Presenting reside sport requires unflappable professionalism, a sporting anorak’s encyclopaedic information and the administration abilities of a circus ringleader. As it could possibly 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 component 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 (beneath) or pretends to be blown away by the wind.
Attempting to take care of a test on all of that should hold their presenters completely on edge however these charged with that accountability 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 power on display.
‘They wish to carry that throughout to the followers, each contained in the stadium but in addition individuals watching at dwelling.
Jenny Drummond presents alongside Ian Madigan, John Barclay and Ryan Wilson
Drummond has confirmed a relaxed 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 fascinating! They’re humorous however they know their stuff.
‘They’ve an important reference to the golf equipment and the gamers. They’re so current with every thing that’s taking place 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 component is promoted inside Premier is good for me.’
The channel’s dedication to broadcasting at pitchside is one other staple though it could possibly carry its challenges too, with Drummond rapidly 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 totally different voices in your ear as you inform individuals at dwelling what’s developing subsequent,’ reveals the Glaswegian.
‘Final season I dropped my notes on the bottom they usually had 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 powerful moments. And that’s when it’s a must to attempt to carry some enjoyable into it to get by way of all of it.’
Levity must be appropriately meted out, nonetheless. The calls for of reside tv imply a microphone is usually thrust below a participant’s nostril as quickly as they’ve walked off the sphere 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 individual from the shedding workforce doesn’t wish to speak however you recognize as a journalist it’s a must 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. However it’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 formidable pedigree and labored at main tennis occasions as nicely
Drummond’s dream is to take a seat within the ‘massive chair’ for the world’s largest tennis occasion – Wimbledon
Social media snipers have a tendency to order their harshest judgments for feminine presenters and, whereas Drummond has had her fair proportion of criticism too, she’s realized it’s not price losing her time over.
‘As a feminine you get commented on the way you look and what you put on reasonably 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 had been in the best way that you simply mentioned one thing. That p****s me off, for certain.
‘I take advantage of Twitter/X for work however am not energetic on it. I’m delicate and may’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 Girls’s Six Nations. Her first steps, although, had been on the manufacturing aspect as she realized in regards to the enterprise, in and out.
‘I purposely began in manufacturing to point out as a feminine in a male- dominated trade 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 flooring supervisor on journeys and generally stuffed 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 give attention to reporting and presenting. I went again and did a journalism diploma in my mid-20s which helped quite a bit, too.
‘I used to be most likely a bit later getting on digicam than I wished however equally it has allowed me to realize all that different expertise which has proved invaluable.’
Drummond comes from a powerful sporting inventory. Her dad, Duncan, turned out for Glasgow Warriors of their novice days, whereas certainly one of her granddads performed cricket for Scotland and the opposite was a eager novice golfer who featured at The Open.
Little shock provided that gene pool that sport was a continuing 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 had 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 most important affect on me in relation to sport.’
The previous Excessive Faculty 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 automotive accident ended these prospects, setting the then 18-year-old on a special path, learning Politics and Worldwide Relations at Aberdeen College earlier than her transfer into the media.
‘I used to be a prime 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 automotive 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 flawed place.
‘So I ended up going to Aberdeen to review as a substitute of America. I performed a little bit of tennis after that however not way more — I believe there’s nonetheless a wee little bit of PTSD floating round after what occurred. I additionally had hip surgical procedure final yr due to an previous tennis damage. Perhaps I’ve simply bought 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 plenty of totally different broadcasters. Requested to pick a favorite reminiscence, the 35-year-old alights on one specific spotlight.
‘Just a few 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 bought him out of some horrible moods reside on air and made him giggle,’ she provides.
‘So that they wished me to maintain doing it. It was Courtroom One, the match between Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas and it was fairly fiery with each gamers virtually getting defaulted.
‘I needed to interview Nick afterwards and all of it went wonderful. 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 listing.
‘In the future I’d like to be within the massive chair presenting Wimbledon,’ she admits. ‘And to have the ability to current each the lads’s and the ladies’s Six Nations can be a dream, too. If I ever bought 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 workforce bringing each Glasgow and Edinburgh recreation reside from the BKT United Rugby Championship each dwelling and away this season.
Watch Glasgow tackle Benetton within the second spherical of the Championship on Friday night time 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 out there throughout the UK and Eire with 80 prime 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 offered within the UK from £10.99 a month and is offered on Sky, Virgin and Amazon Prime.
Premier Sports activities additionally streams on-line through devoted apps on a variety of units and platforms, together with iOS and Android smartphones and tablets, PC and Mac, Fireplace TV and Chromecast, LG Good TVs and Android TV enabled units.