Bjørge Lillelien

Life and work

The story behind the role.

Norwegian sports journalist (1927-1987).

Roar Bjørge Lillelien (29 March 1927 – 26 October 1987) was a Norwegian sports journalist and commentator for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. He was considered to be a popular and engaging personality who commentated on many sports, particularly winter sports and football. It was not unusual for Norwegians to turn off the sound on the TV and listen to him on the radio instead. In September 1981, Lillelien came to international prominence when he called out on the radio: "Maggie Thatcher, can you hear me? ... Maggie Thatcher, your boys took a hell of a beating! Your boys took a hell of a beating!" in jubilation after Norway's 2–1 victory over England in a World Cup qualifier.

Encyclopaedic excerpts from Bjørge Lillelien; shortened for length and available under CC BY-SA 4.0.