On a matchday I normally get collected from my house at 2:15pm. Timing is pretty specific as I need to get to the studio by 4pm. What’s nice is that I’m always met at the door by some very happy, smiley faced runners. They take me to my dressing room, then I usually go straight into hair and make-up, which is always such a laugh. We also discuss the fun bits: outfits, shoes – the glam side of things! After that I go to the green room and sit with the producer to have a chat through the show. We speak about the areas we want to cover a few days before but it’s always important to talk through any changes on the day, keeping in mind any rolling news.
By that point, the pundits have normally arrived. We all sit down together to make sure everyone is on the same page. The pundits will have picked their analysis clips, so we talk through those. I find that the key to getting the best conversation flowing for the live show is to not over-rehearse, otherwise it can sometimes feel less authentic. At this stage we also discuss the very important subject of dinner: what does everyone fancy eating while watching the game! I usually then go into the studio by 6pm and go through a rehearsal on my own; I practice my links and make sure that everyone in the gallery is happy with cameras, studio positioning, lighting and all of that sort of stuff.
Sometimes team news comes in just before we’re live. That’s the bit that can be quite manic. Let’s just say you’re covering Manchester City and you’re going to talk about Kevin De Bruyne, then you suddenly find out he’s not playing. You have to rejig the whole thing. It happens quite a lot, especially in Europe – and, well, you can’t predict Pep’s teams ever. That’s the fun and games of live television.
On a matchday I normally get collected from my house at 2:15pm. Timing is pretty specific as I need to get to the studio by 4pm. What’s nice is that I’m always met at the door by some very happy, smiley faced runners. They take me to my dressing room, then I usually go straight into hair and make-up, which is always such a laugh. We also discuss the fun bits: outfits, shoes – the glam side of things! After that I go to the green room and sit with the producer to have a chat through the show. We speak about the areas we want to cover a few days before but it’s always important to talk through any changes on the day, keeping in mind any rolling news.
By that point, the pundits have normally arrived. We all sit down together to make sure everyone is on the same page. The pundits will have picked their analysis clips, so we talk through those. I find that the key to getting the best conversation flowing for the live show is to not over-rehearse, otherwise it can sometimes feel less authentic. At this stage we also discuss the very important subject of dinner: what does everyone fancy eating while watching the game! I usually then go into the studio by 6pm and go through a rehearsal on my own; I practice my links and make sure that everyone in the gallery is happy with cameras, studio positioning, lighting and all of that sort of stuff.
Sometimes team news comes in just before we’re live. That’s the bit that can be quite manic. Let’s just say you’re covering Manchester City and you’re going to talk about Kevin De Bruyne, then you suddenly find out he’s not playing. You have to rejig the whole thing. It happens quite a lot, especially in Europe – and, well, you can’t predict Pep’s teams ever. That’s the fun and games of live television.
I don’t get nervous anymore. But you definitely feel the adrenaline pumping, that excitement of being on air. With having presented so many live matches, I think the only times I’ve ever been nervous is if I’ve felt I wasn’t prepared, and I’ll never let myself be in that position for these big games. It’s always quite a moment when I hear not just the Champions League music in our title sequence but the count in my ear: 3, 2, 1, go.
After a show, there are times when I get home and I’m so wired. A classic example: the second leg of the Real Madrid v PSG game. It was just so good and I felt so proud to have been part of that moment. But I could not sleep afterwards, because my mind was just pumping. It sometimes takes you a day or two to come down from it – but if you’re working the next day then the adrenaline carries you through.
Steve McManaman is always cracking me up. Peter Crouch is such a laugh too, of course. I’ve worked with Owen Hargreaves and Michael Owen for years and they’ve all been really supportive of me. We’re spoilt at BT Sport because all our pundits bring so much experience to the table and their different personalities help to make every show unique. One thing that they all have in common is that they are genuinely brilliant at their roles; if you can lean on their experience during a show, you can get some really great insights. That’s the beauty of having those players sat with you in a studio.
The BT Sport studio is like a maze. You need a sat-nav to take you from one end to the other. So while I always wear a nice pair of heels on the show, I always wear my flip-flops into the studio. I wear them during the game too. So for the Real v PSG game, the cameras were still rolling to get the boys’ reactions to the goals going in – but I didn't know that I was in the frame as well. I’m just chilling in my flip flops, and suddenly Karim Benzema completes his hat-trick and we’re all jumping up and down. Social media wasn’t slow in noticing my flip flops! I was just very relaxed while watching the game, which is how it should be…
On a matchday I normally get collected from my house at 2:15pm. Timing is pretty specific as I need to get to the studio by 4pm. What’s nice is that I’m always met at the door by some very happy, smiley faced runners. They take me to my dressing room, then I usually go straight into hair and make-up, which is always such a laugh. We also discuss the fun bits: outfits, shoes – the glam side of things! After that I go to the green room and sit with the producer to have a chat through the show. We speak about the areas we want to cover a few days before but it’s always important to talk through any changes on the day, keeping in mind any rolling news.
By that point, the pundits have normally arrived. We all sit down together to make sure everyone is on the same page. The pundits will have picked their analysis clips, so we talk through those. I find that the key to getting the best conversation flowing for the live show is to not over-rehearse, otherwise it can sometimes feel less authentic. At this stage we also discuss the very important subject of dinner: what does everyone fancy eating while watching the game! I usually then go into the studio by 6pm and go through a rehearsal on my own; I practice my links and make sure that everyone in the gallery is happy with cameras, studio positioning, lighting and all of that sort of stuff.
Sometimes team news comes in just before we’re live. That’s the bit that can be quite manic. Let’s just say you’re covering Manchester City and you’re going to talk about Kevin De Bruyne, then you suddenly find out he’s not playing. You have to rejig the whole thing. It happens quite a lot, especially in Europe – and, well, you can’t predict Pep’s teams ever. That’s the fun and games of live television.
On a matchday I normally get collected from my house at 2:15pm. Timing is pretty specific as I need to get to the studio by 4pm. What’s nice is that I’m always met at the door by some very happy, smiley faced runners. They take me to my dressing room, then I usually go straight into hair and make-up, which is always such a laugh. We also discuss the fun bits: outfits, shoes – the glam side of things! After that I go to the green room and sit with the producer to have a chat through the show. We speak about the areas we want to cover a few days before but it’s always important to talk through any changes on the day, keeping in mind any rolling news.
By that point, the pundits have normally arrived. We all sit down together to make sure everyone is on the same page. The pundits will have picked their analysis clips, so we talk through those. I find that the key to getting the best conversation flowing for the live show is to not over-rehearse, otherwise it can sometimes feel less authentic. At this stage we also discuss the very important subject of dinner: what does everyone fancy eating while watching the game! I usually then go into the studio by 6pm and go through a rehearsal on my own; I practice my links and make sure that everyone in the gallery is happy with cameras, studio positioning, lighting and all of that sort of stuff.
Sometimes team news comes in just before we’re live. That’s the bit that can be quite manic. Let’s just say you’re covering Manchester City and you’re going to talk about Kevin De Bruyne, then you suddenly find out he’s not playing. You have to rejig the whole thing. It happens quite a lot, especially in Europe – and, well, you can’t predict Pep’s teams ever. That’s the fun and games of live television.
On a matchday I normally get collected from my house at 2:15pm. Timing is pretty specific as I need to get to the studio by 4pm. What’s nice is that I’m always met at the door by some very happy, smiley faced runners. They take me to my dressing room, then I usually go straight into hair and make-up, which is always such a laugh. We also discuss the fun bits: outfits, shoes – the glam side of things! After that I go to the green room and sit with the producer to have a chat through the show. We speak about the areas we want to cover a few days before but it’s always important to talk through any changes on the day, keeping in mind any rolling news.
By that point, the pundits have normally arrived. We all sit down together to make sure everyone is on the same page. The pundits will have picked their analysis clips, so we talk through those. I find that the key to getting the best conversation flowing for the live show is to not over-rehearse, otherwise it can sometimes feel less authentic. At this stage we also discuss the very important subject of dinner: what does everyone fancy eating while watching the game! I usually then go into the studio by 6pm and go through a rehearsal on my own; I practice my links and make sure that everyone in the gallery is happy with cameras, studio positioning, lighting and all of that sort of stuff.
Sometimes team news comes in just before we’re live. That’s the bit that can be quite manic. Let’s just say you’re covering Manchester City and you’re going to talk about Kevin De Bruyne, then you suddenly find out he’s not playing. You have to rejig the whole thing. It happens quite a lot, especially in Europe – and, well, you can’t predict Pep’s teams ever. That’s the fun and games of live television.
I don’t get nervous anymore. But you definitely feel the adrenaline pumping, that excitement of being on air. With having presented so many live matches, I think the only times I’ve ever been nervous is if I’ve felt I wasn’t prepared, and I’ll never let myself be in that position for these big games. It’s always quite a moment when I hear not just the Champions League music in our title sequence but the count in my ear: 3, 2, 1, go.
After a show, there are times when I get home and I’m so wired. A classic example: the second leg of the Real Madrid v PSG game. It was just so good and I felt so proud to have been part of that moment. But I could not sleep afterwards, because my mind was just pumping. It sometimes takes you a day or two to come down from it – but if you’re working the next day then the adrenaline carries you through.
Steve McManaman is always cracking me up. Peter Crouch is such a laugh too, of course. I’ve worked with Owen Hargreaves and Michael Owen for years and they’ve all been really supportive of me. We’re spoilt at BT Sport because all our pundits bring so much experience to the table and their different personalities help to make every show unique. One thing that they all have in common is that they are genuinely brilliant at their roles; if you can lean on their experience during a show, you can get some really great insights. That’s the beauty of having those players sat with you in a studio.
The BT Sport studio is like a maze. You need a sat-nav to take you from one end to the other. So while I always wear a nice pair of heels on the show, I always wear my flip-flops into the studio. I wear them during the game too. So for the Real v PSG game, the cameras were still rolling to get the boys’ reactions to the goals going in – but I didn't know that I was in the frame as well. I’m just chilling in my flip flops, and suddenly Karim Benzema completes his hat-trick and we’re all jumping up and down. Social media wasn’t slow in noticing my flip flops! I was just very relaxed while watching the game, which is how it should be…
On a matchday I normally get collected from my house at 2:15pm. Timing is pretty specific as I need to get to the studio by 4pm. What’s nice is that I’m always met at the door by some very happy, smiley faced runners. They take me to my dressing room, then I usually go straight into hair and make-up, which is always such a laugh. We also discuss the fun bits: outfits, shoes – the glam side of things! After that I go to the green room and sit with the producer to have a chat through the show. We speak about the areas we want to cover a few days before but it’s always important to talk through any changes on the day, keeping in mind any rolling news.
By that point, the pundits have normally arrived. We all sit down together to make sure everyone is on the same page. The pundits will have picked their analysis clips, so we talk through those. I find that the key to getting the best conversation flowing for the live show is to not over-rehearse, otherwise it can sometimes feel less authentic. At this stage we also discuss the very important subject of dinner: what does everyone fancy eating while watching the game! I usually then go into the studio by 6pm and go through a rehearsal on my own; I practice my links and make sure that everyone in the gallery is happy with cameras, studio positioning, lighting and all of that sort of stuff.
Sometimes team news comes in just before we’re live. That’s the bit that can be quite manic. Let’s just say you’re covering Manchester City and you’re going to talk about Kevin De Bruyne, then you suddenly find out he’s not playing. You have to rejig the whole thing. It happens quite a lot, especially in Europe – and, well, you can’t predict Pep’s teams ever. That’s the fun and games of live television.
