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The police have investigated an apparent threat on the life of our Editor Phil Parry after The Eye reported complaints from television viewers that famous Welsh rugby player and commentator Jonathan Davies talks “some shit” was “so so thick” and is “annoying” as well as “irritating”.
Mr Davies (whose nickname is Jiffy) called it on Twitter “negative” journalism, and a supporter of his added: “I’ll whack him”.
The definition of the verb ‘to whack’ in the Urban Dictionary is: “to murder someone”.
The threat was made by a Marc Winchester of Swansea who has been behind several collapsed businesses, and his contact details were immediately passed to the police officer investigating the incident, but he claimed it was just a joke.
The original comments about Mr Davies in The Eye story which provoked the ‘whack’ remark came from angry television viewers, which were among several during and after the Challenge Cup rugby league game.
One critic wrote: “Please BBC get rid of Jonathan Davies”, another said: “Why the hell do we have to listen to Jonathan Davies”.
It was claimed by a separate fan watching the match, about executives: “…they ruin it with Jonathan Davies”.
But this was not the first time the commentary style of Mr Davies has made headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Recently another of his attackers stated in a Tweet that he was “tedious”, and that he should be removed from The BBC’s rugby league team.
A fellow fan claimed on social media that Mr Davies “ruins” the game, and a supporter has also pleaded that he should “shut up”.
The Daily Express has reported scathingly: “When they (France) scored (a) try, Wales hero Davies erupted on the BBC’s commentary, much to the frustration of fans at home. One fan wrote on Twitter: ‘Jonathan Davies for once can you please contain yourself during a Welsh game? ‘When you’re commentating for the BBC you’re being paid to commentate not to be a fan…..
‘I know it’s very hard for you to do your job professionally but please try’. Another added: ‘When oh when will the BBC retire Jonathan Davies?!?! ‘I’m sick to death of his whiney “Wales are brilliant”, everyone else are lucky commentary’. ‘So the secret to watching rugby on the BBC is to mute the sound and listen to 5Live on your DAB radio, no Jonathan Davies!,’ another added.”
He announced too on live television before an international rugby game, that the referee was French so “anything could happen”.
The famous fashion designer David Emanuel declared on Twitter in 2018: “Surely, there HAS to be another Welsh RugbyCommentator instead of Jonathan Davies??? Irritating. TalksTooMuch. Tired. WakeUpPlease!!@BBCSport @BBCCymruWales”, with key words ‘hashtagged’.
Mr Winchester is a controversial Swansea businessman and The Eye’s research shows that he has been involved in a number of failed companies.
In one, The BBC reported that the licence to practice was taken away after more than 40 million nuisance calls were made.
The item said: “Falcon and Pointer Ltd used automatic dialing technology to make the calls about mis-sold payment protection insurance (PPI).
“The Claims Management Regulator (CMR).. (said).. The firm set out to ‘plague the public and rip off consumers’..”
Mr Winchester told the police that publishing he would ‘whack’ a journalist was only a joke – but when the word means to murder someone it is no laughing matter…
Mr Parry’s memories of his astonishing 37-year award-winning career in journalism (including his dealings with the police) as he was gripped by the rare disabling condition Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP), have been released in a major book ‘A GOOD STORY’. Order the book now!
