Annabel Croft
Encyclopedia
Annabel Croft is a former professional tennis
player and current radio and television presenter
. As a tennis player she won the WTA Tour event Virginia Slims of San Diego
and represented Great Britain
in the Fed Cup
and the Wightman Cup
.
After retiring from tennis, she turned to television presenting, with such shows as Treasure Hunt
and Interceptor
. In 2005, she appeared in the ITV
programme Celebrity Wrestling
and went on to win it.
Most recently she has been a tennis commentator for Sky Sports
.
tournament in 1985, beating Wendy Turnbull
in the final in straight sets. In December 1985, she achieved a world ranking of 21. She played for Great Britain
in the Fed Cup
in 1985 and 1986, and in the Wightman Cup
from 1983 to 1986.
’s prime time show Treasure Hunt
, following Anneka Rice's successful run. This was followed by her own show on ITV1
, Interceptor
.
In 1990 Croft released her own fitness video entitled Annabel Croft's Shape Tape.
She has been involved in coverage of Wimbledon Tennis Championship
for the BBC, Radio 5 Live and GMTV, and has also worked for Sky Sports
and Eurosport
as a tennis pundit. She has appeared on UK lifestyle TV shows such as The Wright Stuff
, The Entertainment Show, GMTV
, Out and About
and This Morning
.
In June 2009 Annabel Croft was one of five volunteers who took part in a BBC series of two programmes Famous, Rich and Homeless about living penniless on the streets of London.
After Famous, Rich and Homeless she did a follow-on Radio 5 Live radio show which was broadcast on 24 and 25 December 2009, called "James: My Alcoholic Friend" where she goes and tries to track down James who she spent a night with on the streets and ended up in Weston-super-Mare to find him.
She is a tennis commentator for Sky sports including the 2011 US Open. She also presents Game, Set & Mats on Eurosport during Grand Slam
weeks of tennis.
She has successfully completed the New York Marathon.
, in the London borough of Kingston
, with their three children, Amber, Charlie, and Lily.
Croft is active in raising awareness of child obesity, and is a supporter of the children's cancer charity CLIC Sargent
.
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player and current radio and television presenter
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
. As a tennis player she won the WTA Tour event Virginia Slims of San Diego
Southern California Open
The Southern California Open, currently sponsored by Mercury Insurance and titled the Mercury Insurance Open is a WTA Tour affiliated professional tennis tournament held at the La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California. It was classified on the WTA Tour as a Tier I tournament from 2004 until...
and represented Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
in the Fed Cup
Fed Cup
Fed Cup is the premier team competition in women's tennis, launched in 1963 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the International Tennis Federation...
and the Wightman Cup
Wightman Cup
The Wightman Cup was a team tennis competition for women contested from 1923 through 1989 between teams from the United States and Great Britain. U.S. player Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman wanted to generate international interest in women's tennis the way Davis Cup did for men's...
.
After retiring from tennis, she turned to television presenting, with such shows as Treasure Hunt
Treasure Hunt (UK game show)
Treasure Hunt was a popular UK game show, based on the format of the French show La Chasse au Trésor, created by Jacques Antoine. It appeared on Channel 4 between 28 December 1982 and 18 May 1989 and was revived by BBC Two between 16 December 2002 and 2 August 2003.-The game:A team of two...
and Interceptor
Interceptor (TV series)
Interceptor was a British game show created by Jacques Antoine and produced by Chatsworth Television for Thames Television in 1989, and shown on the ITV network during that summer, with the hosting its last show on 1 January 1990 for a New Year bonanza...
. In 2005, she appeared in the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
programme Celebrity Wrestling
Celebrity Wrestling
Celebrity Wrestling is a British television programme, broadcast on ITV in 2005. It involved two teams of celebrities, competing against each other in wrestling style events. The series was presented by Kate Thornton and Rowdy Roddy Piper...
and went on to win it.
Most recently she has been a tennis commentator for Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
.
Tennis career
After winning the Wimbledon and Australian Open girls' tournaments in 1984, Croft won the Virginia Slims of San DiegoSouthern California Open
The Southern California Open, currently sponsored by Mercury Insurance and titled the Mercury Insurance Open is a WTA Tour affiliated professional tennis tournament held at the La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California. It was classified on the WTA Tour as a Tier I tournament from 2004 until...
tournament in 1985, beating Wendy Turnbull
Wendy Turnbull
Wendy Turnbull, MBE, is a retired Australian professional tennis player. During her career, she won 9 Grand Slam titles, 4 of them in women's doubles and 5 of them in mixed doubles. She also was a 3-time Grand Slam singles runner-up and won 13 singles titles and 55 doubles titles.-Career:Turnbull...
in the final in straight sets. In December 1985, she achieved a world ranking of 21. She played for Great Britain
Great Britain Fed Cup team
The Great Britain Fed Cup team represents the United Kingdom in Fed Cup tennis competition and are governed by the Lawn Tennis Association. They currently compete in the Europe/Africa Zone of Group I.-History:...
in the Fed Cup
Fed Cup
Fed Cup is the premier team competition in women's tennis, launched in 1963 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the International Tennis Federation...
in 1985 and 1986, and in the Wightman Cup
Wightman Cup
The Wightman Cup was a team tennis competition for women contested from 1923 through 1989 between teams from the United States and Great Britain. U.S. player Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman wanted to generate international interest in women's tennis the way Davis Cup did for men's...
from 1983 to 1986.
After tennis
Despite her potential and being amongst the world's top 25 players, Croft retired from professional tennis very early at the age of only twenty-one, tired of the relentless travel and keen to start a family. Reflecting on her early retirement in 2011, she noted that the tour was stressful as it was like "having an argument every day and preparing for another one tomorrow". Immediately after her retirement, Annabel became the new face of Channel 4Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
’s prime time show Treasure Hunt
Treasure Hunt (UK game show)
Treasure Hunt was a popular UK game show, based on the format of the French show La Chasse au Trésor, created by Jacques Antoine. It appeared on Channel 4 between 28 December 1982 and 18 May 1989 and was revived by BBC Two between 16 December 2002 and 2 August 2003.-The game:A team of two...
, following Anneka Rice's successful run. This was followed by her own show on ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
, Interceptor
Interceptor (TV series)
Interceptor was a British game show created by Jacques Antoine and produced by Chatsworth Television for Thames Television in 1989, and shown on the ITV network during that summer, with the hosting its last show on 1 January 1990 for a New Year bonanza...
.
In 1990 Croft released her own fitness video entitled Annabel Croft's Shape Tape.
She has been involved in coverage of Wimbledon Tennis Championship
The Championships, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
for the BBC, Radio 5 Live and GMTV, and has also worked for Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
and Eurosport
Eurosport
Eurosport is a pan-European television sport network operated by French broadcaster TF1 Group. The network of channels are available in 59 countries, in 20 different languages providing viewers with European and international sporting events...
as a tennis pundit. She has appeared on UK lifestyle TV shows such as The Wright Stuff
The Wright Stuff
The Wright Stuff is a British television chat show, hosted by Matthew Wright, and currently airing on Channel 5 each weekday morning from 9:15 to 11:10am....
, The Entertainment Show, GMTV
GMTV
GMTV was the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc. in November 2009. Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end...
, Out and About
Out and About
Out and About is an album by Cherish the Ladies that was released in 1993 on the Green Linnet label.-Track listing:# "The Old Favorite/The Flogging Reel/Leave My Way/The Kerryman" – 4:20# "Spoon River" – 4:44...
and This Morning
This Morning (TV series)
This Morning is a British daytime television programme broadcast on ITV. As of September 2011, its main presenters are Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, and Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes, with various other presenters standing in for illness or contributing to sections of the programme.The...
.
In June 2009 Annabel Croft was one of five volunteers who took part in a BBC series of two programmes Famous, Rich and Homeless about living penniless on the streets of London.
After Famous, Rich and Homeless she did a follow-on Radio 5 Live radio show which was broadcast on 24 and 25 December 2009, called "James: My Alcoholic Friend" where she goes and tries to track down James who she spent a night with on the streets and ended up in Weston-super-Mare to find him.
She is a tennis commentator for Sky sports including the 2011 US Open. She also presents Game, Set & Mats on Eurosport during Grand Slam
Grand Slam (tennis)
The four Major tennis tournaments, also called the Slams, are the most important tennis events of the year in terms of world tour ranking points, tradition, prize-money awarded, strength and size of player field, and public attention. They are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and...
weeks of tennis.
She has successfully completed the New York Marathon.
Personal life
Croft is married to Mel Coleman, a former international yachtsman and current investment banker. The couple live in Coombe, near WimbledonWimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
, in the London borough of Kingston
Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames
The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames is a borough in southwest London, England. The main town is Kingston upon Thames and it includes Surbiton, Chessington, New Malden and Tolworth. It is the oldest of the three Royal Boroughs in England, the others are Kensington and Chelsea, also in London,...
, with their three children, Amber, Charlie, and Lily.
Croft is active in raising awareness of child obesity, and is a supporter of the children's cancer charity CLIC Sargent
CLIC Sargent
CLIC Sargent is charity in the United Kingdom that was formed by the merger of Sargent Cancer Care for Children and Cancer and Leukaemia in Childhood in 2005. The charity specializes in providing support for children with cancer....
.
External links
- www.annabelcroft.com
- http://www.mtc-uk.com/talent/annabel-croft