Peter Drury
Encyclopedia
Peter Drury, born 1968, is ITV Sport's number two football commentator, a role he has held since joining the network in 1998.
A politics graduate from Hull University, Peter began his career as a journalist with Hayters sports agency before joining BBC Radio Leeds
in 1990 as a football and cricket commentator, presenter and reporter.
Three years later, he moved to BBC Network Radio Sport. There, he worked for BBC Radio Five Live
on a variety of sports, including golf (three Open Championships and two Ryder Cup
s), tennis, swimming and the University Boat Race. However it was Drury's work on football that made his name. He initially began as one of Five Live's team of reporters on their Saturday Sport On Five programme.
However, following the departure of Rob Hawthorne
to Sky Sports
, Drury stepped up to the roster, and over the next three seasons was a highly regarded member of Five Live's commentary team, a team which included Alan Green, Mike Ingham
, and his future ITV colleague Jon Champion
.
During this time, Drury was highly proflic, commentating on many matches both domestically, and abroad. Among his credits was the 1996 Champions League Final, the Division One Play-Off Finals of 1996 and 1997, and Euro 96.
In the middle of season 1997-1998, Drury joined ITV Sport. His first match for the network was a dramatic FA Cup Quarter Final replay at Bramall Lane between Sheffield Utd and Coventry, a match Utd won on penalties. Since then, Drury has held down a high-profile position as ITV's number two commentator to Clive Tyldesley
. He has commentated at four FIFA World Cup Tournaments in 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010, and three European Championships in 2000, 2004 and 2008. In addition Drury has covered scores of matches, many of them 'live', ranging from the Premiership, UEFA Champions League and FA Cup, to the League Cup and the Football League. He has regularly covered the Championship Play-Off Final for ITV, and has also commentated on League Cup Finals, and more recently, the UEFA Cup Final. Drury commentated on his first major international final for ITV Sport
at Euro 2008, although this was only for a highlights programme as only the BBC
showed the match live.
Drury has also contributed to ITV's coverage of snooker and darts, and since 2005 has been the commentator on ITV's coverage of The Boat Race
. He has also written for The Independent
newspaper and several sporting publications, as well as being the voice of the Sony PlayStation
game 'This is Football'. Drury can also be heard commentating on live Premier League games for TWI around the world in places like Australia, every weekend, as well as Champions League
games on ITV.
Peter lives in Hertfordshire with his wife and their three children, playing cricket regularly for Berkhamsted CC; notably their 4th team.
A politics graduate from Hull University, Peter began his career as a journalist with Hayters sports agency before joining BBC Radio Leeds
BBC Radio Leeds
BBC Radio Leeds is the BBC Local Radio service for the English metropolitan county of West Yorkshire.- Frequencies :It broadcasts from its studios at St...
in 1990 as a football and cricket commentator, presenter and reporter.
Three years later, he moved to BBC Network Radio Sport. There, he worked for BBC Radio Five Live
BBC Radio Five Live
BBC Radio 5 Live is the BBC's national radio service that specialises in live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries...
on a variety of sports, including golf (three Open Championships and two Ryder Cup
Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
s), tennis, swimming and the University Boat Race. However it was Drury's work on football that made his name. He initially began as one of Five Live's team of reporters on their Saturday Sport On Five programme.
However, following the departure of Rob Hawthorne
Rob Hawthorne
Rob Hawthorne is a football commentator currently working for Sky Sports. He is most notable for his commentating alongside Andy Gray in the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final in Istanbul.He was born in Dudley, Worcestershire now West Midlands...
to 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...
, Drury stepped up to the roster, and over the next three seasons was a highly regarded member of Five Live's commentary team, a team which included Alan Green, Mike Ingham
Mike Ingham
Mike Ingham, MBE is a British football commentator and broadcaster.-Early life:He grew up in Duffield and Quarndon , and attended The Herbert Strutt School in Belper, then a grammar school...
, and his future ITV colleague Jon Champion
Jon Champion
Jon Champion is ESPN UK's number one football commentator. Champion is a well-established and experienced commentator who has also worked for the BBC and ITV over the past 20 years. His late father David Champion was the deputy headmaster of the independent school Bootham School, York...
.
During this time, Drury was highly proflic, commentating on many matches both domestically, and abroad. Among his credits was the 1996 Champions League Final, the Division One Play-Off Finals of 1996 and 1997, and Euro 96.
In the middle of season 1997-1998, Drury joined ITV Sport. His first match for the network was a dramatic FA Cup Quarter Final replay at Bramall Lane between Sheffield Utd and Coventry, a match Utd won on penalties. Since then, Drury has held down a high-profile position as ITV's number two commentator to Clive Tyldesley
Clive Tyldesley
Clive Tyldesley is an English sports commentator, who since 1998 has been the main football commentator for ITV. He has commentated on eleven Champions League finals, five FA Cup Finals and numerous World Cup and European Championship matches.-Career:Tyldesley was born in Radcliffe, Bury,...
. He has commentated at four FIFA World Cup Tournaments in 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010, and three European Championships in 2000, 2004 and 2008. In addition Drury has covered scores of matches, many of them 'live', ranging from the Premiership, UEFA Champions League and FA Cup, to the League Cup and the Football League. He has regularly covered the Championship Play-Off Final for ITV, and has also commentated on League Cup Finals, and more recently, the UEFA Cup Final. Drury commentated on his first major international final for ITV Sport
ITV Sport
ITV Sport is a sport producer and brand name owned by ITV plc. It was formed from the amalgamation of Granada Sport, Carlton's sports department and ISN, the sports division of London News Network. The company produces Champions League and FA Cup Football, along with coverage of England's national...
at Euro 2008, although this was only for a highlights programme as only 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...
showed the match live.
Drury has also contributed to ITV's coverage of snooker and darts, and since 2005 has been the commentator on ITV's coverage of The Boat Race
The Boat Race
The event generally known as "The Boat Race" is a rowing race in England between the Oxford University Boat Club and the Cambridge University Boat Club, rowed between competing eights each spring on the River Thames in London. It takes place generally on the last Saturday of March or the first...
. He has also written for The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
newspaper and several sporting publications, as well as being the voice of the Sony PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
game 'This is Football'. Drury can also be heard commentating on live Premier League games for TWI around the world in places like Australia, every weekend, as well as Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
games on ITV.
Peter lives in Hertfordshire with his wife and their three children, playing cricket regularly for Berkhamsted CC; notably their 4th team.
External links
- Peter Drury at itv.comItv.comitv.com is the main website of ITV plc, the UK's largest commercial television broadcaster which operates 11 out of 15 regions on the ITV network under the ITV1 brand. The website offers on-line streaming, ITV archive, news, sport, entertainment, games, soaps, lifestyle, drama and an interactive TV...