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BLINK AND YOU'LL MISS IT 

Sharon Stone Sees off Sir Geoff in the most paused TV moment of all time.

Sharon Stone’s ‘did she or didn’t she’ flashing scene in Basic Instinct has beaten Sir Geoff Hurst’s ‘did he or didn’t he’ crossbar influenced strike in the 1966 World Cup Final to top a poll of the nation’s most paused TV moments.

The screen siren’s uncrossing and crossing of her legs during the controversial police interrogation scene proved to be the TV moment that had Brits reaching for the pause button, from the worlds of film, sports, comedy, music and news.

The poll of 1,500 TV addicts was commissioned to mark the launch of Freeview Playback, the new digital TV recorder which allows viewers to pause, record and rewind live TV, but without the need for a subscription.

According to our survey the Top 10 most paused moments from the past 40 years were:

The List:

1. Sharon Stone uncrossing and crossing her legs in Basic Instinct 1992 (20%)
   
2. Sir Geoff Hurst’s cross bar influenced goal in the 1966 World Cup Final (14%)
   
3. David Jason falling through the bar as Delboy in Only Fools and Horses 1989 (12%)
   
4. Maradona’s Hand of God goal against England in the 1986 World Cup Quarter Final (11%)
   
5. John Prescott punching the man who threw an egg at him (2001) (10%)
   
6. Colin Firth emerging from the lake in Pride and Prejudice 1995 (9%)
   
7. Judy Finnigan very nearly goes topless at National TV Awards 2000 (7%)
   
8. Patrick Swayze nudity in Dirty Dancing 1987 (6%)
   
9. Jarvis Cocker waggling his bum at Michael Jackson at the 1996 Brits (5%)
   
10. Stormtrooper in Star Wars bangs its head when entering the control room 1977 (4%)
    

Just missing out on the top ten was the cast of the Full Monty doing the ‘Full Monty’ and the now infamous Guy Goma, with his ‘rabbit in headlights’ facial expression on BBC News 24. He was introduced live on air as a technology expert, when he had actually turned up expecting to be interviewed for a job in the BBC’s IT Dept (2006).

Agree with the nation’s most paused TV moments? Have your say by telling us which TV moment would have you reaching for the pause button.

More details of the survey will be available in the press section of this site soon.