Sporting Witness

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Manchester City supporters became famous for an unusual sight on the terraces: inflatable bananas. What began as a light-hearted joke soon turned into one of the most memorable fan crazes in English football.

Uma Doraiswamy tells the story of football, terrace culture and one of the game’s most unlikely symbols. She speaks to former Manchester City striker Imre Varadi, whose name became intertwined with the phenomenon and also hears from Dr Gary James, a lifelong City supporter who was among the first to embrace the fruity craze.

Together they recall how thousands of the inflatable fruits appeared on the terraces, why the trend caught on, and how it became part of Manchester City’s history. They also reflect on the humour, loyalty and sense of community that defined football fandom before the Premier League era.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You’ll hear from people who have achieved sporting immortality, or those who were there as incredible sporting moments unfolded.

Recent episodes explore the forgotten football Women’s World Cup, the plasterer who fought a boxing legend, international football’s biggest ever beating and the man who swam the Amazon river. We look at the lives of some of the most famous F1 drivers, tennis players and athletes as well as people who’ve had ground-breaking impact in their chosen sporting field, including: the most decorated Paralympian, the woman who was the number 1 squash player in the world for nine years, and the first figure skater to wear a hijab. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the tennis player who escaped the Nazis, how a man finally beat a horse in a race, and how the FIFA computer game was created.

(Photo: Football fans at Manchester City match with inflatable bananas. Credit: Glenn Copus/ANL/Shutterstock)

In 1998, Australia's cricket captain Mark Taylor declared on 334 against Pakistan, equalling Sir Donald Bradman's highest Test score. Taylor decided to stop batting rather than surpass Bradman's feat, putting his team first and their chance to win, before his own personal ambition.

Everyone had an opinion on what he should do - carry on batting and become Australia's highest test scoring batsman or declare and put Pakistan in to bat. He tells Uma Doraiswamy about the sleepless night he had coming to his decision.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You’ll hear from people who have achieved sporting immortality, or those who were there as incredible sporting moments unfolded.

Recent episodes explore the forgotten football Women’s World Cup, the plasterer who fought a boxing legend, international football’s biggest ever beating and the man who swam the Amazon river. We look at the lives of some of the most famous F1 drivers, tennis players and athletes as well as people who’ve had ground-breaking impact in their chosen sporting field, including: the most decorated Paralympian, the woman who was the number 1 squash player in the world for nine years, and the first figure skater to wear a hijab. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the tennis player who escaped the Nazis, how a man finally beat a horse in a race, and how the FIFA computer game was created.

(Photo: Mark Taylor congratulated by his team after his unbeaten 334 against Pakistan in 1998. Credit: Usman Khan/AFP via Getty Images)

In 2015, Julius Yego made history by becoming the first Kenyan to win a World Championship gold medal in a field event. Nicknamed Mr YouTube Man, Yego taught himself the javelin by watching online videos having struggled to find coaching or training facilities in Kenya - a country better known for producing distance-running champions.

Against the odds, his remarkable talent took him from training with sticks in his home village of Cheptonon to standing top of the podium at the World Athletics Championships in Beijing with a throw of 92.72 metres - the third longest in history at that time.

Yego recalls the determination, setbacks and self-belief that powered his extraordinary journey. He tells his unconventional story to Hunter Charlton. An Ember production.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You’ll hear from people who have achieved sporting immortality, or those who were there as incredible sporting moments unfolded.

Recent episodes explore the forgotten football Women’s World Cup, the plasterer who fought a boxing legend, international football’s biggest ever beating and the man who swam the Amazon river. We look at the lives of some of the most famous F1 drivers, tennis players and athletes as well as people who’ve had ground-breaking impact in their chosen sporting field, including: the most decorated Paralympian, the woman who was the number 1 squash player in the world for nine years, and the first figure skater to wear a hijab. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the tennis player who escaped the Nazis, how a man finally beat a horse in a race, and how the FIFA computer game was created.

(Photo: Julius Yego in the Men's Javelin Final at the World Athletics Championships Beijing 2015. Credit: Ian Walton/Getty Images)

In the 1990s Magi Haroun became the first female football photographer in the Premier League.

She had begun her career in footballing photography in 1986 after growing up with close connections to Manchester United.

Her uncle was the club’s chairman from 1965 until 1980, and she had a good relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson during his tenure as manager.

She spoke to Tim O’Callaghan in 2025 about embarking on a career in a male-dominated field.

She also revealed the unlikely story of how she rescued a cat from Manchester United’s training ground.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You’ll hear from people who have achieved sporting immortality, or those who were there as incredible sporting moments unfolded.

Recent episodes explore the forgotten football Women’s World Cup, the plasterer who fought a boxing legend, international football’s biggest ever beating and the man who swam the Amazon river. We look at the lives of some of the most famous F1 drivers, tennis players and athletes as well as people who’ve had ground-breaking impact in their chosen sporting field, including: the most decorated Paralympian, the woman who was the number 1 squash player in the world for nine years, and the first figure skater to wear a hijab. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the tennis player who escaped the Nazis, how a man finally beat a horse in a race, and how the FIFA computer game was created.

(Photo: Magi at work. Credit: Handout via Magi Haroun)

The American swimmer Trischa Zorn-Hudson is the most decorated Paralympian in history.

Across seven games, Trischa, who was born blind, has won 55 medals.

In that time, she also saw the Paralympics go through drastic changes, as competitors campaigned to get similar privileges and rights as Olympic athletes.

In 2024, Trischa shared her memories with Matt Pintus.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You’ll hear from people who have achieved sporting immortality, or those who were there as incredible sporting moments unfolded.

Recent episodes explore the forgotten football Women’s World Cup, the plasterer who fought a boxing legend, international football’s biggest ever beating and the man who swam the Amazon river. We look at the lives of some of the most famous F1 drivers, tennis players and athletes as well as people who’ve had ground-breaking impact in their chosen sporting field, including: the most decorated Paralympian, the woman who was the number 1 squash player in the world for nine years, and the first figure skater to wear a hijab. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the tennis player who escaped the Nazis, how a man finally beat a horse in a race, and how the FIFA computer game was created.

(Photo: Trischa at the Sydney Paralympics in 2000. Credit: Scott Barbour/ALLSPORT via Getty Images)

On 5 June 1982, a teenage refugee from Vietnam became the first Rubik's Cube world champion. Representing the United States, 16-year-old Minh Thai took on contestants from 18 other countries at the championship in Hungary.

He made history by solving the cube in 22.95 seconds.

He tells Helen Ledwick about his first encounter with the iconic puzzle, his journey from Los Angeles to Budapest, and a last-minute obstacle that nearly stopped him from taking part.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You’ll hear from people who have achieved sporting immortality, or those who were there as incredible sporting moments unfolded.

Recent episodes explore the forgotten football Women’s World Cup, the plasterer who fought a boxing legend, international football’s biggest ever beating and the man who swam the Amazon river. We look at the lives of some of the most famous F1 drivers, tennis players and athletes as well as people who’ve had ground-breaking impact in their chosen sporting field, including: the most decorated Paralympian, the woman who was the number 1 squash player in the world for nine years, and the first figure skater to wear a hijab. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the tennis player who escaped the Nazis, how a man finally beat a horse in a race, and how the FIFA computer game was created.

(Picture: 1982 Rubik's Cube World Championship, Budapest, Hungary. Credit: Fortepan/Gabor Viktor)

In 1981, Norway pulled off one of the biggest shocks in football history, beating England 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier in Oslo.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You’ll hear from people who have achieved sporting immortality, or those who were there as incredible sporting moments unfolded.

Recent episodes explore the forgotten football Women’s World Cup, the plasterer who fought a boxing legend, international football’s biggest ever beating and the man who swam the Amazon river. We look at the lives of some of the most famous F1 drivers, tennis players and athletes as well as people who’ve had ground-breaking impact in their chosen sporting field, including: the most decorated Paralympian, the woman who was the number 1 squash player in the world for nine years, and the first figure skater to wear a hijab. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the tennis player who escaped the Nazis, how a man finally beat a horse in a race, and how the FIFA computer game was created.

(Photo: Norway v England 1981 in Oslo. Credit: Monte Fresco/Mirrorpix/Getty Images)

Alice Annum won two silver medals at the 1970 Commonwealth Games. It led to her becoming known as ‘Baby Jet’.

Years after her accomplishments the nickname ‘Baby Jet’ was taken on by the Ghanian footballer, Asamoah Gyan.

In 2024, She told Gill Kearsley the story of how she got, and reclaimed, her nickname.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You’ll hear from people who have achieved sporting immortality, or those who were there as incredible sporting moments unfolded.

Recent episodes explore the forgotten football Women’s World Cup, the plasterer who fought a boxing legend, international football’s biggest ever beating and the man who swam the Amazon river. We look at the lives of some of the most famous F1 drivers, tennis players and athletes as well as people who’ve had ground-breaking impact in their chosen sporting field, including: the most decorated Paralympian, the woman who was the number 1 squash player in the world for nine years, and the first figure skater to wear a hijab. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the tennis player who escaped the Nazis, how a man finally beat a horse in a race, and how the FIFA computer game was created.

(Photo: Alice Annum in 2024. Credit: Sally McBratney)

In the 1990s, the biggest clubs in English football decided to form a new league to bring in more revenue.

Spearheaded by the ‘big five’ of Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur, the top teams broke away from the Football League in 1992.

Backed by the Football Association, the Premier League began on the 15 August 1992, after securing a $500 million TV deal.

David Dein was the vice-chairman of Arsenal in 1992 and was one of the main drivers of the new league. He tells Tim O’Callaghan how it was done.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You’ll hear from people who have achieved sporting immortality, or those who were there as incredible sporting moments unfolded.

Recent episodes explore the forgotten football Women’s World Cup, the plasterer who fought a boxing legend, international football’s biggest ever beating and the man who swam the Amazon river. We look at the lives of some of the most famous F1 drivers, tennis players and athletes as well as people who’ve had ground-breaking impact in their chosen sporting field, including: the most decorated Paralympian, the woman who was the number 1 squash player in the world for nine years, and the first figure skater to wear a hijab. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the tennis player who escaped the Nazis, how a man finally beat a horse in a race, and how the FIFA computer game was created.

(Photo: Players from the 24 clubs in the new Premier League at the launch. Back row: David Hirst, Sheffield Wednesday; Lee Sharpe, Manchester United; Tony Daley, Aston Villa; Vinnie Jones, Chelsea; Mark Wright, Liverpool; John Wark, Ipswich Town; Tim Flowers, Southampton; Tim Sherwood, Blackburn Rovers. Middle row: Ian Brightwell, Manchester City; Ian Butterworth, Norwich City; Hans Segers, Wimbledon; Lee Hurst, Coventry City; Carl Bradshaw, Sheffield United; Gordon Durie, Tottenham Hotspur; David Hillier, Arsenal. Front row: Gary Charles, Nottingham Forest; Andy Ritchie, Oldham Athletic; John Salako, Crystal Palace; Andy Sinton, Queens Park Rangers; Alan Kernaghan, Middlesbrough; Gordon Strachan, Leeds United; Peter Beardsley, Everton. Credit: Sky Sports)

In 1983, Maini Schildt competed in the first Ultimate Frisbee World Championship in Gothenburg, Sweden. Maini was a teenager when, as part of the Finnish women's national team, she reached the final against the USA.

Ultimate Frisbee was developed in the late 1960s in the United States before spreading to Canada and beyond. Maini Schildt tells Maddy Savage how it felt to compete at the tournament, the first of its kind in the history of the sport. Produced by Carys Wall. A Bespoken Media production.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You’ll hear from people who have achieved sporting immortality, or those who were there as incredible sporting moments unfolded.

Recent episodes explore the forgotten football Women’s World Cup, the plasterer who fought a boxing legend, international football’s biggest ever beating and the man who swam the Amazon river. We look at the lives of some of the most famous F1 drivers, tennis players and athletes as well as people who’ve had ground-breaking impact in their chosen sporting field, including: the most decorated Paralympian, the woman who was the number 1 squash player in the world for nine years, and the first figure skater to wear a hijab. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the tennis player who escaped the Nazis, how a man finally beat a horse in a race, and how the FIFA computer game was created.

(Photo: The Finnish and American Ultimate Frisbee teams after the 1983 Ultimate Frisbee World Championship. Credit: Maini Schildt)