Icons, Really?

[thesshhh]

The current BBC2 series Icons (Of The 20th century) includes among its 4 sports icons Tanni Grey Thompson, and among its 4 arts icons Bille Holliday. Why do you think they chose those two when there’s no George Best, no Bobby Moore, no Roger Bannister, no Beatles, no Elvis, no Sinatra, etc etc?

[murraymints]

all a matter of opinion / favour really

[douglas9401]

I know what I think but I'm more interested in your reasons.

On you go.

[jno]

Bowie and Monroe are only there as token whites. I assume the Beatles aren't because there were four of them.

[naomi24]

I haven't seen this but I've read a bit about it. Some considerable politically correct box ticking by the BBC it seems - but then, what's new?

[Khandro]

Georgie Best was a lousy singer, and Billie Holliday's mid-field playing was a joke

[DeeLicious]

brilliantly answered in this column: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/opinion/8193638/cheryl-just-too-bolshoi-the-greatest-dancer/

[Bigbad]

I stopped watching when the British public voted for a South African leader.

[zebo]

I saw the scientists one the other evening, the story of the chinese woman and the malaria work was fascinating.

[maggiebee]

I've only caught part of one episode of this and it was Einstein and Alan Turing being discussed. Will be very hard to chose an overall winner I think.

[DeeLicious]

I gave up when I saw that Dermot O'Leary was presenting the Explorers section. How is he apt for that? In fact, how is he presenting anything?????

[ichkeria]

I find these things interesting but I wish they wouldn’t turn them into contests. It’s very difficult to pass that sort of judgment on what are often v difficult and diverse subjects

[dance2trance]

Who cares it is just the BBC laying down its 'holier then thou' opinions. Same old same old. What it is, is money for writers. Money for presenters. Jobs for the BBC in crowd. TV boredom for us. Dead cheap programme to make by the by.

[andy-hughes]

Icons are a matter of personal judgement, so it's impossible to provide a list that will satisfy everyone.

I am not qualified to comment on the sports icons, but without Billie Halliday, there would be no Beatles, Elvis, Sinatra etc.

[Mamyalynne]

I enjoyed the programmes I have watched so far, they were interesting and the others to come may be too - the voting was purely incidental(to me).

[douglas9401]

"I am not qualified to comment on the sports icons, but without Billie Halliday, there would be no Beatles, Elvis, Sinatra etc."

Did you mean

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Halliday

:-)