Steve Rider

About

Steve is a well-known, and long-serving, sports broadcaster. His thirty years in the industry has encompassed anchoring coverage from both the football and rugby union World Cups – often whilst also working concurrently on F1 programmes from around the world.

With a background in local newspapers and PR, Steve began his broadcast career as a sports editor with Anglia. Then, after a stint with Thames, he moved to the BBC to replace Des Lynam on Grandstand. He went on to become the main golf presenter, particularly associated with the US Masters. He soon became a familiar face on British television, presenting shows such as Grandstand, BBC Sports Personality of the Year and much of the BBC’s motorsports, rugby and golf coverage.

He also anchored the channel’s coverage of the University Boat Race until 2005, and every Olympic Games between 1988 and 2004.

He moved to the commercial network ITV after twenty years with the BBC, to front the Formula One season and the Rugby World Cup. He is the only person to have presented all the major sports magazine shows – including Grandstand, Sportsnight and World of Sport.

In December 2011, it was announced that Rider had joined Sky Sports to present F1 Legends for Sky Sports F1, the channel debuted in March 2012.

Rider has always maintained a low-key and professional style in fronting major sporting events, in a similar way to his predecessors and colleagues Harry Carpenter and Des Lynam, but in marked contrast to presenters who some feel try to steal the event’s spotlight.

Steve Rider has twice won the Royal Television Society’s Sports Presenter of the Year award, and collected two BAFTAs.

Steve is patron of the south Buckinghamshire charity Headway South Bucks, which raises money for people with head injuries; and an active patron for children’s cancer charity CLIC Sargent. He is also president of the North West Kent Addicks, an independent Charlton supporters group that raises money for local charities.