Jenny Jones: BBC reacts to 'inane' commentary charge

SNOWBOARDER Jenny Jones won Britain's first medal of the Winter Olympics on Sunday, but the hysterical reaction to her bronze in the women's slopestyle competition in Sochi has not gone down well with everyone and the BBC has been forced to apologise after more than 300 people complained about the coverage. Jones claimed Britain's first ever medal in a snow-based event (skier Alain Baxter had a bronze mendal rescinded in 2002 after failing a drugs test) when she came third in the snowboard event, prompting chaotic scenes in the BBC commentary box. BBC commentators Ed Leigh and Tim Warwood were joined by Jones's team-mate Aimee Fuller for the final, which attracted more than 3 million viewers on Sunday morning. However, their excited reaction to Jones's efforts did not go down well in some quarters. "Viewers complained that they cheered when Jones's competitors fell, and that the commentary was of a low standard," reports the BBC. "All three commentators began crying when it became clear that Jones had won a medal." There was also concern about the banter between the commentators. "Angry parents also called for the BBC to take action after the commentators made vulgar sexual innuendos during the programme, which was broadcast on Sunday morning," says the Daily Mail. As Jones waited for the judges scores after her run, Leigh exclaimed: "I can feel my pulse in my lower intestine." To which Warwood replied: "That's not your pulse, Ed." Some viewers expressed their frustration on Twitter. One branded them "hysterical idiots" and claimed they were "ruining the spectacle with streams [of] inane drivel". But others praised their efforts and said they had helped convey the excitement of the situation.

"We're only three days into Sochi, but the BBC's Winter Olympics commentary team is already in medal-winning form," noted The Guardian.

The BBC appeared to acknowledge the complaints on Monday and a spokesman said: "This was a truly historic occasion for Team GB and the commentary team were understandably very excited. However we acknowledge that on occasion this excitement got the better of them and this is something that we will work on for future events."

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