Overview
- During the Norway v Ivory Coast round-of-32 match, co-commentator Danny Murphy said on air that he “used to have a cat called Bob” that “jumped in the back of a Royal Mail van and we lost him,” prompting laughter and an awkward pause.
- Lead commentator Steve Bower attempted to steer the broadcast back to the game by saying “The game's not that bad” before continuing normal match coverage.
- Clips of the exchange went viral within minutes, inspiring memes, fan art of a ginger cat in a Royal Mail van, and comparisons to the comic character Alan Partridge.
- Reaction was sharply divided, with some viewers praising Murphy’s comic timing and others criticising the relevance and professionalism of the detour from play-by-play commentary.
- The anecdote took place during a match Norway won 2-1 thanks to Erling Haaland’s late goal, and there have been no official follow-ups or corrections from Murphy or Royal Mail as of the latest coverage.