Richard Irvine-Brown
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richib.bsky.social
Richard Irvine-Brown
@richib.bsky.social
Portfolio: https://www.clippings.me/users/richardirvinebrown

Journo. BBC Verify.

Digital investigative journalism since 2014, cars/money data before, BBC Sport 2007-2011.
Pretty sure I own this Bolt Thrower album.
The cover of Nature’s latest issue is metal as fuck
November 19, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Reposted by Richard Irvine-Brown
They should get rid of the toss in Tests. Coins are boring. In the Ashes, the toss should be replaced with a 50 metre firewalk race between the two captains.

This is also why it is good to have large squads on tour.
November 17, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Please read the below. It was a lot of work, and drawn from ~50 videos for which we confirmed the locations.
November 17, 2025 at 6:46 AM
QUEEN WORLD CUP
#QueenWorldCup

FINAL THREAD 1/x

OK, here we go.

We have had 1,753 votes in this tournament so far and they have sorted all the Queen songs 12 of my friends and I could think of to a last pair.

Let's step onto the stage at the Hammersmith Apollo and pretend it's Christmas Eve.
a man is singing into a microphone while another man plays a guitar
Alt: An animation of Queen live on stage
media.tenor.com
November 16, 2025 at 8:36 AM
QUEEN WORLD CUP

#QueenWorldCup

Wake up, babe, we have the other semi-final to do.

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST
v
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

I’m not saying we’ve whittled this down to the hits, but this could have been Stone Cold Crazy v More Of That Jazz. Y’know, like we were cool and edgy.

Anyway, VOOOTE
a woman wearing a crown is pointing at the camera and saying `` i 'm kinda a big deal ! ''
Alt: a woman wearing a crown is waving at the camera and saying `` i 'm kinda a big deal ! ''
media.tenor.com
November 15, 2025 at 6:59 AM
QUEEN WORLD CUP
#QueenWorldCup

Semi-final 1

KILLER QUEEN
v
UNDER PRESSURE

Very late start, apologies, after record-breaking QF yesterday.

Get voting: #KQ for laser beams, #UP for Bowie collabs.
a cat is flying through the air with lasers behind it
Alt: a cat rises above a city, shooting lasers from its fingers
media.tenor.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:08 PM
QUEEN WORLD CUP
#QueenWorldCup

The final quarter-final. Couple of titans. Both from the Live Aid set, and the movie with the quick edits.

RADIO GA GA
v
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

Winner will join Killer Queen, Under Pressure and Another One Bites The Dust in the semis.

Reply vote #RG or #BR!
a man playing a piano in front of a sign that says live aid
Alt: Freddie Mercury on stage at Wembley playing a piano in front of a sign that says live aid
media.tenor.com
November 13, 2025 at 6:21 AM
Reposted by Richard Irvine-Brown
Israel has destroyed more than 1,500 buildings in areas of Gaza that have remained under its control since the ceasefire with Hamas started on 10 October, satellite images reviewed by BBC Verify show.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Israel has destroyed more than 1,500 buildings in Gaza since ceasefire
Entire neighbourhoods controlled by Israel have been levelled in less than a month, the images show.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 12, 2025 at 10:17 AM
QUEEN WORLD CUP
#QueenWorldCup

RECAP, last night: After two recounts, Under Pressure beat Don’t Stop Me Now by a vote.

BBC mates and music pals went Don’t Stop Me Now.

Transformers fans edged Under Pressure, but BlueSky was the difference.

Today: ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST or SOMEBODY TO LOVE
freddie mercury performing on stage with ready freddie written above him
Alt: freddie mercury performing on stage with ready freddie written above him
media.tenor.com
November 12, 2025 at 9:34 AM
QUEEN WORLD CUP
#QueenWorldCup

Killer Queen is through to the semi-finals. Who will join them?

UNDER PRESSURE

or

DON'T STOP ME NOW

Little Bowie collab, or another Freddie romp? Last rep of the Hot Space album, or last rep from Jazz?

Vanilla Ice or Shaun Of The Dead?
a man in a suit and tie says how 's that for a slice of fried gold ?
Alt: Shaun, from Shaun Of The Dead, says how 's that for a slice of fried gold ?
media.tenor.com
November 11, 2025 at 10:44 AM
#QueenWorldCup

I am counting this extra late vote because (a) lovely reasoning, (b) it doesn’t change the result, and (c) it’s all engagement, bruv.

Killer Queen 23-14 I Want To Break Free
#break because it's such a great song to sing along to
November 11, 2025 at 7:38 AM
QUEEN WORLD CUP
#QueenWorldCup

It's the first QUARTER FINAL today.

KILLER QUEEN has scored heavily, and by wide margins all the way. Walked it, m8.

I WANT TO BREAK FREE really squeezed through against White Queen and Bicycle Race. Combative.

Vote #Killer or #Break in reply, by 10pm.
a close up of a man singing into a microphone with his eyes closed
Alt: a close up of Freddie Mercury singing into a microphone with his eyes closed
media.tenor.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:03 PM
QUEEN WORLD CUP
#QueenWorldCup

With Bohemian Rhapsody's victory this evening, we now know the FINAL EIGHT songs:

Killer Queen v I Want To Break Free

Under Pressure v Don't Stop Me Now

Another One Bites The Dust v Somebody To Love

Radio Ga Ga v Bohemian Rhapsody

QFs start tomorrow.
November 9, 2025 at 10:29 PM
QUEEN WORLD CUP
#QueenWorldCup

Last of the last 16, Mercury v Mercury.

Self loathing v self love.

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY, never heard of it

V

GOOD OLD-FASHIONED LOVER BOY, joyous romp

Vote in reply with your favourite, I want to hear some fighting talk.

Result at 10pm.
a man in a suit and tie says good old fashioned in a snl ad
Alt: a man in a suit and tie says good old fashioned in a Saturday Night Live ad
media.tenor.com
November 9, 2025 at 10:33 AM
QUEEN WORLD CUP
#QueenWorldCup

Love Live Laugh?
Eat Pray Vote?

SOMEBODY TO LOVE
vs
WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER

Can we keep the Mercury dominant? Vote #Love

Can we keep a Highlander track in the cup? Vote #Live

I’ll try to wrap this up at 10pm.
a card that says live love laugh with a picture of a statue
Alt: a card that says live love laugh with a picture of a statue with a crown and dress
media.tenor.com
November 8, 2025 at 11:03 AM
#QueenWorldCup

Some folks are saying the vote below is somehow one-sided or fixing a result.

I say to them, BlueSky has gone 100% on Bicycle Race by voting #Yeah.

And there is only one vote in it.

So vote #IamBoring for I Want To Break Free, if you must.
November 7, 2025 at 7:54 PM
QUEEN WORLD CUP
#QueenWorldCup

I Want To Break Free, a standard, slightly hum-drum tune where they dressed up for the video.

Or: BICYCLE RACE, one of the greatest songs ever.

Vote #IamBoring for I Want To Break Free, or #YEAH for Bicycle Race.

That simple. Appease your circus-master.
a man in a top hat is blowing a trumpet with the words the greatest show on earth written below him
Alt: a woman in a top hat and fake moustache is blowing a trumpet with the words the greatest show on earth written below him
media.tenor.com
November 7, 2025 at 10:13 AM
QUEEN WORLD CUP
#QueenWorldCup

ICYMI, genuine drama late last night, see quoted post!

(TL;DR Richy can’t count.)

Today will be simpler, it’s…

UNDER PRESSURE
v
A KIND OF MAGIC

Reply with #under or #magic to vote! 10pm cut off!
November 6, 2025 at 6:53 AM
Reposted by Richard Irvine-Brown
You’re my best friend is objectively a better song, and I would implore you to demand my friend Rich respects this fact
QUEEN WORLD CUP
#QueenWorldCup

Finally back to AM kick offs!

RADIO GA GA

YOU’RE MY BEST FRIEND

No time for an opening comment, VOTE (in reply, maybe with your reasoning).
a man singing into a microphone while standing on a stage
Alt: a man singing into a microphone while standing on a stage
media.tenor.com
November 5, 2025 at 1:58 PM
QUEEN WORLD CUP
#QueenWorldCup

Finally back to AM kick offs!

RADIO GA GA

YOU’RE MY BEST FRIEND

No time for an opening comment, VOTE (in reply, maybe with your reasoning).
a man singing into a microphone while standing on a stage
Alt: a man singing into a microphone while standing on a stage
media.tenor.com
November 5, 2025 at 12:00 PM
QUEEN WORLD CUP
#QueenWorldCup

Right, short game today, but no bad thing. Let's call it "compact".

F I N A L S C O R E

Killer Queen - 21
Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 4

The score was 18-1 this afternoon, so almost a late rally / consolation goal.

Killer Queen becomes the third QF'ist.
November 4, 2025 at 10:28 PM
QUEEN WORLD CUP
#QueenWorldCup

[Rich runs onto the pitch, clearly pulling clothes over his pyjamas]

[Theatrical mumbling]

Oh yes, we're still doing this.

KILLER QUEEN
or
CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE

????

Go! Vote #Killer or #Crazy by 11pm!

Go! Go! Go!
a child is driving a red toy car down a street .
Alt: a child is driving a red toy car, drifting it into the road wild flicking the metal horns with her hands
media.tenor.com
November 4, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Reposted by Richard Irvine-Brown
Film composer, conductor, bandleader and trumpeter John Barry was born in York on this day in 1933. He was also a classical fan, choosing Mahler 9 in both of his appearances on Desert Island Discs in 1967 and 1999. You can see his choices and hear the interview here: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p...
November 3, 2025 at 6:46 PM
QUEEN WORLD CUP
#QueenWorldCup

Get triumphant.

Yesterday, Don’t Stop Me Now became the first quarter-finalist.

What will join it in The Battle Of Contradictory Titles?

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST
v
THE SHOW MUST GO ON

Reply-vote #AOBTD or #TSMGO by 10pm, when the show goes off.
a man is wearing a crown and holding a drum in his hand .
Alt: Freddie Mercury is wearing a crown on stage .
media.tenor.com
November 3, 2025 at 8:57 AM
A movie you’ve seen more than seven times with a gif
November 2, 2025 at 3:26 PM