Jeff Stelling facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jeff Stelling
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Stelling in 2021
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| Born | 18 March 1955 Hartlepool, County Durham, England
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| Occupation | Journalist, television presenter |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Television |
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| Spouse(s) |
Liz Stelling
(m. 1998) |
| Children | 3 |
Robert Jeffrey Stelling (born on March 18, 1955) is a well-known English television presenter. He was famous for hosting Gillette Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports for many years, from 1994 until 2023. He also presented the Champions League football coverage between 2011 and 2015.
Besides sports, Jeff also hosted popular quiz shows. He presented Countdown on Channel 4 from 2009 to 2011. Later, he hosted Alphabetical on ITV in 2016 and 2017. He announced his departure from Soccer Saturday in October 2021, but stayed on until May 2023.
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Early Life and First Jobs
Jeff Stelling grew up in Hartlepool, a town in England. He went to Rift House Primary School and West Hartlepool Grammar School. After finishing school, his very first job was as a journalist. He worked at the Hartlepool Mail newspaper for four years.
Starting His Broadcasting Career
Jeff's journey into broadcasting began in the late 1970s. He started as a reporter for Middlesbrough F.C. on Radio Tees. In the early 1980s, he became a sports presenter for LBC Radio in London.
He then moved to BBC Radio 2, where he covered big events like the Los Angeles and Seoul Olympic Games. Later, he read sports news for channels like TV-am, Channel 4, and Eurosport.
In 1992, Jeff joined Sky. There, he presented coverage of different sports, including horse racing, greyhound racing, snooker, and darts. In 2003, he won a special sports presenter edition of The Weakest Link quiz show.
Hosting Soccer Saturday
In 1994, Jeff Stelling became the presenter of Sports Saturday. This show later became Gillette Soccer Saturday in 1998. He hosted this program for up to six hours, discussing football and giving live updates from games.
He worked with a panel of football experts, including Chris Kamara and others. Many people loved the show because of Jeff's amazing presenting skills. He was praised for his "exceptional professionalism." He left the show in May 2023 after 25 years.
From 2011 to 2015, Jeff also presented Sky's live coverage of the UEFA Champions League. This is a very important football competition in Europe.
Game Show Fun
Jeff Stelling also showed his talent for hosting game shows. In 2008, he was chosen to be the new host of the popular Channel 4 quiz show Countdown. He started presenting Countdown in January 2009 with a new assistant, Rachel Riley.
He hosted Countdown for three years, leaving in 2011 to focus more on football. He was replaced by Nick Hewer. Jeff returned to Countdown as a guest in 2023.
In 2016, Jeff presented a new game show for ITV called Alphabetical. The show was popular and came back for a second series in 2017.
TV Appearances and Radio Work
Jeff Stelling has appeared as himself in several TV shows. These include the football comedy series Ted Lasso, The IT Crowd, and Dream Team. He also appeared in an advert for Sky Broadband.
More recently, in December 2023, he started presenting the breakfast show on Talksport radio. He hosts this show every Monday and Tuesday morning with Ally McCoist.
Awards and Recognition
Jeff Stelling has received many honors for his work. In 2007, he was given an honorary Doctor of Professional Studies degree by the University of Teesside.
The Sports Journalists' Association named him Sports Broadcaster of the Year four times in a row. This award is based on a poll of its members.
In 2010, he was given the title of honorary freeman of his hometown, Hartlepool. This is a special honor given to people who have done a lot for their town.
In the 2024 New Year Honours, Jeff Stelling was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). This award recognized his services to sport, broadcasting, and charity.
Personal Life and Charity Work
Jeff Stelling lives in Bishop's Waltham, Hampshire, with his wife Liz. They have two sons, Robbie and Matthew, and a daughter, Olivia. They got married in November 1998. His son Robbie is also a journalist.
Jeff is a keen runner and has completed the London Marathon eight times. His best time was 3 hours and 28 minutes.
In 2013, Jeff and some friends climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. They did this to raise money for The Finlay Cooper Fund, a children's charity. Their climb raised an amazing £100,000.
In 2015, Jeff became the president of Hartlepool United F.C., his hometown football club.
Jeff is also a big supporter of Prostate Cancer UK. In 2016, he walked 262 miles from Hartlepool United to Wembley Stadium over 10 days. This incredible walk raised over £420,000 for the charity. He was joined by many friends from Sky Sports and the football world, including Chris Kamara. He continued to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK in 2017 with another charity walk.
