Editing Des Lynam (section)

==Broadcasting career==

===1968–1999===
Lynam started his career in broadcasting as a [[freelance]] radio journalist on [[BBC Radio Brighton]] (1968–1969). He quickly joined national BBC radio in London, and went on to anchor ''Sport on Two'' and ''[[Sports Report]]'' (1969–1978) on [[BBC Radio 2]]. From 1974 to 1976, he co-presented ''[[Today (BBC Radio 4)|the Today programme]]'' on [[BBC Radio 4]] on three mornings each week.<ref name="speakerscorner1">{{cite web |title=Des Lynam Biography |url=http://www.speakerscorner.co.uk/speaker/des-lynam |access-date=16 February 2013}}</ref> He was also the radio boxing commentator for 20 years.

Lynam moved to television in 1977 starting off with ''Sportswide'' as part of ''[[Nationwide (TV series)|Nationwide]]'' continuing until the series ended in 1983, and then presented ''[[Grandstand (BBC)|Grandstand]]'' (1979–1991, occasionally until 1999), ''[[Sportsnight]]'' (1991–1997) and ''[[Match of the Day]]'' (1988–1999). He also fronted BBC coverage of [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]] (highlights 1983<ref>{{cite web|title=BBC Genome|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/049e89e74fa94b5a87a2cdbdd56ea3d5|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|date=29 June 1983 }}</ref> to 1989<ref>{{cite web|title=BBC Genome|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/c865675bf45d4c63a270085663ada940|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|date=30 June 1989 }}</ref> with [[Gerald Williams (tennis commentator)|Gerald Williams]], main presenter 1991–1997 and 1999), the [[Grand National]] (1985–1999), the [[Football World Cup]] (1982–1998) and the [[Olympic Games]] (1980–1996).<ref name="speakerscorner1"/>

In 1988 and 1989, Lynam presented the BBC series ''[[Holiday (TV series)|Holiday]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Debretts: Desmond Lynam, Esq, OBE |url=http://www.debretts.com/people/biographies/browse/l/7268/Desmond+Michael.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523043052/http://www.debretts.com/people/biographies/browse/l/7268/Desmond+Michael.aspx |archive-date=23 May 2013 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In April 1989, Lynam was present at the [[Hillsborough disaster]] whilst covering the [[FA Cup]] semi-final match between [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] and [[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]] for ''Match of the Day''.<ref name="hills">{{cite news |title=Hillsborough remembered - Des Lynam |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/football_focus/7994051.stm |work=BBC |access-date=16 February 2013|date=11 April 2009}}</ref>

Between 1988 and the end of the [[1991–92 in English football|1991–1992]] season, the BBC had lost the rights for top flight league matches to ITV, although the BBC retained rights for the FA Cup. Lynam presented ''Match of the Day'' on FA Cup weekends for those four seasons. In August 1992, at the start of the new formation of the [[Premier League]], the BBC regained highlights of top flight league matches.<ref>{{cite news |last=Millward |first=David |title=It's all over for Match of the Day |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1342981/Its-all-over-for-Match-of-the-Day.html |access-date=16 February 2013 |newspaper=Daily Telegraph |date=15 June 2000 |location=London}}</ref> Lynam presented ''Match of the Day'' highlights of Premier League matches on the BBC until 1999.

Throughout his time on the BBC, Lynam was praised for his witty and down-to-earth style. In 1998, Lynam made a brief return to BBC Radio 2, presenting the 5–7pm Drivetime show on Fridays only. During this period, [[Johnnie Walker (DJ)|Johnnie Walker]] presented the show from Monday to Thursday.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Smoothie+Des+joins+Radio+2.-a060770845|title=Smoothie Des joins Radio 2. - Free Online Library|website=www.thefreelibrary.com}}</ref>

===ITV: 1999–2004===
Lynam moved from the BBC to [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] in August 1999, to present ITV's live [[football (soccer)|football]] coverage, including coverage of the midweek [[UEFA Champions League]]. Lynam said at the time: "Leaving the BBC after 30 years was not an easy decision to make, but it was time for a new challenge – and it's no secret that live football is what I love best." A month earlier, Lynam had complained in a newspaper interview about BBC1's late scheduling on a Saturday evening of ''Match of the Day'', which had sometimes been shown with a late start time of 10.50pm. Lynam said: "The moment you put it past 10.30 I start fuming."<ref>{{cite news |title=Des Lynam moves to ITV |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/1999/aug/02/newsstory.sport24 |access-date=16 February 2013 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=2 August 1999 |location=London}}</ref>

ITV later gained a deal to air [[Premier League]] highlights. In 2001, Lynam presented ''[[The Premiership (TV programme)|The Premiership]]'', which was first aired on ITV at 7pm on 18 August 2001. After disappointing viewing figures in the first couple of months for ''The Premiership'' on ITV, a decision was made to shift the programme from its original 7pm slot to a permanent later time of 10:30pm, from 17 November 2001.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/1511568.stm |title=ITV Premiership ratings plunge |work=BBC News |date=27 August 2001 |access-date=14 February 2013 }}</ref> The programme ran until May 2004.

Lynam continued to present football coverage for ITV until 2004. He decided to retire from presenting live sport after the [[2004 European Football Championship|Euro 2004]] football championships. Soon afterwards the BBC announced that Lynam would present a new weekly radio programme, ''Des Meets...'', on [[BBC Radio Five Live]] from August 2004.<ref>{{cite news |title=Des Lynam makes BBC radio return |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/3882939.stm |work=BBC |access-date=16 February 2013 |date=10 July 2004}}</ref>

===2005–2013===
In May 2005, Lynam presented the [[BBC One]] programme ''We'll Meet Again'', marking the 60th anniversary of [[VE Day]]. During the show [[Tara McDonald]] performed the song "[[We'll Meet Again]]" live. The following month, he presented an episode of ''[[Have I Got News For You]]'' on BBC One, the third time he had presented the show, having twice hosted the show the previous year.

In June and July 2005, Lynam co-presented (with [[David Frost|Sir David Frost]]) the series ''The World's Greatest Sporting Legend'' on [[Sky One]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a19777/des-lynam-david-frost-join-sky-one.html |title=Des Lynam, David Frost join Sky One|publisher=Digital Spy |date=9 March 2005 |access-date=17 February 2013}}</ref> In the summer of 2005, Lynam also covered the Wimbledon Championships for BBC Radio Five Live.

In October 2005, Lynam published his autobiography ''I Should Have Been at Work''.<ref name="LynamAuto">{{cite book |author=Des Lynam |title=I Should Have Been at Work |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I5oRKN6xVZ4C |year=2005 |publisher=HarperCollins Entertainment |isbn=978-0-00-720544-8}}</ref> The title of the book is a reference to when Lynam said "Good afternoon. Shouldn't you be at work?" when introducing coverage of an England match at 2pm on a Monday during the [[1998 FIFA World Cup|1998 Football World Cup]] finals.<ref>{{cite news |title=Profile: Des Lynam |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5394462.stm |work=BBC News |access-date=16 February 2013 |date=30 September 2006}}</ref>

In 2005, Lynam said that he regretted his decision to move to ITV from the BBC in 1999. Lynam said: "If it was a decision I had to make now I probably wouldn't do it. Some people said I went from being a great broadcaster, or at least a very acceptably good one, to being a somewhat inadequate one overnight".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a26618/des-lynam-regrets-move-to-itv.html |title=Des Lynam regrets move to ITV |work=Digital Spy |date=26 November 2005 |access-date=15 December 2012}}</ref>

Also that year, Lynam replaced [[Richard Whiteley]] as the host of [[Channel 4]]'s ''[[Countdown (game show)|Countdown]]'', with his first episode airing on 31 October 2005, following Whiteley's death. Although his contract was to last until December 2007, Lynam left ''Countdown'' after less than 18 months at the end of 2006, because he regularly needed to travel to [[Leeds]] where ''Countdown'' was recorded, while his home was in [[Worthing]], [[West Sussex]] about 250 miles away. He was replaced by [[Des O'Connor]].<ref>{{cite news |title=O'Connor to be new ''Countdown'' host |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6144420.stm |work=BBC |access-date=16 February 2013 |date=13 November 2006}}</ref> Lynam did, however, return for Countdown's 5000th episode, broadcast on 26 March 2010, as the Dictionary Corner guest.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1L8uBzW6hQ&ab |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/d1L8uBzW6hQ |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Countdown 5000th episode|website=[[YouTube]] |date=4 April 2010 }}{{cbignore}}</ref>

After leaving ''Countdown'', Lynam hosted ''Sport Mastermind'' and appeared in [[Setanta Sports]]' commercials for its coverage of the [[Premier League]].{{cn|date=April 2022}}

In April 2009, Lynam spoke about his recollection of the Hillsborough disaster for a ''[[Football Focus]]'' special programme marking the 20th anniversary of the disaster.<ref name="hills" />

From 2011 to 2013, Lynam co-hosted, with Christopher Matthew, three series of ''Touchline Tales'' on BBC Radio 4, a humorous look at sport.

In a 2015 interview, Lynam stated that "I liked the radio boxing commentaries very much, especially following Muhammad Ali around the world. That was a great period of my life."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thesetpieces.com/interviews/vox-box-des-lynam/ |title=Vox in the Box: Des Lynam |first=Andy |last=Stevenson |date=19 February 2015 |publisher=Alma Media, Totally & Crisp Sports |work=thesetpieces.com |access-date=21 December 2015}}</ref>