Jonny Saunders
Encyclopedia
Jonny Saunders is a former British
radio
sports reporter, presenter and commentator. He worked for the BBC
and featured on Radios 1
, 2
, 4
, 5
and 6 Music
. He was the morning sports presenter on BBC Radio 2
, featuring on the Chris Evans breakfast show between 6:30-9:30 am, until leaving on 8 July 2011, to become a teacher.
Jonny has also presented coverage of Reading FC
on BBC Radio Berkshire
on Saturdays from 1 pm.
from 1994 to 1997 and was at Collingwood College
, where he kept goal for the college football team. He appeared as part of the Durham Revue alongside James Cary (writer)
and comic Tim FitzHigham
.
then known as "Purple FM 105.8" where alongside other members of the Durham Revue he presented the Saturday morning "Brenda Smedley Show" from 10am-12pm.
He showed early promise as a sports journalist in an interview with Alan Shearer
(then Newcastle FC captain) in 1997, which was broadcast on Purple FM.
He began his professional career as a sports broadcaster at London's Capital Radio
, where he worked from 1998 to 1999. In September 1999 he moved to the BBC
, where he has worked ever since.
Jonny was mysteriously absent from the Chris Evans Breakfast show from 14 to 16 June 2011. It was revealed on Friday 17 June that he had been away revising for and taking an Open University
exam in English Literature as he would be leaving the show on 8 July 2011 to become a teacher.
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
sports reporter, presenter and commentator. He worked for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and featured on Radios 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
, 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
, 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
, 5
BBC Radio 5 Live
BBC Radio 5 Live is the BBC's national radio service that specialises in live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries...
and 6 Music
BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music is one of the BBC's digital radio stations, was launched on 11 March 2002 and originally codenamed Network Y. It was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years....
. He was the morning sports presenter on BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
, featuring on the Chris Evans breakfast show between 6:30-9:30 am, until leaving on 8 July 2011, to become a teacher.
Jonny has also presented coverage of Reading FC
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
on BBC Radio Berkshire
BBC Radio Berkshire
BBC Radio Berkshire is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Berkshire, as well as parts of North Hampshire, including Basingstoke. Radio Berkshire broadcasts on 94.6 , 95.4 , 104.1 and 104.4 FM from its studios at Caversham Park near Reading. The 104.1 FM signal is the strongest...
on Saturdays from 1 pm.
Early life
Saunders attended Durham UniversityDurham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
from 1994 to 1997 and was at Collingwood College
Collingwood College, Durham
Collingwood College is a college of Durham University in England. It is the second largest of Durham's undergraduate colleges. Founded in 1972 as the first purpose-built, mixed-sex college in Durham, it is named after the mathematician Sir Edward Collingwood , who was also for a time Chair of the...
, where he kept goal for the college football team. He appeared as part of the Durham Revue alongside James Cary (writer)
James Cary (writer)
James Cary is a British television and radio writer.James is the creator and writer of Radio 4's Sony Radio Academy Awards Silver Award-winning comedy series, Think the Unthinkable and lead writer on the sketch show, Concrete Cow...
and comic Tim FitzHigham
Tim FitzHigham
Tim FitzHigham FRSA FRGS is an award winning British comedian, author, and world record holder. The feats he has performed include paddling a paper boat down 160 miles of the River Thames, rowing a bathtub across the English Channel, and inflating the world's largest balloon.-Career:FitzHigham...
.
Radio career
Saunders' radio career started on the University Radio Station Purple RadioPurple Radio
Purple Radio is Durham University's student radio station . Purple broadcasts online 24 hours a day during term time, from October until June each year .-Purple FM :Purple Radio was previously known as Purple FM and later Purple 107...
then known as "Purple FM 105.8" where alongside other members of the Durham Revue he presented the Saturday morning "Brenda Smedley Show" from 10am-12pm.
He showed early promise as a sports journalist in an interview with Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer OBE, DL is a retired English footballer. He played as a striker in the top level of English league football for Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and for the England national team...
(then Newcastle FC captain) in 1997, which was broadcast on Purple FM.
He began his professional career as a sports broadcaster at London's Capital Radio
Capital Radio
Capital London is a London based radio station which launched on 16 October 1973 and is owned by Global Radio. On 3 January 2011 it formed part of the nine station Capital radio network.- Pre-launch :...
, where he worked from 1998 to 1999. In September 1999 he moved to the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, where he has worked ever since.
Jonny was mysteriously absent from the Chris Evans Breakfast show from 14 to 16 June 2011. It was revealed on Friday 17 June that he had been away revising for and taking an Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
exam in English Literature as he would be leaving the show on 8 July 2011 to become a teacher.
Personal life
Saunders lives in Berkshire, and is married with two children. In 2004 he was travelling on the train involved in the Ufton Nervet rail crashUfton Nervet rail crash
The Ufton Nervet rail crash was a railway accident between a train and car near Ufton Nervet, Berkshire, England that caused seven deaths.-Collision:...
.