Ted Lowe
{{Short description|English snooker commentator}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ted Lowe
MBE
| image = Ted Lowe.jpg
| caption = Lowe in 1982
| alt =
| birth_name = Edwin Charles Ernest Lowe
| birth_date = {{birth date|1920|11|01|df=y}}
| birth_place = Lambourn, Berkshire, England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2011|05|01|1920|11|01|df=y}}
| death_place = Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, England
| other_names = Whispering Ted Lowe
| known_for = Pot Black
| occupation = Snooker commentator
| spouse = Jean Lowe
| children = 2
}}
Edwin Charles Ernest Lowe{{Cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/the-new-year-honours-on-a-winning-streak-1527754.html |title="The New Year Honours: On a winning streak", The Independent (London), 30 December 1995 |website=Independent.co.uk |date=30 December 1995 |access-date=30 October 2017 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304090312/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/the-new-year-honours-on-a-winning-streak-1527754.html |url-status=live }} (1 November 1920{{spnd}}1 May 2011){{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/tv-radio-obituaries/8486822/Ted-Lowe.html |title=Ted Lowe |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=2 May 2011 |page=27 |access-date=2 April 2018 |archive-date=14 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514211326/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/tv-radio-obituaries/8486822/Ted-Lowe.html |url-status=live }} was an English snooker commentator for the BBC and ITV. His husky, hushed tones earned him the nickname "Whispering Ted".
Life and career
Born in Lambourn, Berkshire, Lowe was general manager of London's Leicester Square Hall, the home of professional billiards and snooker. He got his break one day when the BBC's regular commentator, Raymond Glendenning, was suffering from laryngitis.{{cite news |title='Whispering' Ted Lowe dies |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/whispering-ted-lowe-dies/story-e6frf9if-1226048267665?nk=7fd9eb6231ea20c6b509881474b6ba42 |work=Herald Sun |location=Melbourne |date=2 May 2011}} Because there was no commentary box, Lowe spoke in a whisper, which became his trademark.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2011/may/01/ted-lowe-obituary|title=Ted Lowe obituary|last=Everton|first=Clive|date=1 May 2011|work=The Guardian|access-date=19 April 2022}}
Lowe became the commentator for the snooker television show Pot Black in 1969 and went on to become the "voice of snooker" and led the commentary in many tournaments. He also commentated in what is generally regarded as snooker's greatest final, that between Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor in the 1985 World Snooker Championship.
Lowe occasionally uttered a gaffe on air; one of his most famous quotes being "and for those of you who are watching in black and white, the pink is next to the green."{{cite news |last=Oakes |first=Keily |title=Forty landmarks from BBC Two |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/3629569.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=19 April 2004 |access-date=3 May 2015 |archive-date=3 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203001111/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3629569.stm |url-status=live }} He once told viewers that Fred Davis, struggling to rest one leg on the edge of the table in order to reach a long shot, "is getting on a bit and is having trouble getting his leg over".{{cite news |last=Borg |first=Chris |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/blog/2005/aug/19/creamoftheco |title=Cream of the commentary crop |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=19 August 2005 |accessdate=10 May 2010 |archive-date=19 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140919095338/http://www.theguardian.com/news/blog/2005/aug/19/creamoftheco |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/editors-choice/2010/01/23/the-legends-behind-the-microphone-who-added-so-much-to-sporting-spectcles-86908-21989226/ |title=The legends behind the microphone who added so much to sporting spectacles |work=The Daily Record |location=Glasgow |date=23 January 2010 |accessdate=10 May 2010 |archive-date=25 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100125040030/http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/editors-choice/2010/01/23/the-legends-behind-the-microphone-who-added-so-much-to-sporting-spectcles-86908-21989226/ |url-status=live }}
Lowe retired after the 1996 World Snooker Championship final, although he briefly joined in the commentary for the 2005 World Snooker Championship final, where Shaun Murphy defeated Matthew Stevens. He also came out of retirement to commentate on the 1997 Pot Black Seniors tournament.
Lowe died, aged 90, following a short illness, in Bexhill-on-Sea, on the morning of the first session of the 2011 World Snooker Championship final.{{cite news |title=Snooker commentator 'Whispering' Ted Lowe dies at 90 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/snooker/13253010 |work=BBC News |date=1 May 2011 |access-date=12 February 2018 |archive-date=17 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150417110226/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/snooker/13253010 |url-status=live }}
Recalling Lowe after his death, seven-time World Champion Stephen Hendry, who was once described by Lowe as the "wonder bairn of Scotland", said: "I remember playing Junior Pot Black, I was only 12 and he was a complete gentleman. Me and my father were down there and he was so nice to us."
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Wikinews|British snooker commentator Ted Lowe dies aged 90}}
- {{IMDb name|1183955}}
- [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/ted-lowe-lsquowhispering-tedrsquo-the-voice-of-snooker-for-half-a-century-2278361.html Obituary in The Independent]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lowe, Ted}}
Category:BBC sports presenters and reporters
Category:English sports broadcasters