Sports and TV favourites

Dec 1 2007 by Liz Hands, The Journal

HAVING sifted through the top entertainers last week, The Journal is now looking for the top sports stars and TV programmes of our time.

Joining the debate on the streets of Newcastle, readers told us who their favourites are.

You can send in your suggestions for any of these topics and your top 10 Northerners by email, post or by voting on our website, www.journallive.co.uk

Angus Hails, 76, of Percy Main, North Shields, retired photographer.

Sports: “It has to be one of the Newcastle football players. I’ve enjoyed watching Alan Shearer and Peter Beardsley and I’ve been lucky enough to see Jackie Milburn. All three of these were real sportsman dedicated to football – which is more than we see nowadays.”

Steven Parry, 61, with Barbara Parry, 63, of Chapel House, both retired

Sports: “We both like Alan Shearer because he was a great footballer and he’s a local lad. But Mohammed Ali was probably my favourite. He was just a perfect athlete. He had such bravery and heart and he was articulate too.”

TV: We love the Planet Earth series and wildlife programmes. It’s amazing how they film it and they are so informative about environmental issues that people are really concerned about.”

Catriona Lindsay, 57, of Denton Burn, catering manager for Newcastle City Council

Sports: “I used to really like Daley Thompson, because some people have this charisma about them and he had that. And of course I like David Beckham because he is a nice-looking man.” TV: “I loved Porridge, because Ronnie Barker played a kind of loveable rogue and that’s what I imagined prison to be like.”

Iain Maberly, 46, of Victoria Avenue, Whitley Bay, roofing contractor

TV: “I love old British comedies because they suit my sense of humour. Fawlty Towers, The Likely Lads, Alf Garnett in Till Death Us Do Part, they are all incredibly funny.”

Laura Doherty, 19, of Stoddart Street, Newcastle, psychology student with Monica Podder, 19, of Stoddart Street, Newcastle, psychology student

TV: “Our favourite programme is Hollyoaks because you can really relate to it and there a lot of young people in it. We also like MTV and the music channels.”

Mark Pierce, 48, community development worker, of Whitley Bay

Sports: “I love Steven Gerrard, but my real hero is Neville Southall, the Everton goalkeeper. He was a fantastic sportsman, and a great goalkeeper.

TV: “I like a lot of the American comedies like Frasier, but there used to be some excellent local dramas like Our Friends in the North, which I followed quite a lot.

Peter Harrison, 44, of Simonside Terrace, Heaton, actor

Sports: “Mohammed Ali – I met him when he was in Newcastle in 1977. It was only brief but he was incredible. He shook my hand and said he was pleased to meet me – and I genuinely felt like he was.”