomorrow night’s conclusion.

GO Flushed Away (2006) BBC Three, 7.40pm Although it hails from the same Aardman studios that gave the world Wallace and Gromit, this is only a computerised imitation of their “claymation” technique. That said, this story of Roddy the Mouse (Hugh Jackman) is super stuff. After Roddy’s flushed into London’s sewer system, he finds he must save the rat population from an evil toad (Ian McKellen). GO Jonathan Creek BBC One, 8.00pm A spooky Easter treat for Alan Davies fans with this one-off outing from the sporadic murder mystery series. Once again magic consultant Jonathan Creek (Davies) is inveigled into joining forces with psychic investigator Joey Ross (Sheridan Smith) when a young woman (Natalie Walter) working for a famous crime writer (Paul McGann) appears to become possessed by a vengeful spirit from Victorian times. As ever this is more howdunit than whodunit, with the convoluted plot very much designed to keep you guessing all the way to the end.

GO Wonders of the Solar System BBC Two, 9.00pm This superb science series comes to an end as Prof Brian Cox explores the likelihood that we humans are not the only life forms in the universe. Once again the earthly reach of the series impresses just as much as the real-life space footage and other visuals. Cox sifts the floor of the Pacific Ocean, the dust of Chile’s Atacama desert, the Scablands of Washington and the saltlands of Mexico for the basic ingredients of life before soaring off to discover, among other cosmic marvels, the extraordinary cauldron of potential life that bubbles away on Jupiter’s moon Europa, and still more wonders beyond. GO Arena: Johnny Mercer BBC Four, 9.00pm The American lyricist, singer and songwriter Johnny Mercer is the subject of this lengthy yet cleverly conceived documentary, the second of three music films made by Clint Eastwood and Arena. Using some terrific footage and drawing on the contributions of Eastwood, Tony Bennett and Julie Andrews, among others, it traces Mercer’s early life in Georgia through his singing career and subsequent success as a songwriter with compositions for musicals and Hollywood films.

His output spanned five decades and included Moon River and the theme for Breakfast at Tiffany’s. As if that wasn’t enough, he also co-founded Capitol Records (where he signed Nat King Cole). The film goes on to examine the influence and legacy of a man described as a “colossus of American music” and “Mr Americana”. In an archive interview with Humphrey Lyttelton, Mercer revealingly talks of his love of Gilbert and Sullivan and J B Priestley. Naturally, with the highs came the lows and Mercer suffered a drink problem and a doomed infatuation with Judy Garland. Ultimately, though, as Eastwood says, “Mercer may not be a household name today but his songs… are part of everyone.” SH The South Bank Show Revisited ITV1, 10.15pm Lord Bragg dusts off some more old footage from the South Bank Show vaults, this time of Scottish comedian Billy Connolly. One of the few acts to be profiled twice by the show, in his 1979 heyday and also in 1992, the best material by far comes from the earlier programme which reveals what an amazing comic powerhouse Connolly once was.

GO Are Christians Being Persecuted? BBC One, 10.50pm Much has been made in the media lately of the ever-advancing tide of secularism in the UK. In this one-hour Easter special Nicky Campbell investigates whether Christianity really is being pushed to the margins, with the help of, among others, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster; Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi; Shami Chakrabarti, director of Liberty; and Polly Toynbee, President of the National Secular Society. GO EASTER MONDAY 5 APRIL CRITIC'S CHOICE: Van Gogh: Painted with Words BBC One, 5.10pm For the many who won’t have been able to squeeze in to see the exhibition of Van Gogh’s paintings and letters currently showing at the Royal Academy in London, this excellent drama documentary of Van Gogh’s life and work comes as a superb replacement — with the added treat of Benedict Cumberbatch (Stuart: a Life Backwards) vividly bringing Van Gogh to impassioned, blue-eyed life.

Presented by Alan Yentob, who co-adapted the letters for this dramatisation, the feature-length film elegantly weaves a biography of Van Gogh’s short and extraordinary artistic career (he learnt to draw from a manual at the age of 30) around Cumberbatch’s charismatic enacting of his letters to Theo (Jamie Parker), his younger and significantly more stable brother. “This is Vincent thinking aloud, taking us through his life step by step, documenting his struggles as an artist and as a man,” Yentob says of the letters. It’s remarkable to see how, even as Van Gogh experiences ever greater mental anguish, he remains exquisitely articulate and lucid in writing, throwing himself into his art (and an affair with a prostitute) with the same ardour with which he briefly trained to become a minister. RC West End Story: What Nancy, Joseph and Maria Did Next BBC One, 4.10pm Documentary tracing what happened next after Jodie Prenger, Lee Mead and Connie Fisher each won their respective Andrew Lloyd Webber-chaired TV talent contests to land the leads in three West End musicals.

RC University Challenge BBC Two, 8.00pm It’s another varsity match in the final of the university general knowledge competition, with St John’s, Oxford and Emmanuel, Cambridge facing each other. RC A Touch of Frost ITV1, 9.00pm The concluding part of the last ever case for DI Frost (David Jason). Will the inspector sail off into the sunset or meet a violent end? ITV were tight-lipped at the time of going to press. RC Channel 4’s Comedy Gala Channel 4, 9.00pm This stand-up comedy show at the O2 Arena in London features a barnstorming roll-call of British comedians all stepping up to the mic in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity. The bill includes Alan Carr, Bill Bailey, Catherine Tate, David Mitchell, The Fonejacker, Jack Dee, Jo Brand, Lee Evans, Michael McIntyre, Noel Fielding, Patrick Kielty, Rich Hall, Rob Brydon and Shappi Khorsandi. If you can’t find somebody in that list who makes you laugh, it’s possible that you have, indeed, had all your funny bones surgically removed.

RC The Pacific Sky Movies Premiere/SMPHD, 9.00pm Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks achieved something quite magnificent with their 2001 miniseries Band of Brothers and now they are attempting to do the same with a vivid, full-on account of America’s Pacific campaign in the Second World War. Tom Hanks said recently that he hoped the 10-part series (the first two parts of which are shown tonight) would offer the chance to ponder the sacrifices of the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. It’s an interesting point because the Pacific war has certain things in common with those conflicts, having been fought by isolated groups of men in an environment that was quite alien. Based on first-person accounts of the war, the series follows the 1st Marine division from their first beach landing at Guadalcanal onwards through an increasingly brutal campaign. In essence it relies on the stories of three marines, PFC Robert Leckie (James Badge Dale), PFC Eugene Sledge (Joe Mazzello) and Sergeant John Basilone (John Seda), to guide us through a highly authentic and technically superb portrayal of conflict. The Pacific is raw, poignant and affecting.

Whether it hits the heights of Band of Bothers or Generation Kill we shall see. SH The Orphans Who Survived the Concentration Camps BBC One, 10.15pm; NI, 10.45pm A remarkable documentary about 300 Jewish orphans who, having survived the Nazi ghettos and extermination camps in the Second World War, were taken by the RAF’s Stirling Squadron to Windermere. There, they were housed and fed at a disused factory, in the care of local volunteers, before being found homes in Britain and abroad. Fifty-five years on, survivors and local residents recall, in this moving film, the strangeness of two such disparate worlds colliding. One survivor, Arek Hersh, recounts the thrill of hurtling around the countryside on a bicycle in his underpants, in the days before clothes were found for Windermere’s new arrivals. RC BBC News - Obituary: Harry Carpenter Obituary: Harry Carpenter Advertisement The BBC's Andy Swiss looks back at the career of Harry Carpenter, who has died at the age of 84 For millions of television viewers, Harry Carpenter's boxing match commentary was an essential ringside ingredient.

Born in 1925 at South Norwood in south-east London, he acquired his interest in boxing from his father, who was the vice-president of an amateur club. He won a place at grammar school, but left when he was 15 and secured a foothold in journalism when he joined The Greyhound Express. Iron Curtain After wartime service in the Royal Navy as a Morse code operator, he worked on several newspapers before joining the Daily Mail as boxing columnist. In 1949, Carpenter offered his services to the BBC as a boxing commentator, but because there was no relevant footage to hand at his audition, he had to provide a commentary for a football match instead. Expert of the blow-by-blow account He heard nothing for months, until the head of outside broadcasts, Peter Dimmock, phoned him to ask whether he could fill in as commentator for an amateur boxing night. Harry Carpenter proved himself adept at commentating on a host of other sporting events, but it was always boxing with which he was most closely associated.

His first fight commentary for the BBC was in 1949 and in the next decade, he was responsible for the first live commentary from behind the Iron Curtain in 1957 and the first via satellite from the United States. 'Poignant moment' For much of the 1970s and 80s, Carpenter co-hosted the Sports Personality of the Year programme, having first contributed in 1958. He was "flattered and pleased" that he was asked to pay tribute to the Sports Personality of the Century, Muhammad Ali. With Sports Personality of the Century Ali "It was a wonderfully poignant moment," Carpenter reflected. "He is not only the most remarkable sports personality I have ever met, he is the most remarkable man I have ever met." His forthright presentational style and his ability to make light of technical errors or laugh at his own mistakes endeared him to the British public, but were clearly admired on the other side of the Atlantic, too. In December 1989, Harry Carpenter was named International Sportscaster of the Year by the American Sportscasters Association. That same year, in a magazine interview, he had criticised the way he believed money had spoiled sport.

'Know what I mean, 'Arry?' He complained of lower standards of sportsmanship, and said tennis was sometimes "totally distasteful". He did not like life in Britain, either; he believed the country had become "rude, dirty and dangerous". Having covered several Olympic boxing tournaments and most of the big professional title fights over several decades, Harry Carpenter got to know several of the champions. But the relationship that proved most entertaining for the onlooker was that with Frank Bruno, whose "know what I mean, 'Arry?" became a catchphrase. 'Arry with his sparring partner Bruno But Harry Carpenter acknowledged that, morally, boxing was a sport which was "very difficult to defend", although it had become more humane in his time, with referees stopping fights earlier. After being retired for nearly a decade, Carpenter made his BBC comeback in April 2001, when he provided expert analysis of Lennox Lewis's defence of his world heavyweight title against Hasim Rahman. Harry Carpenter surmised that other people's suggested epitaph for him might be "they stopped him talking at last". But his voice was one of authority that will echo down the years whenever people review the great days of boxing.

Bookmark with: BBC - iWonder - Muhammad Ali: The ultimate fighter Muhammad Ali: The ultimate fighter 17 January 1942 4 June 2016Muhammad Ali dies The Greatest Muhammad Ali was a fighter all his life, both in and out of the ring. He initially found fame as a champion boxer, celebrated for his unorthodox ring style and witty talk before, during, and after fights. But Ali’s charisma and commitment to social and political causes saw him transcend boxing to become one of the most famous people on the planet, at a time when black people lacked basic civil rights in America. Discover how Ali became a modern icon. 17 January 1942 Cassius Clay at the age of 12. Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Clay Jr in Louisville, Kentucky. His father was a sign painter and his mother a part-time cook and cleaner for wealthy families. Although they lived in a middle-class black neighbourhood, Kentucky law enforced a code of racial segregation that precluded black people from using many of the same public facilities as their white neighbours.

The indignities forced on Clay and his family, as well as national outrages such as the racially-motivated murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till in 1955, deeply troubled Clay from an early age. When he was a child he never sat still. He walked and talked and did everything before his time. Odessa Grady Clay, Muhammad Ali's mother 17 January 1954 You need to have JavaScript enabled to view this clip. Clay talks about meeting Joe Martin, the man who introduced him to boxing. When Clay was 12 years old, his parents bought him a bike for his birthday. It was stolen while he was at a local fair. Furious, Clay went to report the theft to a local policeman named Joe Martin. Martin was a boxing instructor as well as an officer. As Clay threatened to find and beat up the thief, Martin suggested he learn how to fight before dishing out threats. Martin became Clay’s first trainer. Clay soon won an array of titles on the amateur boxing circuit under Martin's guidance. Getty Clay on the podium after receiving his gold medal in Rome. At 18, Clay qualified for the Olympics in Rome.

He charmed the world media and proved popular among his fellow athletes. He proved himself in the ring too, winning gold as a light-heavyweight. Clay was famously proud of his medal, wearing it constantly during his stay in Italy and on his return to the United States. He was honoured with a victory parade in his home town of Louisville but was later refused service in a whites-only diner and other public facilities. The segregation laws still applied to him – Olympic champion or not. Boxing is a lot of white men watching two black men beat each other up. Muhammad Ali Getty Henry Cooper in the ring with Cassius Clay. Eight weeks after his victory in Rome, Clay won his first professional bout. All the trademarks of his unorthodox style were on display. Clay had immense confidence in his speed and agility, often leaving his guard down and leaning back to avoid punches. Clay's showmanship was also evident in early bouts, as he dazzled media and fans with his bravado and predicted the round in which his fights would end. He faced tough opponents, including popular Englishman Henry Cooper, who knocked him down with a powerful left hook. But Clay maintained an unblemished ring record. He would soon prove himself against his toughest opponent yet.

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. Ali on his famous style February 1964 You need to have JavaScript enabled to view this clip. Clay becomes world heavyweight champion. Up next was world heavyweight champion Sonny Liston. Liston was the 7-to-1 betting favourite over Clay. Clay caused chaos at the weigh-in, lunging at Liston and yelling as the press looked on in disbelief. Many wrote him off as a madman and Liston was confident his power and experience would be enough to defeat the young upstart. But that night, Clay used deft footwork and impressive hand speed to outpace his opponent, inflicting cuts under Liston’s eyes. After the sixth round, Liston retired claiming an injured shoulder. Clay had beaten the odds to become heavyweight champion of the world. I shook up the world! I shook up the world! Muhammad Ali on beating Sonny Liston 6 March 1964 You need to have JavaScript enabled to view this clip. Muhammad Ali announces his name to the press. Speculation about Clay's religious beliefs had been fuelled by his relationship with black civil rights leader and Nation of Islam member Malcolm X.

After defeating Liston, Clay publicly acknowledged he was a member of the religious movement. In March, he was given the name Muhammad Ali by his spiritual mentor, Elijah Muhammad. Ali accepted the group's controversial doctrine, including a call for apartheid between the races. It made him a pariah in some circles but, for many, he was a symbol of black pride, refusing to play the role of the 'compliant negro' in order to gain acceptance from the white establishment. Cassius Clay is a slave name. I didn't choose it and I don't want it. I am Muhammad Ali. Muhammad Ali Getty Images Muhammad Ali stands over Sonny Liston after the first-round knockout in 1965. In 1964, Cassius Clay “shook up the world” by defeating Sonny Liston to become world heavyweight champion. Liston’s loss was put down to overconfidence, injury or a possible mafia fix. The 1965 rematch (with Clay now going by the name Muhammad Ali) was to prove equally controversial. The bout lasted a mere 100 seconds as Liston fell to an Ali punch delivered with such speed, many at ringside missed it.

Accusations swirled that Liston 'took a dive' to satisfy mafia gambling debts, or in response to Nation of Islam threats. Neither was proven, and opinion remained divided over whether it was a fix. You need to have JavaScript enabled to view this clip. News report on Muhammad Ali's convicted for draft evasion. As war unfolded in Vietnam, Ali received a notice drafting him into the US Army. His next fight would be in a courtroom, rather than a boxing ring. Ali objected to serving in the military because of his religious beliefs. He also referenced the mistreatment of black Americans, saying he refused to co-operate with the US government in oppressing another race of people. He was stripped of his championship, indicted for draft evasion, fined $10,000 and sentenced to five years in prison. But he did not serve time and his conviction was overturned on appeal. At this time, Ali toured colleges and spoke out on various social and political issues. I will not disgrace my religion, my people or myself by becoming a tool to enslave those who are fighting for their own justice, freedom and equality.

Muhammad Ali's public statement on his opposition to the Vietnam war Around this time… 'The Fight of the Century' Getty Joe Frazier defeats Muhammad Ali in Madison Square Gardens, 1971. In 1970, Ali returned to boxing, knocking out Jerry Quarry and Oscar Bonavena. Next up was Joe Frazier, who had become the heavyweight champion. Frazier and Ali clashed over more than just the title. To Frazier’s dismay, the two men became symbols and proxy warriors for opposing social, political, and religious beliefs. Ali, an outspoken advocate of black self-realisation, dismissed Fraizer in pre-fight interviews as an 'Uncle Tom'. Their fight at Madison Square Garden was watched by millions of people in America and around the world. Frazier won a unanimous 15-round decision – it was Ali’s first professional loss. I’ve tussled with a whale, I done handcuffed lightning and throw thunder in jail! Muhammad Ali on his preparation before facing George Foreman for 'Rumble in the Jungle' Around this time… 'The Rumble in the Jungle' You need to have JavaScript enabled to view this clip. Ali's pre-match interview before his fight with George Foreman.

Ali had a chance to reclaim his title in Zaire against a new world champion: the hard-hitting heavyweight George Foreman. Again, Ali entered the ring as a 3-to-1 underdog. But in front of 80,000 fans, he unveiled a new tactic – the ‘rope-a-dope’. Leaning back against the ropes, Ali avoided most punches to the head and absorbed punishing body blows before counter-attacking with straight right hands. In the middle rounds, Foreman tired. In round eight, Ali launched a powerful combination that knocked the champion to the canvas. "Oh my God," said BBC commentator Harry Carpenter, "he's won the world title back at 32.” I don't call him the best boxer of all time, but he's the greatest human being I ever met. George Foreman, on Muhammad Ali 10 December 1974 The champion honoured Getty Ali receiving the Medal of Freedom in 2005, and advising President Bush not to take him on in a fight. Ali has been the recipient of a myriad of honours, in appreciation of his lifelong fight for civil rights and religious freedoms.

In 2005, Ali was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honour that can be bestowed on a civilian in America. Although he did not speak, Ali's sense of humour was still on full display. When President Bush threw a mock punch at the former champion, Ali twirled a finger round his head to indicate he would be crazy to take him on in a fight. That same year saw the opening of the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, a non-profit museum celebrating Ali's life and achievements. A legend in his lifetime Getty Muhammad Ali at the Olympic Games in London, 2012. Over 50 years after his first attendance at the Olympic Games in Rome, Ali made a poignant return to the world stage. At the 2012 Olympics in London, Ali was designated as an honorary flag bearer. Although his frail physical condition prevented him from carrying the flag, he stood for part of the ceremony with the support of his wife, Lonnie. Ali's appearance was rapturously received by fans in the packed stadium and around the world. It was a fitting tribute to one of the greats of sporting history whose remarkable life transcended the ropes of the boxing ring.

Muhammad Ali dies Muhammad Ali was regarded as the greater boxer of all time. Muhammad Ali was a legendary boxer and one of the greats of sporting history. His impact was felt far beyond the confines of the boxing ring. He lost some of the best years of his sporting career after refusing, on principle, to fight for America in the Vietnam War. Beyond the ring, he will be remembered for his belief in social justice and support for Black civil rights. Truly a cultural icon, Ali’s passion, skill, intelligence and wit gave him a global appeal unmatched by few, if any, other sporting figures and inspired millions.

Question: 'When Harry Met Ali' was a TV tribute to which commentator who died in March?
Answer: HARRY CARPENTER