When Playboys Ruled The World

Guerrilla · 17 Nov 2010 at 08:33

Not sure if anyone else caught this the other night, it's about James Hunt and Barry Sheene.

Had some interesting parts in it, especially as it's from way, way before my time

http://www.itv.com/itvplayer/video/?Filter=190125

It's got another 28 days to go so might be worth a watch if bored

Ysmalari · 17 Nov 2010 at 10:08

I quite enjoyed this though found it to be quite a sombre program which is surprising considering Hunt and Sheene were such big characters - I think it was the feeling of inevitability that you knew how it ended for both.
It also unsurprisingly delved deep into the mortality of the drivers in both motosports series which really brought it home how far we've come in safety terms.

I was shocked at the ex-McLaren boss featured, he seemed to have no regard for the improvements in safety over the years and almost suggested in so many words that the lack of driver deaths detracted from the sport.

Both Sheene and Hunt were hugely entertaining though; there is no way that either could be top flight sports stars these days and get away with their antics!

Dup · 17 Nov 2010 at 12:19

I enjoyed this despite the irritating ITV formatting. Watching Max Mosley cry over his fallen friends and sporting colleagues was an eye opener and shows us why we have such a safe sport these days.

It looked like great times to me, apart from the smoking.

ShakenNstirred · 17 Nov 2010 at 17:19

Ysmalari said:
I quite enjoyed this though found it to be quite a sombre program which is surprising considering Hunt and Sheene were such big characters - I think it was the feeling of inevitability that you knew how it ended for both.

you make it sound like they died racing, which they didn't

i liked the program, i knew most of the stuff about sheene, having been a fan of his since 1975
was sorry to see steph(sheene`s wife) is so jaded these days

Ysmalari · 17 Nov 2010 at 20:22

ShakenNstirred said:
you make it sound like they died racing, which they didn't

i liked the program, i knew most of the stuff about sheene, having been a fan of his since 1975
was sorry to see steph(sheene`s wife) is so jaded these days

Not my intention but I just think it was a sad irony that both of them survived such a dangerous time in motorsport only to die in their 40s and 50s from a heart attack and cancer.

I agree about steph though, she did seem completely resigned to the possible affairs but I suppose that goes with the personality types of Sheene and Hunt.