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Gabby Logan

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Gabby Logan
Born
Gabrielle Nicole Yorath

(1973-04-24) 24 April 1973 (age 51)
Leeds, England
NationalityBritish
EducationCardinal Heenan Roman Catholic High School
Notre Dame Catholic Sixth Form College
Alma materCollege of St Hild and St Bede, Durham University
Occupation(s)Television and radio presenter
Years active1995–present
Employer(s)BBC (current)
ITV (current)
Channel 5 (former)
Known forGymnast, television presenter
SpouseKenny Logan (m. 2001)
Children2
Parent(s)Terry and Christine Yorath
Sports career
CountryWales
SportGymnastics
Event
WebsiteOfficial website

Gabrielle Nicole "Gabby" Logan (née Yorath; born 24 April 1973) is a British presenter and a former Wales international gymnast who is best known for her presenting roles with BBC Sport and ITV.[1]

Logan hosted Final Score for BBC Sport from 2009 until 2013. She has also presented a variety of live sports events for the BBC, including a revived episode of Superstars in December 2012 and the London Marathon since 2015.[2]

Since 2013, she has co-hosted Sports Personality of the Year for the BBC and she presented the second series of The Edge in 2015.

Early life

Logan was born in Leeds in the West Riding of Yorkshire[3] to former Welsh international footballer and manager Terry Yorath and his wife Christine when Yorath was playing for Leeds United. Due to her father's career, Logan had to move around much in her youth, as her father played for a number of British teams as well as the Canadian team Vancouver Whitecaps.[4] She attended Bishop Ullathorne RC School in Coventry, Cardinal Heenan High School and Notre Dame Sixth Form College in Leeds and read Law at the College of St Hild and St Bede, Durham University.

Logan played netball at school and at university and also competed at high jump, but the peak of her sporting career was when she placed 11th in rhythmic gymnastics representing Wales at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland.[5] She had to retire from gymnastics aged 17 due to sciatica.

Logan became interested in football during her regular attendances at her father's matches, to which her mother went out of a "sense of duty".[4] On 11 May 1985, she was in the crowd at Valley Parade when the Bradford City stadium fire happened. She, along with her brother and sister, had left the stand only moments before the fire took hold and watched the disaster taking place.[6]

Logan's debut TV appearance was when she was chosen as the Leeds Rose for the 1991 Rose of Tralee competition.[7]

Logan runs and plays golf and is a supporter of Newcastle United[8] stretching back to her time at Durham University, where her then boyfriend was a childhood fan. She remembers her first match as Newcastle's 1–0 Premier League victory over Everton on 25 August 1993[9] and made visits by air or rail to St. James' Park throughout the 1990s and early 2000s,[8] including Newcastle's 5–0 win over Manchester United on 20 October 1996.[9]

Early career

After university, Logan began presenting on Metro Radio in Newcastle, from where she was offered a job as a presenter on Sky Sports in 1996. She worked there until 1998, when she joined the ITV TV network.[4]

Television

ITV

Logan co-presented at least one episode of the ITV Weekend News with Mark Austin.[10]

Logan's career came to notice when she fronted On the Ball. Logan was one of a small number of female sports presenters to have made the transition to terrestrial television.[4] After ITV lost the terrestrial rights to the Premier League, she has presented their UEFA Champions League association football coverage, including the 2005 and 2006 finals, between A.C. Milan and Liverpool, and Arsenal and Barcelona, respectively. Logan left ITV for BBC Sport in December 2006, she also reported on rugby union at the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

Logan stepped in for Melanie Sykes on 6 July 2004 when she went on maternity leave partway through the third series of game show The Vault.

Gabby co-hosted the celebrity diving show Splash! on ITV, alongside Vernon Kay and Olympic diver Tom Daley from 2013 until 2014.

In 2015, Logan returned to ITV for reality series Flockstars. In an interview with Radio Times in November 2016, Logan admitted that Flockstars was her "biggest disappointment".[11]

BBC

Logan started presenting for BBC Sport on 27 January 2007, presenting the FA Cup fourth round tie between Luton Town and Blackburn Rovers. She continues to present and report on live football for the BBC and Logan now deputises for Gary Lineker on Match of the Day. Logan hosted Final Score from 2009 until 2013 before being replaced by Jason Mohammad. When Craig Doyle left BBC Sport to go to ITV in 2008 the BBC needed a new host for the 6 Nations with 2 or 3 matches being broadcast every weekend therefore Gabby Logan was recruited, she previously reported on the 2003 Rugby World Cup for ITV and works alongside the likes of Jeremy Guscott, Keith Wood, Jonathan Davies & Andy Nicol.[12]

Logan is the now the main host of Athletics for BBC Sport. Amongst her main duties, has been hosting live coverage of the World Athletics Championships in 2013,[13] and the European Athletics Championships and Commonwealth Games in 2014.[14] Also included is the prestigious annual IAAF Diamond League season competition.[14] She presents in the BBC Studio alongside Michael Johnson, Paula Radcliffe, Colin Jackson, Denise Lewis and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson.

Gabby Logan hosted Games Today between 7pm-8pm at the 2008 Olympic Games for the BBC and hosted Olympics Tonight between 10.40pm-12am again for the BBC. Logan has reported from the England Camp for the 2010 World Cup, Euro 2012 and World Cup 2014 while also being a pitchside reporter at the venues when England are playing.

Being a sports presenter, Logan has also hosted live coverage of other sporting events such as the 2013 Aquatics World Championships[15]

Since 2009, Logan has been a frequent stand-in presenter on The One Show on BBC One.

In August 2013, Logan began hosting the BBC One series I Love My Country, featuring team captains Micky Flanagan and Frank Skinner on Saturday evenings, however, on 25 October 2013, the programme was axed due to largely negative press reviews and poor viewing figures.[16]

In September 2013, the BBC announced that, as of 2013, Logan would replace Sue Barker as one of the presenters for the annual BBC Sports Personality of the Year.[17]

In March 2015, Logan hosted Let's Play Darts for Comic Relief for BBC Two.[18] The show returned for a second series in February 2016.[19]

She presented live coverage of the 2015 London Marathon, broadcast on BBC One on 26 April and the 2016 London Marathon on 24 April. In August 2015, she was the main presenter for BBC's coverage of the IAAF World Championships in Athletics from Beijing.

Logan presented the second series of the BBC game show The Edge in 2015. She replaced Mark Benton who hosted series 1.[20]

In 2016, Logan was part of the presenting team for The Invictus Games on BBC One. She was also a part of the media team during the BBC's coverage of the 2016 UEFA European Championship in France.

Channel 5

In June 2011, while still presenting the sports results shows for BBC One on Saturdays, Logan joined Channel 5 to present a discussion and magazine show following The Wright Stuff at 11:10 am each weekday initially called The Wright Stuff Extra, and later renamed as Live with Gabby.[21] On 5 April 2012, the show tweeted to confirm that Logan was leaving the programme.[22]

Filmography

Television

Year Title Channel Role Notes
1998–2004 On the Ball ITV Presenter
2004 The Vault Presenter
2007 Strictly Come Dancing BBC One Contestant
2007–2011 Inside Sport Presenter
2009–2013 Final Score Presenter
2009–2010, 2013— The One Show Stand-in presenter
2010— A League of Their Own Sky 1 Regular Panellist
BBC England Reporter World Cups & European Championship BBC
2011–2012 The Wright Stuff Extra Channel 5 Presenter Later renamed Live with Gabby Logan
2012— Match of the Day BBC One Presenter Stand-in presenter
2012 Superstars Presenter One-off episode
New Year Live Presenter Succeeded Jake Humphrey
2013–2014 Splash! ITV Co-presenter Primetime reality series; with Vernon Kay
2013— BBC Sports Personality of the Year BBC One Co-presenter With Gary Lineker and Clare Balding
BBC Athletics Coverage Presenter
2013 I Love My Country Presenter BBC panel game show
2014 Sport Relief Co-presenter 'Clash of the Titans' segment
2015— London Marathon BBC One Presenter 2015 & 2016
2015 Flockstars ITV Presenter Primetime reality series
The Edge BBC One Presenter Daytime game show
2015— Let's Play Darts for Comic/Sport Relief BBC Two Presenter Primetime series
2016 Invictus Games BBC One Co-presenter
2016 2016 European Cup (euro's) – France Co-Presenter / Correspondent June 2016
2016— The Premier League Show BBC Two Presenter

Guest appearances

Radio

Logan has worked on BBC Radio 5 Live, where she presented a lunchtime show from January 2010. Her previous Sunday morning was taken over by Kate Silverton. On 20 October 2009, it was announced that Logan would be leaving her Sunday morning slot on BBC Radio 5 Live and starting a new weekday show on the station from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm (Monday–Friday) which began on 11 January 2010. [citation needed]

In light of the move of BBC Radio 5 Live from London to MediaCityUK in Salford, Logan left her weekday show in April 2011 due to other BBC work and family commitments. She was replaced by Shelagh Fogarty.

On 12 April 2009, she presented the BBC Radio 4 Appeal on behalf of St John's Catholic School for the Deaf.[24][25]

Other work

Gabby Logan hosting the London Olympic Stadium opening ceremony in 2012

In December 2012, Logan was appointed as a non-executive director of Perform Group.[26]

In 2014, Logan helped launch Tesco's Farm to Fork initiative.[27]

Logan is the voice-over for the MegaRed heart health commercial advertisements.[28]

Logan writes regularly for The Times newspaper.

In August 2014, Logan was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian opposing Scottish independence in the run-up to September's referendum on that issue.[29]

Awards and recognition

Logan has won "Sports Presenter of the Year" four times at the Television and Radio Industries Club Awards in 2000,[30] 2002,[31] 2004,[32] and in 2014,[33] while also being nominated a further three times in 2007,[34] 2008,[35] and in 2010.[36] Gabby Logan was crowned "Tesco Celebrity Mum of the Year" in March 2012.[37] Logan received a longlist nomination for "Most Popular Entertainment Presenter" at the 2014 National Television Awards[38] She was also nominated for "Sports Presenter, Commentator or Pundit" at the 2014 Royal Television Society Awards, losing out to Gary Neville but did win "Sports Programme" as part of the BBC Athletics team.[39]

Upon becoming one of the first female sports anchors to break into terrestrial television in the 1990s, Logan has received praise from many of her fellow professionals such as Terry Venables, Ally McCoist and Des Lynam.[40] Being described as a remarkably natural broadcaster, combined with her easy style and ability to banter with whatever ex-pro who is she working alongside, has made Logan a hugely popular figure on the box.[41][42]

When Logan was in the running to replace Des Lynam to front ITV's football highlights show The Premiership, fellow sports presenter Jimmy Hill stated, "'I've known Gabby for many years and am pleased to see how well she is doing. She's very intelligent and pretty and, like Des, has the right sort of personality for a successful presenter".[43]

Logan, along with Clare Balding, received continuous praise for their commentary during the coverage 2012 Summer Olympics.[44] Logan was referred to as "poised, warm and groomed".[45] Politician Boris Johnson praised Logan's contribution during the BBC's coverage of the London Games, also saying that his favourite part of coverage was the late-night summary with Gabby Logan.[46]

Personal life

In 1992, Logan's 15-year-old brother Daniel collapsed and died from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.[47] Logan has actively appealed for the Daniel Yorath Appeal, which raises funds for the treatment and detection of the condition.[48]

Her brother Jordan Yorath (born 1986) played football for England Universities in 2008 while in the final year of his planning and development surveying degree at Northumbria University. Jordan was previously at Sheffield Wednesday and Halifax Town as a young professional and is currently registered to Wakefield F.C.. Logan's sister, Louise (born 1974), is a performer in the Cirque Du Soleil's Zumanity, the resident cabaret-style show at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.[49]

Logan married former Scotland international rugby union player Kenny Logan on 19 July 2001. She has said that meeting her husband was a motivation to exercise regularly again.[47] The couple live in Kew, southwest London.[50]

On 28 July 2005, after undergoing IVF treatment, Logan gave birth to twins, son Reuben and daughter Lois.[51]

In June 2012, Logan was named by The Times newspaper as one of several people to have put money into a film and tax avoidance scheme.[52][53]

In January 2013, Logan was named the first Chancellor of Leeds Trinity University.[54]

Charity

Logan is currently a patron of The Disabilities Trust, The Prince's Trust, St John's Catholic School for the Deaf and Great Ormond Street Hospital. She and her husband Kenny Logan are past presidents of the children's charity Sparks[55]

References

  1. ^ Logan, Gabby (20 March 2009). "It's time for the English to play the hatred game with Scots". The Times. Retrieved 28 December 2009.
  2. ^ "Superstars to return for Olympic special at Christmas". Digital Spy. 14 November 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  3. ^ http://www.yorkshirelife.co.uk/people/celebrity-interviews/gabby_logan_why_leeds_will_always_hold_a_special_place_in_my_heart_1_1571450
  4. ^ a b c d Amy Raphael (5 May 2002). "Angelic Host". London: The Observer. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
  5. ^ "The record doctor: Gabby Logan". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
  6. ^ Logan, Gabby (12 May 2003). "Day that will live with me forever". London: The Times Online. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
  7. ^ "13 fun facts about the Rose of Tralee". The Gathering. 3 February 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  8. ^ a b "Gabby has her eye firmly on the ball". Newcastle Evening Chronicle. 22 August 2002. Retrieved 20 August 2008.
  9. ^ a b Logan, Gabby (23 January 2009). "Dear Joe Kinnear, let me put it in black and white". London: Times Online. Retrieved 31 May 2009.
  10. ^ ITV Weekend News (Television production). 11 December 1999. YouTube title: LWT Adverts 1999 (3)
  11. ^ http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/news/a815369/gabby-logan-says-flockstars-was-disappointment-because-rich-content-was-cut/
  12. ^ Gabby Logan Bio Gabby Logan official website. Retrieved 17-11-2014.
  13. ^ IAAF World Athletics Championships 2013 live on the BBC, sport-onthebox.com; 8 May 2013; retrieved 19 September 2013.
  14. ^ a b BBC Sport Announces 2014 Athletics Coverage Sport on the Box. 07-04-2014. Retrieved 17-11-2014.
  15. ^ BBC Coverage – World Aquatics Championships BBC Sport. Retrieved 17-11-2014.
  16. ^ "BBC axes That Puppet Game Show and I Love My Country". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  17. ^ Sue Barker steps down from hosting BBC Sports Personality of the Year digitalspy.co.uk; 18 September 2013; retrieved 19 September 2013.
  18. ^ "Gabby Logan to host Let's Play Darts for Comic Relief in 2015 – TV News". Digital Spy. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  19. ^ http://www.comedy.co.uk/news/story/000001915/lets_play_darts_sport_relief_2016/
  20. ^ http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a668094/gabby-logan-is-taking-over-from-mark-benton-as-presenter-of-bbc-ones-the-edge-this-autumn.html#~po01fVTDJPTMlM
  21. ^ "Gabby Logan to host Channel 5 'Wright Stuff' spinoff – TV News". Digital Spy. 22 June 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  22. ^ "Live With Gabby". Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  23. ^ "Through The Keyhole". Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  24. ^ "BBC Radio 4 Appeal". Retrieved 23 April 2009.
  25. ^ "Gabby adds her support to school appeal". Yorkshire Post. 8 April 2009. Retrieved 23 April 2009.
  26. ^ "PERFORM APPOINTS NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR". investis.com. 3 December 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  27. ^ "Gabby helps launch Farm to Fork initiative | News". Gabby Logan. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  28. ^ "Gabby speaks to Juice FM 107.6 about heart health | News". Gabby Logan. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  29. ^ "Celebrities' open letter to Scotland – full text and list of signatories | Politics". theguardian.com. 7 August 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  30. ^ 2000 TRIC Awards Winners What's on Stage. 16-03-2000. Retrieved 14-09-2013.
  31. ^ 2002 TRIC Awards Winners Television and Radio Industries Club. Retrieved 14-09-2013.
  32. ^ 2004 TRIC Awards Winners Television and Radio Industries Club. Retrieved 14-09-2013.
  33. ^ 2014 TRIC Award Winners Television and Radio Industries Club. Retrieved 16-11-2014.
  34. ^ 2007 TRIC Awards Nominees Television and Radio Industries Club. Retrieved 14-09-2013.
  35. ^ 2008 TRIC Awards Nominees Television and Radio Industries Club. Retrieved 14-09-2013.
  36. ^ 2010 TRIC Awards Nominees Television and Radio Industries Club. Retrieved 14-09-2013.
  37. ^ Mum of the Year Awards: Winner Gabby Logan Contact Music. 12-03-2012. Retrieved 16-09-2012.
  38. ^ 2014 National Television Awards – Longlist Nominations Digital Spy. 17-09-2013. Retrieved 18-09-2013.
  39. ^ RTS Award Winners in Full BBC News. 19-03-2014. Retrieved 16-11-2014.
  40. ^ Gabby Logan Interview: Being Gabby Western Mail – (The Free Library). 08-03-2003. Retrieved 20-09-2013.
  41. ^ Gabby Logan: Best female television presenters MSN. 09-08-2013. Retrieved 20-09-2013.
  42. ^ In Praise of Gabby Logan The Guardian. 03-05-2007. Retrieved 20-09-2013.
  43. ^ Gift of the Gabby The Mail on Sunday – (Questia). 09-12-2001. Retrieved 19-09-2013.
  44. ^ In praise of – True talent Scotland Herald. 14-08-2012. Retrieved 19-09-2013.
  45. ^ Honeyed limbs, Auntie Clare and groovy Gabby... Rachel Johnson praises the real winners of TV's Girlie Games Daily Mail. 12-08-2012. Retrieved 19-09-2013.
  46. ^ TWENTY MORE REASONS FROM OUR MAYOR TO BE HAPPY ABOUT THE GAMES Cyber Boris. 06-08-2012. Retrieved 19-09-2013.
  47. ^ a b Lynne Michelle (7 November 2004). "HEALTH: GABBY LOGAN: 'I was so chubby, my hubby called me a Teletubby'". Sunday Mirror. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
  48. ^ "Ice to see you Gabby". Yorkshire Evening Post. 15 August 2006. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
  49. ^ "Cirque du Soleil STRAPS – Artist: Louise Yorath". Cirquedusoleil.com. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
  50. ^ Conway, Juliet (12 October 2012). "My London". Evening Standard magazine. London. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  51. ^ Turner, Robin (24 August 2009). "Kenny Logan relives day he thought wife would die". Western Mail. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  52. ^ Cusick, James (23 June 2012). "'Times' writer among users of tax scheme". The Independent. Independent Print Ltd. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  53. ^ "Kirsty Gallacher: Life as I know it", express.co.uk; 8 August 2010; retrieved 20 September 2013.
  54. ^ "Gabby Logan becomes first Leeds Trinity University Chancellor | Calendar – ITV News". Itv.com. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  55. ^ "Sparks Official Website".
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