Veteran broadcaster Alan Brazil, 66, has missed his talkSPORT breakfast show for a second consecutive day, skipping Cheltenham Festival’s Gold Cup day.
Brazil was anticipated to return after taking a scheduled rest on Wednesday and feeling unwell on Thursday. However, he also sat out Friday’s broadcast from the festival, just a month after another illness-related absence from the airwaves.
Colleagues Step In and Offer Reassurances
Stand-in host Shebahn Aherne had assured listeners on Thursday: “Alan will be back with you tomorrow morning, fit and firing for Gold Cup Day.” Despite this, Aherne filled in again for her Scottish counterpart.
talkSPORT confirmed that “the big man is a wee bit unwell” and requires time to recover. During a prior January break due to sickness, fellow broadcaster and former England international Ray Parlour expressed concern: “I hope he’s alright, Alan. He was getting dizzy last week when I was here. The lights are making him go dizzy, so if we go dizzy later and say ‘oh we don’t feel too good’ then turn the lights down for God’s sake.”
Aherne added reassurance: “We are sending our love to Al, he is absolutely fine, he’s doing well.”
Long-Standing Role and Health History
Brazil has anchored the talkSPORT Breakfast show since the station’s launch in 2000, reducing his hours in 2020.
His connection to Cheltenham Festival has drawn attention over the years. In 2004, he was briefly dismissed after missing a show following a day at the event but returned shortly after.
Five years ago, Brazil underwent heart surgery and shared before his comeback: “I had a little problem, whether it was Covid related or, I don’t know, fast living catching up with me, but I ended up in a couple of hospitals. I had a little sort out in the old ticker but I’m pleased to say I’m on the mend.”
Last year, he dismissed rumors of excessive drinking at Cheltenham, stating: “There was no massive drinks bender. I was just tired after coming down here on Sunday. It’s been a long week. Also my knee is playing up after a lot of walking about. There’s a lot of walking about needs done here with so many people to meet. It’s not Covid or anything. I just meet so many people in this job – especially here at Cheltenham. So I just got a bug that’s all and it just wears you down for this which is a long week. So the bottom line is that I am fine – I’m really good. Tales that I was drinking too much yesterday are just a load of nonsense, a load of nonsense, a load of nonsense. It’s got nothing to do with booze. I just had a few pints of Guinness yesterday with some great company. I’m fine, apart from this limp. It’s not bad publicity. I missed a day and it is my fault. I don’t have to say sorry to the bosses. I’m not saying I’m too big for that (saying sorry). I’m not too big to say sorry to the bosses.”
Ahead of this year’s festival, talkSPORT introduced a game challenging players to “try to get Big Al to air” for Gold Cup day.
