Ryan Phelan
Encyclopedia
Ryan Phelan is an Australia
n television presenter best known as the main host of Network Ten
's Sports Tonight
.
, Queensland
and moved to Brisbane
when he was 6 years old. He always had an interest in English and Drama while growing up but it was not until he was 15 that he realised he wanted to be a journalist. He set out to achieve this goal by gaining work experience with newspapers. After beginning as an errand-boy, he worked up to a co-hosting job on local TV station, Briz 31.
He relocated to Sydney
and worked as a presenter for Sky Racing
where he produced, wrote and hosted the award-winning harness racing program, "In the Gig". After three years working at Sky
he was offered a job as a reporter for Sports Tonight
a show on the mainstream television network, Ten
. Eight months after reporting for the show, he landed the coveted role of presenter. Alongside Sports Tonight
, Phelan reported for Network Ten
on various other sports events including Clipsal 500, the 2003 US Women's Open
, the final Melbourne Cup
covered by Ten in 2001 and the 2005 City to Surf
.
In 2005, he won the Cleo Bachelor of the Year competition run by Cleo
Magazine.
In late 2006, Phelan resigned from Channel Ten to take up a role with US sports network ESPN where Phelan co-hosted Sportscenter (Pacific Rim Edition).
After leaving ESPN in 2007, Phelan then became part of the Fox Sports News team. He presented the sport during the summer of 2007/08 on the Nine Network
's Today
filling in for Cameron Williams
. Phelan did not end up getting a role on Wide World of Sports, and in mid-2008, joined Fox Sports
, and began hosting Fox Sports News
and Monday Night NRL.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n television presenter best known as the main host of Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
's Sports Tonight
Sports Tonight
Sports Tonight was an Australian sports information program broadcast on Network Ten . The program was broadcast on Weeknights at 10.30 pm; at 11.00pm , Fridays at 12.00am , and on Sunday from 7:30pm AEDT Sports Tonight was an Australian sports information program broadcast on Network Ten (and on...
.
Career
He was born in AyrAyr, Queensland
Ayr is a town in Queensland, Australia near the delta of the Burdekin River, named after the Scottish town of Ayr by the settlers from the United Kingdom...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
and moved to Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
when he was 6 years old. He always had an interest in English and Drama while growing up but it was not until he was 15 that he realised he wanted to be a journalist. He set out to achieve this goal by gaining work experience with newspapers. After beginning as an errand-boy, he worked up to a co-hosting job on local TV station, Briz 31.
He relocated to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and worked as a presenter for Sky Racing
Sky Racing
Sky Racing is an Australian horse and greyhound racing television channel. It is carried by Foxtel, Austar, Optus TV and Neighbourhood Cable. It was formerly available on SelecTV from 16 April 2007 until the closure of its English service in late 2010....
where he produced, wrote and hosted the award-winning harness racing program, "In the Gig". After three years working at Sky
Sky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
he was offered a job as a reporter for Sports Tonight
Sports Tonight
Sports Tonight was an Australian sports information program broadcast on Network Ten . The program was broadcast on Weeknights at 10.30 pm; at 11.00pm , Fridays at 12.00am , and on Sunday from 7:30pm AEDT Sports Tonight was an Australian sports information program broadcast on Network Ten (and on...
a show on the mainstream television network, Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
. Eight months after reporting for the show, he landed the coveted role of presenter. Alongside Sports Tonight
Sports Tonight
Sports Tonight was an Australian sports information program broadcast on Network Ten . The program was broadcast on Weeknights at 10.30 pm; at 11.00pm , Fridays at 12.00am , and on Sunday from 7:30pm AEDT Sports Tonight was an Australian sports information program broadcast on Network Ten (and on...
, Phelan reported for Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
on various other sports events including Clipsal 500, the 2003 US Women's Open
United States Women's Open Championship (golf)
The United States Women's Open Golf Championship, one of thirteen national championships conducted by the United States Golf Association , is one of the LPGA's major championships along with the LPGA Championship, the Women's British Open, and the Kraft Nabisco Championship...
, the final Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...
covered by Ten in 2001 and the 2005 City to Surf
City to Surf
City2Surf is a popular road running event held annually in Sydney, Australia covering a course. The event is a "fun run" as well as a race, attracting both serious runners and community participants who can choose to run or to walk...
.
In 2005, he won the Cleo Bachelor of the Year competition run by Cleo
Cleo (magazine)
CLEO is an Australian, New Zealand, South African, Malaysian, Singaporean, Thailand and Indonesian women's magazine.Aimed at an older audience than the teenage-focused Dolly, the magazine is known for its CLEO Bachelor of the Year award....
Magazine.
In late 2006, Phelan resigned from Channel Ten to take up a role with US sports network ESPN where Phelan co-hosted Sportscenter (Pacific Rim Edition).
After leaving ESPN in 2007, Phelan then became part of the Fox Sports News team. He presented the sport during the summer of 2007/08 on the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
's Today
Today (Australian TV program)
Today and Weekend Today are Australian breakfast television programmes, the show is often referred to as The Today Show. The show has been broadcast live by the Nine Network each morning since 1982...
filling in for Cameron Williams
Cameron Williams
Cameron Williams is an Australian journalist.Williams is currently co-host of Weekend Today alongside Leila McKinnon.- Career:Williams's journalism career began 1984 with a cadetship at The Courier-Mail newspaper in Brisbane. From there he moved to The Australian offices in Melbourne, where he...
. Phelan did not end up getting a role on Wide World of Sports, and in mid-2008, joined Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)
Fox Sports is an Australia group of sports channels. They are owned by the Premier Media Group, which is in turn owned by News Corporation, and Consolidated Media Holdings. Its main competitors are ESPN, which has little local content and the free-to-air digital channel One HD...
, and began hosting Fox Sports News
Fox Sports News
Fox Sports News is an Australian cable and satellite sports news channel. Owned by Premier Media Group and is the sister channel of Fox Sports.Fox Sports News launched on October 1, 2006. The channel runs live for 19 hours a day, broadcasting sports news...
and Monday Night NRL.
TV Roles
- Briz 31 (1996 - 1997): Presenter
- Sky RacingSky RacingSky Racing is an Australian horse and greyhound racing television channel. It is carried by Foxtel, Austar, Optus TV and Neighbourhood Cable. It was formerly available on SelecTV from 16 April 2007 until the closure of its English service in late 2010....
(1997 - 2001): Presenter of various horse-racing programs, including In the Gig and Sky Raceday - Sports TonightSports TonightSports Tonight was an Australian sports information program broadcast on Network Ten . The program was broadcast on Weeknights at 10.30 pm; at 11.00pm , Fridays at 12.00am , and on Sunday from 7:30pm AEDT Sports Tonight was an Australian sports information program broadcast on Network Ten (and on...
(2001 - 2006): Presenter (2002 - 2006); Reporter (2001) - ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
(2006 - 2007): Co-host of ESPN's Sportscenter (Pacific Rim Edition) - TodayToday (Australian TV program)Today and Weekend Today are Australian breakfast television programmes, the show is often referred to as The Today Show. The show has been broadcast live by the Nine Network each morning since 1982...
(Summer 2007 - 2008): Sport Presenter (while Cameron WilliamsCameron WilliamsCameron Williams is an Australian journalist.Williams is currently co-host of Weekend Today alongside Leila McKinnon.- Career:Williams's journalism career began 1984 with a cadetship at The Courier-Mail newspaper in Brisbane. From there he moved to The Australian offices in Melbourne, where he...
was on holiday) - Fox Sports (Australia)Fox Sports (Australia)Fox Sports is an Australia group of sports channels. They are owned by the Premier Media Group, which is in turn owned by News Corporation, and Consolidated Media Holdings. Its main competitors are ESPN, which has little local content and the free-to-air digital channel One HD...
(2008 - present): Presenter of Fox Sports News, Monday Night NRL and NRL on Fox