TV presenter Emma Willis, 48, has come under fire from several BBC viewers for her presenting skills during Sunday’s Team GB Homecoming on the channel.
Alongside Vernon Kay, Willis oversaw a night of celebrations as Team GB’s medal-winning athletes from the Paris 2024 Olympics Games returned home from the French capital.
11,000 attendees packed the AO Arena in Manchester for the event as Willis and Kay spoke to the athletes who achieved their Olympic dreams.
There was also on-stage performances from the likes of Pete Tong, Krept and Konan, Rag‘n’Bone Man, Clean Bandit and Jess Glynne.
However, within moments of Kay and Willis kicking off the extravaganza, fans claimed the latter was altering her accent, omitting “t’s” from her diction.
As the event got underway, Kay yelled: “16 days, an outstanding 65 medals across 22 disciplines, beating Tokyo’s haul!”
Emma Willis spoke with Team GB athletes following the Paris 2024 games
BBC
Willis then stepped in: “It was an incredible run for Team GB in Paris and tonight we’re at Manchester’s AO Arena with 11,000 Team GB fans ready to give our athletes the welcome home they deserve…
“And what better way to get the party started than with DJ legend, Pete Tong!”
Willis appeared not to pronounce the the letter T in the words “better”, “party” and “started” and later when she interviewed the likes of Max Whitlock and other Olympians, it was a trend that seemed to continue.
Inevitably, social media was awash with BBC viewers who were quickly distracted by Willis’ accent – with some accusing her of putting it on to be “down with the kids”.
Emma Willis and Vernon Kay were tasked with overseeing the Team GB Homecoming celebrations
BBC
“Why can’t @EmmaWillis say her ‘t’s tonight? Obvs tryna to get down wiv da #Olympic kids,” one fan began. “Come on Emma – it’s so false @BBCSport… She didn’t sound like that when doing the midwives programme. Dare I suggest a bit of young people’s cultural appropriation going on?”
A second pleaded: “@EmmaWillis why have started dropping your Ts? So annoying! Bri-ish! No, it’s BriTish with a T in it. Please desist.”
“@BBCOne Emma Willis really needs to work on her diction – never heard so many dropped Ts,” a third fumed.
While a fourth weighed in: “#TeamGBHomecoming Enjoying the show. @EmmaWillis is a good presenter. She has a pleasant speaking voice until sometimes she starts talking slang. Dropping t’s and saying lohery instead of lottery, wriher instead of writer etc. Why? She’s not from London or Essex.”
“Just watching the team GB home celebrations, very good but has Emma Willis forgot to pronounce the letter T … as in Bri ish, la er and singer songwri er,” a fifth pointed out.
And a sixth raged: “Why has Emma Willis suddenly got an Essex accent or is she trying to be down with the kids? It’s a bit embarrassing! #TeamGBHomecoming.” (sic)
Willis ignored the backlash to her stint when she took to social media following the Team GB Homecoming broadcast on Sunday night.
She penned on Instagram: “An absolute honour and SO much fun hosting The National Lottery’s Team GB Homecoming at Manchester’s AO Arena alongside @vernonkay tonight!!
“Some incredible performances and special appearances from a lot of well-known faces in sport. What a way to celebrate the return of our phenomenal athletes… such a privilege to be a part of it.”
The debate surrounding the elocution of BBC presenters isn’t a new one as the corporation previously came under fire for Alex Scott’s diction during the last Olympics.
Scott was accused of “spoiling” the Tokyo Games coverage on the Beeb by Lord Digby Jones who encouraged her to take “elocution lessons”.
The former Lioness hit back at the time, saying on X: “I’m from a working-class family in east London, Poplar, Tower Hamlets and I am PROUD. Proud of the young girl who overcame obstacles, and proud of my accent! It’s me, it’s my journey, my grit.”
She added that criticism similar to that of Jones’ “just give me the energy to keep going”.
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