Stuart Pyke
Encyclopedia
Stuart Pyke is a British-born sports journalist and broadcaster. Stuart was born in St Helens, Merseyside
, and is married to Christine. He has two children; Daniel and Rachael and two stepdaughters Emma and Victoria.
He is now most well known for his darts commentary on Sky Sports
and rugby league commentary on BBC Radio Five Live
. He also writes for the Daily Telegraph, Sunday Express and the website of darts equipment manufacturer, Unicorn.
's football matches during their most successful era, when they reached the League Cup Final and won promotion to the Premier League
.
He then moved on to become the Cricket Correspondent for Independent Radio News, covering England tours to Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the West Indies. He also covered Rugby League and was the first man to cover a Great Britain Lions
Tour for the Independent Radio network in 1988, when Great Britain were in Australia and New Zealand.
In 1998, Stuart moved into television sport and for five years he covered the North West region for Sky Sports News
.
Finals, Super League
Grand Finals and Great Britain test matches during his career. Since 2002 he has been heard regularly on Five Live and its digital companion station BBC Five Live Sports Extra
covering Rugby League and other sports.
Having always been a huge darts fan he joined the Sky Sports team at the 2003 World Matchplay tournament. His first match, with Sid Waddell, was between Keith Deller and John Lowe. Since then, he has been involved in nearly every major Professional Darts Corporation
event live on Sky Sports, as well as the first four Grand Slam of Darts
, the first European Championship
and the first two Players Championship Finals
for ITV4
and the US Open and the South African Masters for Challenge TV (2007) and Nuts TV
(2008).
St Helens, Merseyside
St Helens is a large town in Merseyside, England. It is the largest settlement and administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens with a population of just over 100,000, part of an urban area with a total population of 176,843 at the time of the 2001 Census...
, and is married to Christine. He has two children; Daniel and Rachael and two stepdaughters Emma and Victoria.
He is now most well known for his darts commentary on 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 rugby league commentary on 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...
. He also writes for the Daily Telegraph, Sunday Express and the website of darts equipment manufacturer, Unicorn.
Early career
Stuart started commentating on sport back in 1984, when he joined Piccadilly Radio in Manchester, after a four-year grounding on local newspapers. He commentated on Oldham AthleticOldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
's football matches during their most successful era, when they reached the League Cup Final and won promotion to the Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
.
He then moved on to become the Cricket Correspondent for Independent Radio News, covering England tours to Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the West Indies. He also covered Rugby League and was the first man to cover a Great Britain Lions
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
Tour for the Independent Radio network in 1988, when Great Britain were in Australia and New Zealand.
In 1998, Stuart moved into television sport and for five years he covered the North West region for Sky Sports News
Sky Sports News
Sky Sports News is a 24-hour sports news channel in the United Kingdom. It is run by BSkyB whose sports channels include Sky Sports 1, 2, 3 and 4, as well as Sky Sports HD1, HD2, HD3 and HD4....
.
Current career
Stuart has commentated on many Rugby League Challenge CupChallenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
Finals, Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
Grand Finals and Great Britain test matches during his career. Since 2002 he has been heard regularly on Five Live and its digital companion station BBC Five Live Sports Extra
BBC Five Live Sports Extra
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra is an additional digital radio service provided by the BBC via DAB Digital Radio and the digital satellite, digital terrestrial, IPTV and digital cable television services in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. It is not available via analogue radio...
covering Rugby League and other sports.
Having always been a huge darts fan he joined the Sky Sports team at the 2003 World Matchplay tournament. His first match, with Sid Waddell, was between Keith Deller and John Lowe. Since then, he has been involved in nearly every major Professional Darts Corporation
Professional Darts Corporation
The Professional Darts Corporation is a professional darts organization, established in the United Kingdom during 1992, when a group of leading professional players split from the British Darts Organisation to form what was initially called the World Darts Council...
event live on Sky Sports, as well as the first four Grand Slam of Darts
Grand Slam of Darts
The Grand Slam of Darts is a darts tournament organised by the Professional Darts Corporation and is known as the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts for sponsorship purposes. The PDC also invites the best performing players from its rival the British Darts Organisation...
, the first European Championship
European Championship (darts)
The European Championship is a PDC darts tournament which allows the top European players to compete with the highest ranked players from the PDC Order of Merit. The tournament takes place in late July to early August and features a field of 32...
and the first two Players Championship Finals
Players Championship Finals
The Players Championship Finals is a darts tournament organised by the Professional Darts Corporation...
for ITV4
ITV4
ITV4 is a British television station which was launched on 1 November 2005. It is owned by ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc, and is part of the ITV network. The channel has a male-oriented line-up, including sport, cop shows and US comedies and dramas, as well as classic ITV action...
and the US Open and the South African Masters for Challenge TV (2007) and Nuts TV
Nuts TV
Nuts TV was a British television channel related to Nuts magazine. Nuts TV began broadcasting on Freeview channel 42 on 12 September 2007, and launched on Sky Digital on 21 January 2008....
(2008).