While the rest of Britain was halted by the Just Stop Oil protest, Rob Walker's response was to grab a vacuum and clean up the mess. Photo: Shutterstock/Mark Stephenson
How many Rob Walkers are there?
That question bothered Jimmy White on Monday night when, after seeing a protester throwing orange powder paint across a table, he spotted one of those completing the great Crucible cleanup.
«Is that Rob Walker!?» White exclaimed, looking at a 6-foot-3 man in marigolds, a dust vest, tie, trousers and shiny shoes as he hurriedly pushed a vacuum cleaner up and down a vandalized table.
“How much work does he have? I saw him driving the bus today. Fair play.»
For clarification, the bus line wasn't entirely true, but anyone within 100 yards of the restless Walker got the joke.
White may forever be «The Whirlwind» on the table, but the moniker also suits the charismatic snooker leader. Foure Walker is also based in Sheffield as a television commentator for the BBC. He's the post-match interviewer. Scattered throughout the Crucible are cartoons of him wearing a bright yellow vest in anticipation of an upcoming charity contest. He bought coffee and cakes for fans every day at the nearby Sheffield Café. In addition, he funded and gave away beer tokens at the UK Championship in York.
On the other hand, Walker is also the lead commentator for World Athletics and is famous enough in Africa to have an audience with the president of Uganda, as well as the use of his private helicopter this year on an unpaid visit.
So we really shouldn't have been surprised on Monday when, while most of the country was frozen in shock with its mouth open, Walker charged into action. Then 40 minutes later, he put the microphone back on and, to thunderous applause, announced that «this great event does not stop for anyone» when the game resumed.
«I commented live when this happened» — he explains. “Once we went off the air temporarily, I had to tell the crowd what was going on. Spare vacuum cleaner … and all hands to the pump. mental night. Bizarre world. Keep calm and keep up the good work — this is what the British do best. Tomorrow everything will be normal. City of steel. Exactly at 10 am.”
The Stop Oil protester only managed to delay the Crucible rally by 40 minutes. Photo: PA/Mike Egerton
And there he really was on Tuesday, cheering the fans long before the TV cameras rolled, showing a lot of fist moves and, as he has done since 2007, directly putting energy and smiles into the crowd that sometimes known. to sleep.
From the album "Thunder From Down Under" (Neil Robertson) in Leicester Fool (Mark Selby) and "The Persian Prince" (Hossein Vafaei) Snooker's many nicknames have also never been in such a bad state.
The final discussion centers around Jack Jones, the man with the perfectly groomed facial hair who upset former finalist Eli Carter in the first round. "Revered Beard" — Walker's working proposal.
“For it to look good on TV for millions, you need those 980s inside the Crucible to go on the journey with you,” he says. “An element of this is pure cheese, but what I put the most into is this opening 30-second summary. The Crucible has 44 sessions. You are basically saying «here are four people with wooden sticks and here is a green table», but each time it should be different.
Walker has been inspiring Crucible audiences since 2007. Photo: Lorne Campbell for the Telegraph
“Players are performers. They need us a little, but we need them. I'm trying to provide a platform for those four tormented souls who dedicated their entire lives, spent 12 hours a day in this dark cauldron to win a few pounds and feed their family.
“Not everyone likes my style. If I'm looking on Twitter and someone's caning me for being sugary, I let it completely wash my head off. And one thing that I am determined to always keep is sincerity.
“Okay, I’m exaggerating myself—a bit like I have five pints—but it’s still the same. personality. The audience is extremely receptive. They might say, «This guy gives me stupid nicknames, but he really likes it.» This is the biggest compliment. Because I am absolutely sincere in what I watch. I am excited. It is humiliating to be part of such a great event.”
Walker's first experience on the air was also unlikely to be ordinary, when in 1996 he answered the question "Freak or Unique" TFI host Chris Evans' weekly call for people to showcase unusual physical gifts. Walker, who was a 21-year-old student in Exeter, along with a housemate, rented a video camera from Dixon and demonstrated a gastric curvature that certainly fit the bill. He was immediately invited to London. “When I arrived, they said: “Are you the elephant man?” I'm like, «No, I'm the stomach trick guy.» And they were, “Yes, elephant man. Your six pack looks like a chest, and there [pointing to Walker's nipples] are eyes and a face.”
“Chris Evans arrived and was told what I could do. He was: “Brilliant! — it should be in the show! It was absolutely alive. You run up the stairs, through the smog, and on the lashes there is a whole bar full of people. I was really pumped up. I think I slapped Chris on the back. We chatted a little and I did it. The party after was wild. My God!
«Chris Evans had a jacket with a TFI badge and 'sodus itus' written on it. When I was leaving he gave me the jacket. I put it on and I was stopped by security. They called to confirm I didn't steal it. I still have have this jacket.»
A still from Walker's first television appearance on 'Freak or Unique' 1990s Friday night segment, Friday TFI — here it is with its presenter Chris Evans ;gift' was able to twist his torso to look like an elephant.
It was an experience that crystallized Walker's desire to work in television. His first sports love is athletics, so since 2004 he dreamed of commenting on all the Olympic Games.
The determination to make the most of every day and to use our position for good has recently been strengthened after four tragic defeats. Three close friends died within months — Robin, Martin and Stephen, and then Walker's nine-year-old son, Arthur, lost one of his best school friends just before Christmas last year.
These are rough and painful memories: Walker worked at last year's World Cup knowing that he might suddenly need to rush to say goodbye to Steven. «I struggled to sleep, struggled to eat, thinking, 'When will I get a message?'» he says.
Walker has performed at every funeral and will run and bike from John O'Groats to Land's End in June, meeting sports celebrities, raising money for the Jessie May Children's Hospice and brain tumor charity.
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Walker is a bustling activity wherever he goes — someone who is determined to make the most of every day and use his position for a good cause . Photo: Lorne Campbell for the Telegraph
“If someone had told me when I was 12 that most of my work in life would be traveling the world, commentating on athletics and working on snooker with people I would sit at home and watch, that would be a dream.” he says. “I worked hard, but there are a lot of failures around. I think you have a moral responsibility to act with humility and try to repay it in some way. I know it sounds very silly, but that's how I feel.»
When Walker was handing out his free pint token to over 50 random fans in York, he had only one request in return: £300 that he spent. “I put my mobile phone number on the token. And I said, “Can you send me a picture of you raising a toast to my comrades? That's all I want'. And text one of your buddies and tell them what a great guy he is. Friendship is such a big cornerstone of life. And we sometimes forget about it. It encourages me to make the most of every day, even more than I already do… and I'm usually pretty hyperactive.»
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