# Who Will/Should Light the Torch at the London Olympics? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 14, 2012, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-light-the-torch-at-the-london-olympics/618762 "2012-04-14T15:26:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-light-the-torch-at-the-london-olympics/618762/21 "2012-04-22T15:59:25Z")
I wonder who’s the oldest British Olympian who can still walk and carry a torch? Or at least wheel a chair up to the cauldron, while carrying a torch. The archer who shot the arrow that lit the flame in Barcelona was not a “regular” Olympian, but was a Paralympics archer. ---
**Author:** ![Sarabellum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarabellum/32/3492_2.png) [@Sarabellum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarabellum)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-light-the-torch-at-the-london-olympics/618762/22 "2012-04-22T16:13:33Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > I wonder who’s the oldest British Olympian who can still walk and carry a torch? > > Or at least wheel a chair up to the cauldron, while carrying a torch. The archer who shot the arrow that lit the flame in Barcelona was not a “regular” Olympian, but was a Paralympics archer. The Barcelona archer! Man, that was an Olympic Moment. Hard to top that one. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-light-the-torch-at-the-london-olympics/618762/23 "2012-04-23T00:31:09Z")
Sadly the Barcelona Archer did not light the flame (for safety reasons): [(he) deliberately overshot the cauldron; though some sources claim it was done for the safety of the spectators, in fact Rebollo’s arrow did not light the natural gas rising from the cauldron. This was done by a Reyes Abades technician via remote control in all rehearsals and the ceremony itself, as Abades explained in an interview with his local newspaper ‘globalhenares.com’, “…he created the mechanism for lighting the Olympic flame”.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcelona_Olympics) ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-light-the-torch-at-the-london-olympics/618762/24 "2012-04-23T03:08:28Z")
> [@glee](#): > > Although Bannister is a worthy suggestion, I feel strongly that we should have an English icon, who has been a success for over 40 years (and generated lots of dosh for the country.) > Plus it was all foreseen. > > I refer of course to [this episode](http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/episodes/2006/fearher.shtml), where Doctor Who saves the day - and carries the torch. I have considered for a while starting a petition to this effect, but I’m not a Brit and it would probably be ignored. Besides, I’d hate to volunteer David Tennant if he’s not in favor of the idea himself. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-light-the-torch-at-the-london-olympics/618762/25 "2012-04-23T06:28:10Z")
Also, that episode sucked. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-light-the-torch-at-the-london-olympics/618762/26 "2012-04-23T07:11:32Z")
Tennant’s not the Doctor any more, so you’d be volunteering Matt Smith. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-light-the-torch-at-the-london-olympics/618762/27 "2012-04-23T09:27:54Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > Tennant’s not the Doctor any more, so you’d be volunteering Matt Smith. “I light torches now. Torches are cool.” ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-light-the-torch-at-the-london-olympics/618762/28 "2012-04-23T10:29:11Z")
And looking at [this](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17752997), I’m wondering if Tennant would even be allowed. Probably not in character, at least. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-light-the-torch-at-the-london-olympics/618762/29 "2012-04-23T10:38:59Z")
If we go by sheer media coverage/worldwide attention, Pippa Middleton’s ass is a shoo-in. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-light-the-torch-at-the-london-olympics/618762/30 "2012-04-23T11:43:30Z")
> [@PandaBear77](#): > > If we go by sheer media coverage/worldwide attention, Pippa Middleton’s ass is a shoo-in. I was thinking of her for that same reason. Design the cauldron so she has to bend way over to light it… ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-light-the-torch-at-the-london-olympics/618762/31 "2012-04-23T13:16:24Z")
Stephen Fry Just after going on a lot about some curious historical fact about Olympic torches and so forth. Besides, I’d like to see him run 400 meters first. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-light-the-torch-at-the-london-olympics/618762/32 "2012-04-23T13:16:52Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > Tennant’s not the Doctor any more, so you’d be volunteering Matt Smith. But it was the tenth Doctor who lit the torch in the episode. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-light-the-torch-at-the-london-olympics/618762/33 "2012-04-23T13:42:26Z")
> [@Jenaroph](#): > > But it was the tenth Doctor who lit the torch in the episode. I think people are forgetting/don’t realize there was an episode where David Tenant’s Doctor lit the torch. I have to admit, that would be awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-light-the-torch-at-the-london-olympics/618762/34 "2012-04-23T14:02:23Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Stephen Fry > > Just after going on a lot about some curious historical fact about Olympic torches and so forth. Besides, I’d like to see him run 400 meters first. Alright, but there will only be a day or two left for actual Olympic events. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-light-the-torch-at-the-london-olympics/618762/35 "2012-04-23T20:02:35Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I think people are forgetting/don’t realize there was an episode where David Tenant’s Doctor lit the torch. > > I have to admit, that would be awesome. No, I’ve seen the episode. Just saying, I don’t know if Tennant’s allowed to appear in character any more. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-light-the-torch-at-the-london-olympics/618762/36 "2012-04-24T11:32:53Z")
> [@PandaBear77](#): > > If we go by sheer media coverage/worldwide attention, Pippa Middleton’s ass is a shoo-in. They could use Camilla’s ass to snuff it out. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-light-the-torch-at-the-london-olympics/618762/37 "2012-04-30T17:36:20Z")
It’s England! Don’t you guys have some fire breathing dragons and shit? ---
**Author:** ![dotchan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@dotchan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dotchan)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-light-the-torch-at-the-london-olympics/618762/38 "2012-05-01T18:59:10Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > It’s England! Don’t you guys have some fire breathing dragons and shit? St. George made them all extinct, unfortunately. It’s hard to admire them as majestic creatures when they’re burning down your thatched roof cottages and eating the peasants. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-light-the-torch-at-the-london-olympics/618762/39 "2012-05-01T19:05:13Z")
Eh, St. George was Greek. Just like the Elgin Marbles. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-light-the-torch-at-the-london-olympics/618762/40 "2012-05-01T19:11:34Z")
Then have Harry Potter fly by on his Nimbus 2000 and drop the torch in! Get some sense of theatre people! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-light-the-torch-at-the-london-olympics/618762.md?page=1)