A Very British Olympics (19th Oct 2005)

Dominic Sutherland, producer of a new BBC documentary about the 1948 Olympics ‘A Very British Olympics’, tells the story of London's desperate race to stage the first post-war Games since the Nazi Olympiad of 1936. Although there was a great sense of excitement the Organising Committee had only 2 years to prepare for the Games and food and accommodation were also in short supply. In fact, countries were also encouraged to bring their own food and those that could afford this, were asked to donate supplies to other nations.

For the Games, female athletes had to make their own uniforms, boxers had a diet of custard and jelly to get fit, the British track team trained at Butlins, the British flag for the Opening Ceremony went missing and gymnastics equipment had to be borrowed from abroad. Despite all this, the Games were a great success!

The undoubted star of the Games was Dutch housewife and mother of two, Fanny Blankers-Koen, the first woman to win four gold medals at an Olympics. America topped the medal table with 38 golds, Sweden was second with 16 and France third with 10. Britain only won three golds, finishing twelfth overall.

For more info on ‘A Very British Olympics’ programme log on to www.bbc.co.uk or watch the documentary with RealPlayer at www.bbc.co.uk/tv

Tuesday 18 October 2005 (BBC4 BST)
9pm-10pm
12.55am-1.55am

Sunday 23 October (BBC4 BST)
8.05pm-9.05pm
11.30pm-12.30am
3.20am-4.20am