Latest news with #London2012
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Danny Boyle reveals his London 2012 regret
Danny Boyle still has one big regret about the opening ceremony of London 2012. The 68-year-old filmmaker devised and directed Isles of Wonder, the opening ceremony of the London Olympics, which featured nods to James Bond, Queen Elizabeth, the National Health Service, and William Shakespeare - but Danny regrets that the BBC wasn't a bigger part of the production. Speaking to the Guardian newspaper, Danny explained: "My biggest regret was that we didn't feature the BBC more. "I was stopped from doing it because it was the host broadcaster. Every other objection, I told them to go f*** themselves. But that one I accepted and I regret that now, especially given the way that technology is moving. "The idea that we have a broadcaster that is part of our national identity but is also trusted around the world and that can't be bought, can't be subsumed into Meta or whatever, feels really precious. So yeah, if I was doing it again I'd big up the BBC big time. Everything else I'd do exactly the same." Danny is well-known for directing movies such as Trainspotting, 28 Days Later, and Slumdog Millionaire. But the acclaimed director admits to being contradictory in his approach to life and filmmaking. He explained: "The last time Lou Reed spoke in public, he said: 'I want to blow it all up,' because he was still a punk at heart. And if you can embrace that spirit, it keeps you in a fluid, changeable state that's more important than having some fixed place where you belong. So, I do try to carry those values and keep that kind of faith. "Not that my work is truly revolutionary or radical. I mean, I'm not smashing things to pieces. I value the popular audience. I believe in popular entertainment. I want to push the boat out, but take the popular audience with me." Asked if his approach is contradictory, Danny replied: "Yeah, of course it is. But I've found a way to resolve it – in my own mind, at least."
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sir Bradley Wiggins 'lucky to be here' after cocaine addiction
Sir Bradley Wiggins has revealed he became a cocaine addict after his cycling career ended and is "lucky to be here". The 45-year-old, who won the 2012 Tour de France and five Olympic gold medals during an illustrious career, said his two children wanted to put him in rehab because they feared the habit could kill him. The star of London 2012 said he has been clean for 12 months, has regular therapy sessions, and feels "a lot more at peace" with himself. He told The Observer there were times his son "thought I was going to be found dead in the morning". "I was a functioning addict," he said. "People wouldn't realise. I was high most of the time for many years. "I was walking a tightrope. I realised I had a huge problem. I had to stop. I'm lucky to be here." Since ending his career in 2016, Sir Bradley has spoken about his father's jealousy and being groomed by a coach as a child. Sir Bradley, who was declared bankrupt last year, said disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong helped his recovery, including offering to pay for therapy. Read more on Sky News:Innocent man freed after 38 years in jailMP charged with sex assaults Speaking to Cycling Weekly, he said his addiction "was a way of easing that pain that I lived with". "I'm still figuring a lot of this out but what I have got is a lot more control of myself and my triggers; I'm a lot more at peace with myself now which is a really big thing," he said.
CTV News
12-05-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
Former Regina mayor inducted to Boxing Canada Hall of Fame
Former Regina Mayor Pat Fiacco is Boxing Canada's newest Hall of Fame inductee entering in the builder category. Fiacco's career in the sport has spanned three decades, first as a competitor, later as an official and judge. His career began at the Regina Boxing Club where he'd enjoy a lot of success, including winning the 1980 Canadian Intermediate Bantamweight Championship. When his in-ring career came to a close, he looked for other ways to give back to the sport, which led him to officiating and judging. Fiacco served as an official on the world stage on several occasions, including two Pan American Games, four Commonwealth Games, eight Elite World Championships, two Junior/Youth World Championships and two Olympic Games including Athens in 2004 and London in 2012. 'It feels great. It doesn't happen to everybody. I'm very fortunate. Over 50 years I've been involved in this sport and my family has sacrificed the most so it's thanks to them and it feels good,' said Fiacco, adding that he didn't get into officiating or judging in the hopes of getting a call to the Hall. Fiacco served as Boxing Canada's president from 2012 to 2020. The induction ceremony happened Friday, May 9 at the Conexus Arts Centre during intermission of the Battle of the Prairies 19. Fiacco was Regina's mayor from 2000 to 2012.
Telegraph
19-03-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
My first London home: Sir Ben Ainslie
My first name isn't Ben. [He was born Charles Benedict Ainslie.] Sailing was a huge part of my family's life growing up. My father, Roddy, skippered a boat in the Whitbread Round the World race, the first-ever crewed round the world race in 1972. Hearing the stories from that race and his many other experiences was the key influence in getting me out on the water. In sailing, Sir Robin Knox-Johnson is someone I admire. He was the first person to single-handedly sail non-stop around the world in 1969 with none of the technology we have nowadays. We've become good friends over the years and he's a great inspiration. In terms of other sports, Roger Federer is a brilliant example of how I think athletes should carry themselves both in and out of a competition. 'Never give up' is the best advice I've ever received and it was from my father. It was way back in my junior sailing days. I've been fortunate to be involved in some truly amazing sporting moments. The two that stand out most for me are London 2012 and winning the America's Cup. I won my final Olympic gold medal in front of a home crowd, it was a special Olympics for the country and Team GB, and with that came high pressure, so to pull that off is one I won't ever forget. The other was winning the America's Cup with Oracle Team USA. We were 8-1 down and turned things around to win 8-9 in what many call the great comeback in sport, it was an unbelievable experience. My first London home was in Hampton Court. I currently live in Wimbledon Village. Wimbledon has a great vibe and sense of community. The Common is great for family walks. We love going to the Light on the Common, the River Café near Hammersmith and Scott's in Mayfair is a serious treat. My daughter Bellatrix is my biggest supporter but also my most vocal performance analyst. She is always the first to tell me if I didn't win the race. She's very competitive, I have no idea where she gets it from. At the moment, we have the Emirates GBR SailGP Team which is currently topping the SailGP Leaderboard after two events of the 14-event global season, and we have the Athena Pathway Team, which is creating pathways for diverse and underrepresented athletes into sailing – including having a team in last year's Women's America's Cup Team. Finally, with Athena Racing we're also the official British challenger for the next America's Cup – so lots on! If you're looking to improve your sailing, find a good group to train with, so that you can push each other to get better with great coaching. Make sure you put the time and effort in to achieve your goals. There's a great saying that 'luck is preparation looking for an opportunity', and I very much believe that to be true.
