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Simon Duke

Great North Run's Local Hero opening leaves BBC viewers emotional as different version plays

BBC viewers declared they were left 'full of goosebumps' as coverage of the Great North Run started with a more subdued version of the race's famous anthem Local Hero.

While other high profile events like Premier and Football League football, horse racing meets and the Last Night of the Proms were cancelled in the aftermath o f The Queen's death, with this week's National Television Awards also postponed, the Great North Run did go ahead, although with a number of changes prompted by Her Majesty's passing.

Runners were encouraged to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth in their own way and the start line was a much less upbeat affair, with the usual loud music absent as runners gathered to take on the 13.1 mile course from Newcastle to South Shields.

READ MORE: Great North Run LIVE: Updates as famous race goes ahead

The less raucous atmosphere to the Great North Run 2022 was reflected in the BBC coverage of the race, hosted by Gabby Logan. As well as it being moved from BBC One to BBC Two, to allow for programming on the main channel to focus on The Queen's coffin leaving Balmoral, the coverage was significantly shorter at just just over two hours long.

And show's start was much more subdued with a more stripped back version of Mark Knopfler's Local Hero kicking off proceedings, over images of famous Tyneside landmarks and footage of Great North Runs gone by. The same version was also played at the start as over 50,000 runners prepared to run the famous race.

The sounds of Local Hero and the poignant opening to the BBC broadcast sparked a huge reaction from emotional viewers on Twitter. One posted: "I moved away from Newcastle when i was 12, I hated being away. The music local hero and landmarks at the start of the #greatnorthrun2022 still gives me Goosebumps. Good luck to all the runners today."

Echoing those sentiments, a second tweeted: "Emotional as always listening to #localHero played on the BBC, this year a different version to reflect with the sad circumstances on this week! #Queenelizabeth #gnr2022 NEWCASTLE, as always we LOVE YOU," with a third reacting: "Local hero. Everytime...lush man," along with three teary eyed emojis.

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