Paul Dempsey (presenter)
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Paul Dempsey | |
|---|---|
| Born | 16 March 1960 |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Occupation | [Television presenter |
Paul Andrew Francis Dempsey (born 16 March 1960) is a television and radio sports broadcaster and commentator. After 18 years working for Sky he left in 2006 and moved to the Dublin based television company Setanta Sports, where he presents most of the channel's football (soccer) coverage, including Premier League Live.
Early life
Dempsey was born in London and lived in Leicester, England between 1966 and 1978. He attended St Joseph’s School and then CIty of Leicester School. He then went up to St John’s College Cambridge where he read English Literature between 1979 and 1982. He won two Blues and captained Cambridge in the annual soccer Varsity match against Oxford. He then played football for University College Dublin A.F.C. (UCD) as a defender during the 1982–83 League of Ireland season. He won the Collingwood Cup during his time at Belfield Park.
Radio career
After a summer job opportunity at the Irish News in Belfast he joined BBC as a graduate Trainee in late 1984. After spells in BBC Radio Sport and BBC Radio News he joined the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, based in Bern, where he worked on radio between May 1986 and October 1987. Returning to London he freelanced at ITN and Channel Four News while launching Capital Radio’s sports coverage with Jonathan Pearce.
Television career
At Christmas 1988 Dempsey was invited to audition for the launch of Sky News which went on air in February 1989. Dempsey was one of the first presenters to be seen on screen and became a regular presenting sports news bulletins, simultaneously establishing himself as one of the lead commentators on Sky’s initial sports channel, Eurosport. He covered the 1990 World Cup working alongside Ian Darke and Peter Brackley and the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. After the merger of Sky and British Satellite Broadcasting, Sky Sports became the new dedicated subscription sports channel for the network and Dempsey made his name covering football and boxing alongside other regulars, Richard Keys and Andy Gray as part of a multi award winning team. When Sky captured Premier League rights for the first time Dempsey - presented Sport Saturday, later Soccer Saturday, with Sue Barker. From the mid 1990s Sky boosted their boxing coverage by signing up most of the biggest names in Britain and the United States and Dempsey fronted all of the major shows either on regular subscription or Pay Per View Channels.[1]
For a period Sky enjoyed a near monopoly on the sport’s biggest names including Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank, Steve Collins and Naseem Hamed. Dempsey also became known to a wider international audience through regular commentary work for international agencies CSI Sports and TWI who relayed live Premier League, European and International soccer to a Worldwide audience.
In 2002 he was a commentator for SBS covering the FIFA World Cup.[2]
Although linked with rival networks on several occasions Dempsey remained with Sky until 2006 when he was offered the chance to return to Dublin to help launch Setanta Sports’ dedicated Irish sports channel. He continues to front their football programming, much of which is relayed to the North America. He was also nominated, in 2007, for an Irish Film and Television Academy Award for his hosting of the Rugby World Cup, an event which significantly enhanced the channel's reputation.
In 2009 Setanta's Great Britain operation went into administration. However Dempsey continued to present most football coverage on Setanta Ireland, including Premier League, FA Cup, European and International football. [3]
The 2010 FIFA World Cup gave him the chance to continue his long association, on Australian TV with SBS,[4] the main broadcaster of the sport in the pacific region. He had previously acted as both studio anchor and commentator stretching back to 1994, along with Martin Tyler. But in 2010 as Special Broadcasting Service developed their style and format, Dempsey, known for his clean cut haircut, was invited to host coverage from their Sydney HQ.
Personal life
Dempsey married wife Jill in 1996 and has two daughters born in 2000 and 2002. [5]
References
- ^ http://www.epltalk.com/epl-talk-podcast/paul-dempsey-interview/
- ^ Rossi, Hannibal (26 May 2002). "Free-to-air month-long soccer fiesta of 64 matches kicks off on FridayGet set for action - on and off field". The Sunday Mail. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
- ^ http://www.sportsfile.com/more-images/D0608119
- ^ Blundell, Graeme (15 May 2010). "The world at their feet". Weekend Australian. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
- ^ http://www.bakersportsmanagement.ie/pauldempsey.html