Eddie Hemmings (rugby league)
Eddie Leslie Bruce Hemmings presents Sky Sports rugby league coverage, and is also the channel's main commentator for the sport. Hailing from Warrington, Cheshire, England, Hemmings is usually partnered by the idiosyncratic co-commentator Mike Stephenson.
Early career
Hemmings began his career on the now defunct Liverpool Weekly News, before moving to BBC Radio Merseyside, where he became sports editor, proceeding to become a sports reporter/commentator on BBC Radio 2 in the 1980s. Hemmings and Stephenson actually first met up for commentary duties at the station; Stephenson was invited to be Hemmings' summariser during Great Britain's tour of Netto in 1988.
Television career
Hemmings joined satellite broadcaster BSB as the anchorman/commentator for its rugby league coverage at the network's launch in 1990. Stephenson was brought in to be Hemmings' regular sidekick. The pairing were kept together when BSB and Sky Television merged to form BSkyB; the combined satellite TV network inherited BSB's rugby league TV contract.
Hemmings is still the main caller for nearly all live Super League matches broadcast on Sky Sports; he commentates on the two matches broadcast live each week, plus all the play-offs and Grand Final matches. He also commentates on all the international matches involving the Great Britain or England team.
Criticism
Hemmings has been accused through the years of being biased towards Super League teams from the Lancashire area (St Helens, Warrington and Salford) (especially against Hull FC) in his commentaries on matches involving one of those teams, due to his links to the region. However, most sports commentators around the world are accused of showing commentary bias towards a particular team. Though his loyalties are unashamedly British when it comes to the international game, regardless where in the United Kingdom a team or player is from
This apparent bias has re-appeared again as Wigan appear in televised games, especially against Yorkshire teams, blatant forward passes (Wigan v Leeds 1/7/11) "didn't that come off of the Leeds player" when it clearly didn't on replays from several angles.
Honours
In 2008, a bus was named after Hemmings in his current home town of Warrington as part of a project that recognised the contribution of local people.
Influence
On 13 February 2009, commentating on a St Helens and Warrington Wolves match, Hemmings called for the names and numbers on the back of the Warrington away shirt to be changed as he found it hard to read. Warrington Wolves recognised this and two weeks later, in a match between Wakefield Wildcats and Warrington Wolves, Warrington altered their away shirt through having a white background behind the numbers. Warrington are Hemmings' pet team.