Kenneth Wolstenholme

As Wolstenholme was a member of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, he was soon called up at the outbreak of the Second World War. By 1941, he had qualified as a bomber pilot and was posted to 107 Squadron, flying Bristol Blenheim Mk. IVs out of RAF Great Massingham, Norfolk. At the start of 1943 he transferred to de Havilland Mosquito with 105 Squadron, part of Air Vice-Marshal Don Bennett's No. 8 Group RAF Pathfinder Group.

Wolstenholme completed more than 100 highly hazardous sorties over Occupied Europe and in May 1944 was awarded the DFC. The following year, he won a Bar to his DFC for his continual bravery in raids on Germany in a period of exceptionally heavy night fighter activity. He finished the war as an acting squadron leader, having spent its last stages working in the RAF's public relations department.

Wolstenholme's unscripted delivery in the closing moments of the 1966 FIFA World Cup Final at Wembley Stadium included fourteen words that are among the best known in British sport commentary.[3] With England leading 3–2 against West Germany, a small pitch invasion took place during injury time just as Geoff Hurst scored to put England 4–2 ahead. The events prompted Wolstenholme to say:

Some people are on the pitch... they think it's all over... it is now!

"It is now" was added in an almost matter-of-fact way after Hurst had scored the goal. Since 1966, the phrase "they think it's all over" has become well known in modern English. Although unrehearsed, and spoken in the particular circumstances of the game, the words echoed to an extent those of German commentator Herbert Zimmermann – "It's over! Over! Over! Germany are the World Champions" – when West Germany won the 1954 World Cup against Hungary.[4]

After the 1966 World Cup, Wolstenholme continued his broadcasting career in the UK and Europe. In 1967 he travelled to the Estádio Nacional in Lisbon to cover Celtic overcoming Internazionale in the European Cup Final. A year later, he commentated at Wembley as Manchester United defeated Benfica to take the 1968 European Cup. He was the BBC's main man at the 1970 World Cup but he almost took out an injunction when the BBC threatened to demote him in favour of David Coleman if England reached the final. Wolstenholme commentated on the final between Brazil and Italy. He left the corporation in 1971 after Coleman was installed as the BBC's top commentator, his final BBC commentary being on the 1971 European Cup Final between Ajax and Panathinaikos at Wembley Stadium.

Wolstenholme later commentated for Tyne Tees Television in the mid to late 1970s, but re-appeared on TV to provide reports and occasional features for Channel 4 when they earned rights in the early 1990s to show Serie A games from Italy. He also took on an acting role, appearing in the BBC Radio 4 comedy series Lenin of the Rovers in 1988 as football commentator Frank Lee Brian. In 1990, he was a guest star on the first episode of parody satellite television station KYTV on BBC2.

Wolstenholme, who had been a supporter of Bolton Wanderers since childhood, was a guest of honour at the club's final game at Burnden Park in April 1997. He also narrated the club's End of an Era video which was released as part of Bolton's move from Burnden Park to the Reebok Stadium.

In 1998, Wolstenholme made a special appearance in EA Sports' videogame World Cup 98, as the sole commentator on the game's classic World Cup matches, recreations of historic World Cup finals that included sepia-toned renditions of the 1930 and 1938 editions.