Jones has discovered himself awake at night time pondering Games logistics and says he has grow to be a bore when speaking to buddies and colleagues about such issues.
But Glasgow 2026 has come to unashamedly dominate his ideas.
He has spent the previous 9 months attending to know athletes and their tales, and assembly lots of them so that they perceive he is extra than simply ‘that fella off the telly’.
And he has needed to clarify to numerous individuals what a chef de mission really is. “My nephew thinks I’m making lunch for the team,” says Jones.
“And when I sat on Morning Live and announced it, the actual chef made a similar joke, but the point is that the audience – who are maybe not into sport – now know what a chef de mission is and suddenly the reach is wider.
“The factor is, you do not have to like sport to like the Commonwealth Games.
“If you look at mainstream entertainment now, whether that’s Strictly Come Dancing or X Factor or whatever, I’m not sure you’re in it for the dancing or the singing, but you’re definitely in it for the human stories, aren’t you?”
Jones is aware of inform these tales higher than most. And he is aware of the Games, too.
He was a paying punter in Birmingham 4 years in the past, has studied the historical past of the occasion and has spoken to numerous athletes – massive names and in any other case – to attempt to get to the nub of why the Games matter. Every day brings a brand new reply.
“Even this morning, I was trying to explain it to the chef de missions from the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos,” he says. “And I don’t think they quite understood the difference between competing for Wales and for GB.
“I really feel like I’m representing my nation. Beyond that half, a number of these guys cannot put into phrases what it is prefer to compete for Wales. But individuals at dwelling will look out for the pink vest, and be invested. And that is a extremely particular factor.”
