Cricket

Despite Mark Kermode being renowned for his lack of sporting knowledge, 5 Live's nature as a news and sport station meant that the early days of Wittertainment often featured shows presented from either Wimbledon or various cricketing grounds. Mark's total unsuitability for the venues became an early running gag, with a particularly notable appearance being at Durham's Chester-le-Street ground for an England match during which Mike Gatting tried to explain the laws of cricket to an utterly flummoxed Mark. The world was therefore stunned when, during the fourth Ashes Test at Trent Bridge in the summer of 2005, Mark astounded Pat Murphy and Alec Stewart by reeling off a list of all ten ways to be given out.

It was the former England spinner Ashley Giles who persuaded Mark that he may have been not quite right about Bridge To Terabithia when Giles told Mark that his children had absolutely loved the film. "I almost cried actually", Giles said, adding that the film had a powerful message that none of us are invincible and we should take care. Coupled with a few other people having told Mark much the same thing, he agreed that he was happy to be proven wrong for what he said was the first time since 1973.

Mark was incidentally of the opinion that 2005 Ashes-winning wicketkeeper Geriant Jones was a lookalike of MATT DAMON.

While on air with Colin Murray in 2007, Mark also irritated Graham Gooch to the point that the Essex and England batting hero gave him a look that suggested he wanted to grab the Good Doctor by the throat. Mark retorted by admitting it was not the first time a sporting legend had wanted to take such action, though failed to disclose who the said sports personality was.

Sport has continued to play a role in Wittertainment - the Doctors running around Eton and fencing for Sport Relief; racing from Chilcot; Mark's boxing with Alastair Campbell - but the live venue visits have somewhat dried up over the last decade. Whether or not this is in any way related to Mark's 11-minute uninterrupted Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End rant during the 2007 Open golf championship remains unknown.

Wittertainment came live from The Oval on Day Two of the Fifth Test of the 2009 Ashes series. It was during Mark's time reviewing films like I Love You Beth Cooper and After School that Stuart Broad took four wickets for eight runs, resulting in Mark constantly being interrupted by Pat Murphy. Several cricket-loving listeners contacted the programme to ask for Mark to remain on air, because each time he launched into a different review, England took another wicket.