THE CATFLAP CHINWAG WITH...

Manish Bhasin

 

Do you feel honoured to be among celebrity Leicester fans Kasabian, Willie Thorne and Englebert Humpedink?

(laughing) I find the whole celebrity thing a bit odd, I certainly don't put myself in that category! But I was on the Leicester pitch at half time recently, we were having our own crossbar challenge and I was on with Kasabian, Muzzy Izzet, and get this... Ian Beale's twin son! Who apparently is a big Leicester fan.

 

Another A-list Leicester fan then...

 

Yeah he had a screamer, he hit the crossbar about three times! The best I got was hitting the ball boy on the back of the head when he was under the crossbar!

 

So do you play much?

Yeah he had a screamer, he hit the crossbar about three times! The best I got was hitting the ball boy on the back of the head when he was under the crossbar!

 

What about Lawrenson? Are his jokes as bad off air as on?

Yeah. He thinks he's big and clever, we try and tell him otherwise. But they've all got their traits and characteristics. Times are never dull when Marcel Desailly is on, or Peter Schmeical or Garth Crooks, but I think you can make up your mind what they're like and what those traits are! I was trying to be as diplomatic as possible!

 

Are the Match of the Day lot a cliquey boys club?

The thing is, they've all played together and roughly around the same era, so there is going to be that kind of banter flying around. One thing that gets missed with viewers is that one of the first things these guys miss when they give up playing is the banter with each other. And this is the next best thing I suppose, it's that dressing room mentality, so whether it's on the golf course or in the studio they've got to be kind of close I suppose, but enough also to wind each other up even if it is on air.

 

What's your career highlight?

I think Tony Blair being live on Focus was a special one.