BBC viewers watching the 2024 Olympics have flooded social media with complaints after a mistake by commentator Ed Leigh after Toby Roberts won an incredible gold medal in the men’s combined climbing. Leigh caused uproar by mistakenly calling the national anthem ‘God Save the Queen’ after the podium ceremony on Friday.
Roberts clinched Team GB’s 14th gold in Paris by accumulating a score of 155.2, narrowly beating Japan’s Anraku Sorato – the event favourite.
Sorato, who went last, was on the verge of victory before losing his grip at the final moment, stunning the 6,000 spectators in attendance at Saint-Denis’ Le Bourget Climbing venue.
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Roberts joined compatriot Hamish McArthur as the first-ever British male climbers to compete at an Olympics. His gold was a sensational way to take home the nation’s inaugural medal in sport climbing.
But the 19-year-old’s emotional medal ceremony preceded a controversial moment during the BBC’s broadcast when Leigh gave the national anthem its dated name.
After Roberts stood proudly between Sorata and Austria’s Jakob Schubert to the tune of ‘God Save the King’, Leigh said: “Very stirring rendition of God Save the Queen.
“And in just his first full season of elite-level climbing, Toby Roberts has left his mark.
“A gold medal at the Olympics ahead of his arch-rival and good friend, Anraku Sorato, and one of the legends of the sport, Austria’s Jakob Schubert.”
‘God Save the Queen’ was Great Britain’s national anthem until September 2022, when Queen Elizabeth II passed away at the age of 96, ending a 70-year reign.
Her son, King Charles III, subsequently inherited the throne, with his wife, Camilla, named the Queen Consort.
After the unfortunate error, appalled BBC viewers were quick to take to X, formerly Twitter, to express their surprise and outrage.
@SusanneLowe17 wrote: “@BBCSportOlympic, if you’re going to present on TV, present correctly. When Toby Roberts stepped on the podium, the presenter said God Save the Queen when the national anthem was being played!”
Meanwhile, @causses70 said: “Someone, please inform the BBC commentator Mike Langley/Ed Leigh that the Queen died in 2022; therefore, it’s God Save the King.”
@twixPanther added: “Fantastic performance from Toby. A little surprised at the end when the BBC commentator referred to the rousing rendition of God Save the QUEEN.”
And @whugal complained: “Is it not high time the commentators on the #BBC #OlympicGames knew that it’s God Save the King? Our beautiful Queen has been gone long enough now… surely!”
The Beeb didn’t acknowledge the gaffe or apologise before coverage switched over from BBC One to BBC Two.
