Presenting reside sport requires unflappable professionalism, a sporting anorak’s encyclopaedic data and the administration abilities of a circus ringleader. As it could get pretty chaotic at occasions.
Take Premier Sports activities’ protection of the United Rugby Championship, for instance. They’re thorough of their protection however there’s additionally an added aspect of leisure central to how they go about their enterprise, most notably since Ryan Wilson was added to their roster of pundits.
The previous Scotland ahead brings an additional degree of mayhem to the proceedings as he tackles colleagues to the bottom on air, rides a penny farthing (under) or pretends to be blown away by the wind.
Making an attempt to take care of a examine on all of that should hold their presenters completely on edge however these charged with that duty achieve this with good grace and the requisite sense of humour.
‘It’s good enjoyable,’ confirms Jenny Drummond, a well-recognized face within the channel’s rugby protection. ‘I’ve labored with Premier for a number of years now they usually welcome that vitality on display.
‘They need to carry that throughout to the followers, each contained in the stadium but additionally individuals watching at house.
Jenny Drummond presents alongside Ian Madigan, John Barclay and Ryan Wilson
Drummond has confirmed a peaceful presence as she presents reside URC matches from pitchside
‘That’s a massively clear message from them. And with the pundits they’ve there’s a very nice combine though they hold you in your toes.
‘You’re making an attempt to handle greatest mates like Ryan Wilson and John Barclay which is attention-grabbing! They’re humorous however they know their stuff.
‘They’ve a terrific reference to the golf equipment and the gamers. They’re so current with all the pieces that’s occurring that it makes it really easy to have a dialog with them.
‘It’s a chat such as you would have within the pub. I’m somebody who loves sport so the truth that aspect is promoted inside Premier is good for me.’
The channel’s dedication to broadcasting at pitchside is one other staple though it could carry its challenges too, with Drummond shortly debunking the notion that tv is all glitz and glamour.
‘There have been occasions when it’s pouring with rain and also you’re making an attempt to carry a microphone, an umbrella and both an iPad or a clipboard whereas listening to a number of completely different voices in your ear as you inform individuals at house what’s developing subsequent,’ reveals the Glaswegian.
‘Final season I dropped my notes on the bottom they usually have been soaking and I couldn’t learn them. One other time John was so moist and chilly he apologised as he had nothing left to say and we additionally had Ryan pretending to be blown away by a gale.
‘So when it’s freezing and bucketing down — these are robust moments. And that’s when you need to attempt to carry some enjoyable into it to get by means of all of it.’
Levity must be appropriately meted out, nevertheless. The calls for of reside tv imply a microphone is commonly thrust beneath a participant’s nostril as quickly as they’ve walked off the sector and people tasked with asking the questions should achieve this with tact and sensitivity.
‘Your emotional intelligence has to kick in,’ notes Drummond. ‘Typically the particular person from the dropping group doesn’t need to discuss however you understand as a journalist you need to get solutions out of them.
‘Typically there are gamers who’re a bit extra introverted who simply don’t like talking. Duhan van der Merwe at all times says to me: “Two questions solely, Jenny!” After which he’ll complain that I’ve requested 5. But it surely’s all in jest. The extra you do it, the extra you be taught in regards to the characters of the gamers and the way they greatest reply.
‘I simply go together with a human-led method. Typically gamers cry or get emotional and it’s the way you react to that.’
Drummond has a powerful pedigree and labored at main tennis occasions as properly
Drummond’s dream is to take a seat within the ‘huge chair’ for the world’s greatest tennis occasion – Wimbledon
Social media snipers have a tendency to order their harshest judgments for feminine presenters and, whereas Drummond has had her justifiable share of criticism too, she’s realized it’s not value losing her time over.
‘As a feminine you get commented on the way you look and what you put on slightly than the way you carry out as a presenter or reporter,’ she provides. ‘Then individuals criticise the angle of your questions or how articulate you have been in the way in which that you simply mentioned one thing. That p****s me off, for positive.
‘I exploit Twitter/X for work however am not lively on it. I’m delicate and might’t hack that (abuse) aspect of it, so I don’t even trouble wanting.’
Drummond has seen and completed it everywhere in the previous decade, presenting and reporting on a variety of sporting events from Wimbledon to the Ladies’s Six Nations. Her first steps, although, have been on the manufacturing aspect as she realized in regards to the enterprise, inside and outside.
‘I purposely began in manufacturing to point out as a feminine in a male- dominated business that when it got here to sport I knew what I used to be speaking about,’ she provides. ‘I began out as a manufacturing supervisor or ground supervisor on journeys and generally crammed in as a reporter which allowed me to create a showreel.
Drummond’s dad Duncan, entrance proper, performed many sports activities, together with a cricket match with West Indies legend Gordon Greenidge
Her grandad, Ian Rae, was a eager golfer and as soon as performed in The Open
‘From there I did a hybrid of each roles till simply earlier than Covid once I determined I wished to concentrate on reporting and presenting. I went again and did a journalism diploma in my mid-20s which helped lots, too.
‘I used to be in all probability a bit later getting on digital camera than I wished however equally it has allowed me to achieve all that different expertise which has proved invaluable.’
Drummond comes from a robust sporting inventory. Her dad, Duncan, turned out for Glasgow Warriors of their beginner days, whereas one in all her granddads performed cricket for Scotland and the opposite was a eager beginner golfer who featured at The Open.
Little shock provided that gene pool that sport was a relentless for Drummond rising up in Bearsden.
‘I come from a really sporty household,’ she provides. ‘My dad was a really eager rugby participant, tennis, golfer, cricketer — he did all of it. And my grandparents have been the identical.
‘My dad threw a ball at me from once I was in nappies so my hand-eye coordination was good from an early age. He’s the largest affect on me on the subject of sport.’
The previous Excessive College of Glasgow pupil confirmed loads of sporting expertise, too. After making an attempt the complete gamut of pursuits, it was tennis the place the younger Drummond confirmed the best potential.
Set for a scholarship on the US school scene, a freak automobile accident ended these prospects, setting the then 18-year-old on a special path, finding out Politics and Worldwide Relations at Aberdeen College earlier than her transfer into the media.
‘I used to be a high British junior and was coached by Judy Murray and Leon Smith most of my life,’ she reveals. ‘After which I used to be in a automobile crash the place some fool didn’t cease at a give-way junction and I snapped my left wrist. They then mis-diagnosed the fracture and it fused within the improper place.
‘So I ended up going to Aberdeen to check as a substitute of America. I performed a little bit of tennis after that however not rather more — I feel there’s nonetheless a wee little bit of PTSD floating round after what occurred. I additionally had hip surgical procedure final 12 months due to an previous tennis damage. Possibly I’ve simply received a kind of our bodies that’s liable to damage!’
It has not been the worst profession detour, with Drummond working throughout a raft of various sports activities — soccer, tennis, golf and snooker in addition to rugby — for a lot of completely different broadcasters. Requested to pick a favorite reminiscence, the 35-year-old alights on one explicit spotlight.
‘A couple of years in the past I used to be reporting for the BBC at Wimbledon for the primary time and interviewing Nick Kyrgios a good bit as I had received him out of some horrible moods reside on air and made him snort,’ she provides.
‘In order that they wished me to maintain doing it. It was Court docket One, the match between Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas and it was fairly fiery with each gamers nearly getting defaulted.
‘I needed to interview Nick afterwards and all of it went superb. After which my boss textual content me after to say: “Simply the 5.8million individuals watching, Jen”. I’m glad they didn’t inform me that beforehand!’
And what in regards to the future? Two occasions come straight to thoughts as she reels off the gadgets on her bucket record.
‘Sooner or later I’d like to be within the huge chair presenting Wimbledon,’ she admits. ‘And to have the ability to current each the lads’s and the ladies’s Six Nations could be a dream, too. If I ever received to do these two issues sooner or later in my life then I’d be completely delighted.’
Jenny Drummond is a part of the Premier Sports activities group bringing each Glasgow and Edinburgh sport reside from the BKT United Rugby Championship each house and away this season.
Watch Glasgow tackle Benetton within the second spherical of the Championship on Friday evening reside on Premier Sports activities 1 from 7pm. Jenny can be joined by John Barclay, Ryan Wilson, Rory Hamilton and Jamie Lyall with all of the motion and build-up from Scotstoun.
Premier Sports activities now gives probably the most complete reside rugby membership protection accessible throughout the UK and Eire with 80 high European rugby fixtures, 151 URC video games throughout 5 rugby nations and 110 TOP14 video games reside – making Premier Sports activities the vacation spot for any rugby fan. Premier Sports activities is on the market within the UK from £10.99 a month and is on the market on Sky, Virgin and Amazon Prime.
Premier Sports activities additionally streams on-line through devoted apps on a variety of gadgets and platforms, together with iOS and Android smartphones and tablets, PC and Mac, Fireplace TV and Chromecast, LG Sensible TVs and Android TV enabled gadgets.