Published at 11:24, Thursday, 24 May 2012

So, the Olympic torch has finally arrived and has begun its stately and dignified tour round the nation.

If you’re quick, you can buy one on eBay: slightly sweaty, maybe a bit dented, probably with a broken firelighter.

If you can’t get one there, don’t worry, they’ll be appearing in car boot sales and skips across the land in the not-too-distant future.

But why should people cherish them or feel honoured or special to be chosen to carry the flame if organisers have decided to allow pop stars to take part.

I thought the honour was reserved for those who had done good deeds for their community or for charity, or who had represented their country in some way.

It was bad enough when the pomp rockers Muse appeared to take on the torch.

I suppose they do come from that area of the country and they carried it through the streets of their home town of Teignmouth, but apart from that, why were they chosen? And worse still, just why on earth was Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas selected to carry it through Taunton?

Has he some close and long-held connection with the place?

Was he once a British athlete?

Has he donated some of his millions to some local deserving cause?

Or did organisers just want some gratuitous publicity?

How many deserving Brits would have loved and deserved the honour to carry the flame through Taunton?

Why an American pop star? Who next? Lady Gaga? Dannii Minogue? She’s in the news.

What about actors – Angelina Jolie, someone from TOWIE or if we’re going to be so random, how about Ant ‘n’Dec, Lord Sugar or Dale Winton?

If the Americans were hosting the Olympics, I can’t believe they would have invited Gary Barlow or Olly Murs to carry a torch for them.

It was wrong. It has devalued the who idea of torch bearing. It is shameful.

Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk