The Rise & Rise of Nigel Pearson
From The Bescot to The Bernabeau
talkSPORT’s Nigel Pearson has described his rise to one of the station’s main football commentators as “a dream come true” as he looks forward to the World Cup in Germany.
Nigel joined Talk Radio in 1997 from Beacon FM in Wolverhampton and was part of the station’s Football League coverage reporting on games involving Wolverhampton Wanderers and their quest for promotion to the Premiership. Before Beacon FM, he worked for BRMB in Birmingham as a football reporter in 1989 and then from 1996 worked for WABC as their Drivetime presenter but Nigel says it “screwed up my drinking career” as the programme ran between 5:00pm-10:00pm.
In his time at talkSPORT, Nigel has been a reporter for Football First with Adrian Durham on Premiership and Football League matches in the West Midlands, including his beloved West Bromwich Albion. Whilst at the station, he has seen them promoted to the Premiership and survive on the last day of the season. However, in the last year Nigel has seen his role at talkSPORT expand from his regular employment as reporter to presenter and commentator on matches in the Premiership and Champions League.
When he joined the station in 1997, Nigel never envisaged that he would become one of talkSPORT’s main football commentators covering games such as Real Madrid v Arsenal at the Bernabau Stadium in Madrid for Champions League Quarter-Finals: “I was happy just doing reports on a Saturday and mid-week but I've been delighted with the opportunities which have come my way. It's something I didn't really go looking for and my wife often accuses me of lacking ambition, so in the last year it's been great.”
In his role as commentator on talkSPORT, Nigel has worked alongside pundits such as Alvin Martin, Jason Cundy and Rodney Marsh on Champions League Live and Premiership Live and praises them for their expert eye on football: “Apart from what they achieved as professional footballers, they are also great people. I was fortunate to spend time with Alvin and Rodney in Madrid recently and I have always enjoyed working with Jason. I also did a commentary with Micky Quinn and I really enjoy his company.”
talkSPORT are an official broadcaster of the 2006 World Cup in Germany having secured broadcast rights to the tournament for the first time in the station’s history. Nigel is expected to be one of talkSPORT’s commentators in Germany and says it wil be a dream come true: “To be away for five weeks is a massive thing for me, both on a business scale and personally. I've never been away for that amount of time before, but I should be coming back a couple of times during the tournament to do my speedway commentary on Sky Sports. I don't think it will surprise anybody when I say it's the chance of a lifetime, a dream come true. The dream scenario has already happened, I've been asked to go! Naturally, I would love England to win but I can see a penalty shootout defeat in the semi-final.”
In addition to commentary, Nigel has been given more chances to present shows on the station as he hosted Evening Kick-Off and The Final Whistle over the Christmas period on talkSPORT. And Nigel says he will be heard more on the station in the coming months: “I've got some more shows lined up in May and presenting is something I would like to do more of on talkSPORT.”
Check out talkSPORT’s Nigel Pearson every Saturday on Football First with Adrian Durham, Champions League Live for Arsenal v Real Madrid next month and as part of talkSPORT’s official coverage of the 2006 World Cup in Germany in June and July.
The Rise & Rise of Nigel Pearson
From The Bescot to The Bernabeau
March 2006 |
