No this isn't cockney slang
Has anybody ever cared a monkies about the result? I saw a preview on ITV before and some of the rowers seemed to be American or Australian. In the past races i knew who had won (well it could only be one of two - but y'know what i mean) because the upper class BBC showed the final stretch on the news, but i was never converted.
I can't see the attraction and neither can i see why the cash strapped ITV network would wish to buy the rights?