An Evening with Four National Sports Broadcasters

Four national sports broadcasters with 150 years’ experience between them have joined forces to share their highs and lows from their illustrious careers. They have attended some of the world’s most prestigious sporting events – from Ashes battles to Wimbledon, Olympics to Grand Nationals, football and rugby World Cups. Dealing with some of the biggest names in sport, their stories aren’t shared in podcasts or autobiographies. They were there when sporting history was made and their anecdotes are specific to them, not recycled tales that are now familiar to many audiences.

CORNELIUS LYSAGHT

One of the most respected figures in the world of horse racing, equally at home in print or on TV and radio, Cornelius was the BBC’s racing correspondent for two decades, developing precious contacts such as AP McCoy and Frankie Dettori. His sharp nose for a story took coverage of racing on Five Live to award-winning heights. His close relationship with all the leading trainers and jockeys ensures he remains a highly trusted journalist around the UK’s racecourses.

PAT MURPHY

Pat is the longest-serving contributor to Sports Report on Saturday afternoons, having clocked up more than forty years on that historic radio programme. He has written over forty sports books, including acclaimed biographies of Ian Botham and Brian Clough, and his latest work is the Official History of Sports Report. Pat specialises in cricket and football – covering the Midlands clubs – and he has been on 18 England cricket tours over a twenty year period.

MARK POUGATCH

Mark is one of the most recognisable TV sporting hosts, with audiences of many millions tuning into his coverage of the 2021 and 2024 Euros, and the 2022 World Cup, as Chief Sports Presenter for ITV. He also hosts ITV’s coverage of rugby union’s Six Nations. For 16 years, Mark was a constant presence on Saturday afternoons as the longest-serving presenter of Sports Report. Mark is one of the most reliable and entertaining figures in sports broadcasting.

JONATHAN OVEREND

Jonathan is a byword in sport for versatility and authority. Joining the BBC Radio Sports Department in 1997, he was tennis correspondent for 11 years, attending over 50 tournaments, covering all of Roger Federer’s Grand Slam titles and developing a close relationship with Andy Murray – from a junior to Wimbledon champion.

Jonathan then presented Five Live’s Sunday coverage of Premier League football for five years, reported from the 2002 and 2014 football World Cups, the 2004/2008 and 2021 Olympic Games, the 2016 Paralympic Games, the Ashes series in Australia in 2018.

Jonathan is now the lead tennis commentator for SkySports, covering the US Open and all the major tour events throughout the year. During his 11 year tenure as BBC Radio’s tennis correspondent, he was fortunate to be courtside during the greatest era of the sport – Federer and Nadal, Serena and Venus, Djokovic and Murray. Indeed, he is perhaps best known as the voice of Andy Murray’s Wimbledon victory in 2013,ending Britain’s 73 year wait for a men’s singles champion.

He was named Sports Broadcaster of the Year in 2010 by the Sports Journalists’ Association.

The Format

Simple. Four friends over many years pulling out the plums from their vast experience. Four microphones, four chairs. A short interval but around 3 hours of hilarious, sometimes painful anecdotes. Questions from the audience welcomed throughout. Just stick your hand up!