Oli Bell: 'The Queen said to me - you're the lunatic that ran on the track!'

As Big Orange crossed the line a short head in front of Order Of St George in the 2017 Gold Cup, ITV Racing director Paul McNamara didn't realise he was about to stumble on a small piece of television gold.

The winner was trained by Michael Bell, uncle of ITV Racing's Oli Bell who abandoned his position beyond the winning post where he was waiting to interview the victorious jockey and sprinted on to the track in a moment of spontaneous and wild celebration.

His joyful reaction to the result created Royal Ascot history and even resulted in a meeting with the Queen . . .

Oli Bell, ITV Racing presenter and reporter

The disadvantage of my position that day was I couldn't see the finishing line at the correct angle, but what I did have was Richard Hoiles's commentary in my ear.

As they crossed the line all I could hear was him saying Big Orange had won and I went bananas. At that moment I completely forgot that I was reporting for ITV. I ran after the horse in sheer shock and delight. I had very little to do with it aside from my uncle training him but I knew how much it meant to all of the team.

I didn't have any idea what was going on in my ear with the director because all I could think about was Big Orange. I remember running about 20 metres – maybe not even that – and I thought 'what am I doing?' I'd dropped my microphone and now I had to make the walk of shame back. By the time James Doyle had pulled the horse up I had enough time to compose myself.

Watch Big Orange's dramatic win in the 2017 Gold Cup

The next day I was in the paddock doing interviews with trainers before an upcoming race. I got a tap on my shoulder from John Warren [the Queen's racing adviser] and he said there was someone I'd like you to meet. In my ear I could hear they were planning to leave for the upcoming break with a live shot of the Queen and here I am on my way to meet her. I came into shot and I could hear Ed Chamberlin saying 'look who it is'.

How do you meet the Queen? I thankfully remembered what to do and took my hat off. She said 'you're the lunatic that ran on the track yesterday?' I said 'yes I am!' We just had a normal, lovely conversation about the race and I stupidly asked her if she listened to my dad's commentary on the radio. I'm not sure whether the Queen is a regular talkSPORT listener but I asked her anyway. It was like having a dream, it was just completely bonkers.

Looking back, it's the thing that everyone talks to me about even now. What was so great about it for me was being reminded what it's like to be a racing fan again. I did it because I was an idiot. It was completely spontaneous and that's why we love sport.

Big Orange (far side) duels with Order Of St George in the 2017 Gold Cup at Royal AscotCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Paul McNamara, ITV Racing director

I was directing the race and it was a really tight finish. My first thought was making sure I got the horse that won in the close-up shot. In the corner of my eye I noticed there was a lot of movement on the camera where Oli was.

Suddenly we can see Oli getting up and going over the fence like some sort of lunatic. All of a sudden that becomes a large part of the story. We usually try to get the winning emotion out of the jockey, the trainer, the groom, etc. I didn't realise it was going to come from one of our own reporters!

As a director you realise this is gold dust. Oli did a really emotional interview with James Doyle and we just tried to milk the shots as much as we could. It was beautiful carnage and quite unique really. I wasn't going to tell him off because it was a fantastic moment for him and everyone wrapped up in it.

Read more from our Magic TV moments series:

Jim McGrath: 'It's one of those bizarre occasions I'll never, ever forget'

'He was a real showman and there was no-one before or since like him'

'The most amazing race, not only that I've commentated on, but that I've seen'

Rishi Persad: 'The thought in my head was 'holy s***, this is massive'

Luke Harvey: 'The cameraman followed me - and I've never found out why!'

Derek Thompson: 'I simply assumed it was a woman and still laugh about it now'

Hayley Moore: 'It was a random thing to do. I didn't expect it to go viral'

Luke Harvey: 'It very soon dawned on me that I was part of television gold'

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