Brian Alexander Johnston 

24 June 1912 – 5 January 1994

Commentator 

Affectionately known as “Johnners” Brian Johnston is fondly remembered by a whole generation who grew up listening to his commentary on Test Match Special where he quickly became one the sport’s most beloved commentators. 

Born in Hertfordshire, Johnston’s father tragically died when Johnston was only ten years old in a drowning accident. Johnston attended Eton, where he played for the school’s 2^nd XI, before going on to study at New College, Oxford, where he continued to play for Oxford Authentics, Eton Ramblers and I Zingari. 

Following university, he joined the family’s coffee business which he admitted to not enjoying. He was initially based in Hamburg before spending 18 months in Santos, Brazil, returning home with illness. At the outbreak of the Second World War he signed up with the 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards and was trained at Sandhurst. He landed at Arromanches three weeks after D-Day and fought across the Rhine and on to Bremen and Hamburg. He was awarded the Military Cross for his actions as technical adjutant after the battalion crossed the Rhine.

Following the war he initially joined BBC Television thanks to his contacts in the military. His first commentary was the 1946 Lord’s Test Match between England and India. In 1963 he was made the BBC’s Cricket Correspondent and split his time between television and radio. In 1970 he was unexpectedly dropped from the BBC’s television commentary, this turned out to be radio’s gain and for the next 22 years was a core presence on Test Match Special. He introduced many of TMS’s ongoing traditions such as ending nicknames with “-ers” and listeners sending in cakes after he once complained about missing out on some during a tea break on air. 

Johnston was a popular commentator for his fun and infectious sense of humour. He was immortalised in radio history for breaking down laughing whilst on air with Jonathan Agnew for the infamous “couldn’t get his leg over” line. He presented many other programmes, the best-known being Down Your Way, where his 733rd and final episode was broadcast from Lord’s in 1987.