Here in France, we have been watching the Rio 2016 Olympics on the British Broadcasting Company. The BBC, that is. Or the Beeb, as some call it.

We were pleased that the television system at the three-unit building we live in, here in semi-rural France, has a smattering of British TV — led by the BBC, which is a primary news site and also has some attractive entertainment options.

If we did not have access to the BBC, we would be struggling to grasp the Olympics in French, which is a bit more ambitious (French sports terms, that is) than we are keen to take on.

We have been able to see nearly every minute of Opening Ceremonies, the gymnastics coverage and, if we stay up late enough (like, 3 a.m.), we could see the whole of the swimming, too.

The fly in the ointment?

The unabashed “homerism” of BBC’s television correspondents.

If we had a pound sterling for every time a BBC announcer has shouted “Go, Becca!” or something similar … we could spend a weekend in London.

In many ways, watching the Olympics on BBC seems like something you might consume on NBC. Expert analysis (often superior to what one would get from NBC), the personality profiles, the replays, the interviews. They know the drill.

Sure, it skews toward sports the British are good at. We were not surprised to see huge amounts of attention for cycling and rowing, which have become British specialties over the past decade. When Andy Murray is playing, the Beeb is there.

I have no problem with that. The BBC needs to keep informed their core audience, which is British and will want to know how things are going in the canoe competition.

What makes watching the BBC surprising and more than a little annoying is the overt boosterism from announcers.

After sometimes long stretches of time where commentary is done in a conversational manner, suddenly we get unabashed cheerleading.

Typically, it comes at the start of an event. A woman about to take off on a vault routine. A swimmer getting in the blocks for a final.

“Come on, Elsie!”

“Well done, Bryony!”

“That’ll do!”

Sometimes it can lead to longer outbursts.

“They are fearless! They are without equal! …”

Etc.

As Americans, we have trouble getting used to this because even the most rabid of NBC correspondents is not going to blurt: “Kill it, Simone!”

The BBC also is a bit forgiving of the foibles of some of its athletes.

To wit: During the playing of the British anthem tonight, cycling gold-medalist Bradley Wiggins stuck out his tongue when he knew the camera had settled on him.

It was way out of line and came from an athlete widely known to be an ass.

The BBC’s home site said Wiggins “lived up to his playful reputation” by sticking out his tongue. Oh, that’s what that is.

If American gymnast Gabby Douglas (see yesterday’s post) had done something like that … she could have thrown out her American passport and asked for political asylum in Brazil.

The BBC’s willingness to overlook Wiggins’s provocation is part of the instinctive protection and promotion the network is ready to extend to its Olympic athletes.

The only surprise was that the anchor didn’t immediately announce, “Well done, Sir Bradley!”