Gabby Logan shares Olympic bell conspiracy theory and promises to 'investigate'

BBC presenter Gabby Logan has shared a pretty wild conspiracy theory about the Olympic bell.

In case you've missed it, every athlete who wins gold at the Stade de France during the Olympics has the honour of ringing a giant bell to celebrate their achievement.

Tony Estanguet, head of the Paris 2024 organising committee, said that it also gives athletes a way to engage with the fans in the stadium while celebrating their win, telling NBC: "It's just for the gold medallists, and it's a great way for them to celebrate."

The bell also has links to the Parisian skyline, being a nod to the many churches which dot the landscape of the French capital.

As a nod to French culture and a way for Olympians to connect with fans you'd imagine the bell was surely a home run right?

Well, not with everybody, as former gymnast turned presenter Logan, 51, has a pretty wild conspiracy theory about the item.

Following Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis' record-breaking win yesterday (5 August) Logan witnessed the 24-year-old celebrate his achievement by giving the bell a victorious clang and decided it was time to share her theory with viewers at home.

"Now, I've noticed this, that the bell starts to ring before the timer actually calls the bell," Logan told fellow BBC pundit and ex-Olympian Michael Johnson.

"Is this a bit of theatre going on down there," she continued, seemingly suggesting that the bell noise we hear was played through the stadium's speakers and not from the athlete.

"I'm hoping, I'm not seeing... It's like Santa Claus. Is that what I'm seeing?"

However gold medallist Johnson didn't appear to be convinced and instead joked that Logan was just looking for a reason to go down and ring the bell herself.

"We will be investigating that, and maybe send you down, Michael," she replied.

"In the name of good journalism I want to make sure that that bell is real!"

Ring if you've won a gold medal 🛎️@keelyhodgkinson celebrating in style!#BBCOlympics #Paris2024 #Olympics pic.twitter.com/DtB0Its674

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 5, 2024

Viewers at home weren't too convinced by her theory, with many instead scolding the presenter for revealing that Santa Claus didn't exist on live TV.

"Hopefully all the kids are in bed before they heard Gabby Logan accidentally reveal Santa Claus isn't real Live on the Telly," one person wrote on X.

Another joked: "To any kids watching the Olympics tonight, you should know that when Gabby Logan said that the sound of the bell was like Santa Claus, she meant it was 100% real! And done by magic! Now don't ask any more questions."

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that the Olympic bell will become part of the Notre-Dame Cathedral renovations following the devastating fire in 2019.

Explaining the reasoning behind the decision, Pierre-André Lacout, a manager at the Stade de France, said: "In a way, Paris 2024 is helping to rebuild Notre-Dame. A part of the Games and the Olympic spirit will remain in Notre-Dame for life."

LADbible has contacted the Paris 2024 Olympics press office for comment.