Amol Rajan

Get this on your telly box immediately. Millions of your fellow citizens are doing precisely that. And do you know this one? Guesses in the comments. Follow your instinct, not the herd! 📺🙋🏽‍♂️❓

I grew up playing village cricket; village cricket is the summit of human civilisation; this minute is the summit of village cricket. It follows that this little episode, via Stephen McCartney a few years ago, is as good as it gets for our species. Particularly the act of forgiveness and solidarity when the bowler raises his hand 29 seconds in. Watch until the end. 💪🏾🏏

I really thought I should calm down and sleep on it before expressing my nuanced thoughts on the thuggery of the Argentina players after the final whistle (never mind before) on football’s biggest stage. So I did that. And now I can’t help but wonder if criminal prosecutions or a ban for life may be in order. Not least for lovely Mr Paredes. What a disgrace. Think of all the kids watching!

After this morning, I’m down to single digits. I have fewer than 10 shows left. Over 5 and a half years, save for a few paternity leave runs, this has been my morning commute. On more than 400 occasions, I guess, the same routine: slink out of bed, dimly aware that I didn’t really sleep at all, greet the wood-pecker between my eyes, bosh a few pain-killers, quick shower, try not to wake anyone, oh dear, I can hear crying, can I fix this?, was that a mouse?, oh dear, into the cab. First 10mins t

As a bowler, he floated (as CMJ said of Bishen Bedi) to the crease with the grace of a passing cloud, whether to unleash hellish pace, delicious wrist-spin, or a mischievous flick of his fingers to make it go the other way. Alongside Sydney Barnes, he had a strong claim to be the most complete bowler of them all. As a batsman, he had a flourish none before had come close to, and all who followed sought to emulate. Viv Richards was his aesthetic off-spring; Brian Lara too, a generation later. As

My goodness, how have I only just seen this? William Bellingham, grandfather of Jude, appeared on Mastermind in 1987, and was quite phenomenal. So that’s one partial explanation of where Jude Bellingham gets his mega brains from. Much like his grandson, he maintains ridiculously high standards right until the last. Via our friends at Mastermind. 📺🙋🏽‍♂️❓

Can’t, and won’t, stop re-watching this. Yesterday I recorded the Desert Island Discs of a remarkable man with Stage 4 Cancer. His son and wife sat in. Tears were shed, not least by me. It prompted me to go back and look at this clip. Liverpool and England legend Jordan Henderson’s Dad had throat cancer and told his son not to see him while he received treatment. Brian Henderson is still going strong today (this was 2019). I’ve hugged a parent in the same way for similar reasons and I just canno

Do you know this one? Guesses in the Comments, please. Answer tonight at 20.30 on @BBC iPlayer and BBC Two. #UniversityChallenge

NEW SERIES! Britain’s brightest and best are back on your telly box tonight. This is a truly magnificent new series of our best TV programme and longest-running TV quiz which you would be quite mad to miss. A gentle warning, though: this content is highly addictive! Especially because of the irresistible charm of the competitors, who I so adore and admire. 20.30 tonight, see you there. 📺❓🙋🏽‍♂️

Just the most monumental privilege to sit with my brother-in-law among so many luminaries at @wimbledon yesterday, and to get so close to Tennis of that astonishing calibre. Thank you, thank you, thank you to the AELTC and its mighty Chair Debbie Jevans. Somehow no matter how much world-class Sport you’re privileged to witness, nothing prepares you for the proximity and sheer kinetic grace of the action at Centre Court. It feels like you can reach out and touch the action - because you can. What