The sell line on this article about Emma Bunton may be the best the Guardian ever published

Headlines might make people stop and look, but the sell line – or standfirst – underneath pads out the information a little more and gives them a reason to read on.

Back in 2018, writer Michael Moran spotted this award-deserving sell line on an article in the Guardian, and we think it still hasn’t been bettered.

Ok, the headline’s nothing to write home about but the sell line is SOLID FRICKEN GOLD https://t.co/sfQwTkXFgt

— Michael Moran (@TheMichaelMoran) October 18, 2018

Let’s look at that again –

Twitter users very much appreciated the hat-tip to the Spice Girls’ Who Do You Think You Are.

1.

Take a bow Sam Wolfson

— InSarriWeTrust (@mellyman10) October 20, 2018

2.

THAT IS BRILLIANT haha

— Graham Muir (@itslegaltender) October 19, 2018

3.

Killer! https://t.co/WoHVbpFzkS

— ℍ (@JackieHunter1) October 19, 2018

4.

So satisfying

— Lindsey Innes (@Lindseyve) October 19, 2018

5.

World class writing https://t.co/GxZv3JhzRw

— Oliver Snoddy (@olisnoddy) October 19, 2018

Journalist Sam Wolfson, or a nameless sub-editor – deserves recognition for his inspired line – a Punitzer Prize, perhaps.

Source Guardian Image Screengrab