Des Lynam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Des Lynam
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Lynam in 2005
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| Born |
Desmond Michael Lynam
17 September 1942 Ennis, County Clare, Ireland
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| Occupation | Radio/Television presenter |
| Years active | 1968–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Susan Skinner
(m. 1965; div. 1974)Rosemary Diamond
(m. 2011) |
| Children | 1 |
Desmond Michael Lynam (born 17 September 1942) is a famous Irish-born British television and radio presenter. He has worked in broadcasting for over 40 years. Des Lynam is well-known for hosting many major sports events. These include shows like Grandstand, Match of the Day, and coverage of the Wimbledon tennis tournament. He also presented the Grand National horse race, the Football World Cup, and the Olympic Games. Besides sports, he hosted other popular shows like Holiday and Countdown.
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Early Life and Education
Des Lynam was born in Ennis, County Clare, Ireland. When he was six years old, his family moved to Brighton, England. He remembered having a strong Irish accent when he first moved, but he gradually lost it.
In 1954, he passed an important school exam called the eleven-plus. This allowed him to attend Varndean Grammar School. After finishing his advanced studies, he started working in the insurance business.
A Career in Broadcasting
Starting in Radio and Moving to TV
Des Lynam began his career in broadcasting as a freelance radio journalist. He worked at BBC Radio Brighton from 1968 to 1969. Soon after, he joined the national BBC radio in London. He became a well-known voice, hosting shows like Sport on Two and Sports Report on BBC Radio 2 from 1969 to 1978. For a few years, he also helped present the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He was also a radio boxing commentator for 20 years.
In 1977, Lynam moved to television. He started with Sportswide, which was part of the show Nationwide. He then became a main presenter for many popular sports programmes. These included Grandstand (from 1979 to 1991, and sometimes until 1999) and Sportsnight (from 1991 to 1997). He also hosted Match of the Day from 1988 to 1999.
Covering Major Sporting Events
Des Lynam was the face of BBC's coverage for many big sports events. He presented the Wimbledon tennis highlights from 1983 to 1989. He then became the main presenter for Wimbledon from 1991 to 1997 and again in 1999. He also covered the Grand National horse race from 1985 to 1999.
He was a key presenter for the Football World Cup from 1982 to 1998. He also covered the Olympic Games from 1980 to 1996. His calm and witty style made him very popular with viewers.
In April 1989, Des Lynam was reporting from a football match for Match of the Day when a very sad event occurred. He was praised for his calm and professional reporting during this difficult time.
Moving to ITV and Beyond
In August 1999, Des Lynam decided to leave the BBC and join ITV. He wanted a new challenge and loved live football. At ITV, he presented their live football coverage, including the UEFA Champions League.
ITV later got the rights to show highlights of the Premier League. In 2001, Lynam presented The Premiership. This show ran until May 2004. He continued to present football for ITV until 2004. After the Euro 2004 football championships, he decided to retire from presenting live sports.
In 2005, Des Lynam presented the BBC One programme We'll Meet Again. This show marked the 60th anniversary of VE Day. He also hosted an episode of Have I Got News For You on BBC One.
In October 2005, Lynam released his autobiography, a book about his life, called I Should Have Been at Work. The title comes from a funny comment he made during the 1998 Football World Cup. He once said, "Good afternoon. Shouldn't you be at work?" when introducing an England match at 2pm on a Monday.
Later in 2005, Lynam took over from Richard Whiteley as the host of Channel 4's game show Countdown. His first episode aired on 31 October 2005. He left Countdown at the end of 2006 because he had to travel a long distance to Leeds for filming, and his home was in Worthing. He was replaced by Des O'Connor. However, Lynam did return for Countdown's 5000th episode in 2010 as a special guest.
After leaving Countdown, Lynam hosted Sport Mastermind. He also appeared in commercials for Setanta Sports. From 2011 to 2013, he co-hosted a humorous radio show about sport called Touchline Tales on BBC Radio 4.
Personal Life
Des Lynam married Susan Skinner in 1965, and they had one son, Patrick. They divorced in 1974. In 2011, Lynam married his long-term partner, Rosemary Diamond. They live in West Sussex.
Lynam is a big fan of the football team Brighton & Hove Albion. In the 1990s, he was asked to join the team's board of directors, but he politely declined.
In 2008, Des Lynam was awarded the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). This is a special honour given to people who have made a big difference in their field.
