Gabby Logan

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

Gabby Logan
MBE
Born
Gabrielle Nicole Yorath

(1973-04-24) 24 April 1973
Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
NationalityBritish
EducationCardinal Heenan Roman Catholic High School
Notre Dame Catholic Sixth Form College
Alma materCollege of St Hild and St Bede, Durham University
OccupationTelevision and radio presenter
Years active1995–present
EmployerBBC (current)
ITV (current)
Channel 5 (former)
Known forGymnast, television presenter
Spouse(s)Kenny Logan (m. 2001)
Children2
Parent(s)Terry and Christine Yorath
Sports career
CountryGreat Britain
Wales
SportGymnastics
Event(s)
Websitewww.gabbylogan.com

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 to former Welsh international footballer and manager Terry Yorath and his wife Christine. At the time, Yorath was playing for Leeds United.[3] The family moved frequently because her father played for a number of British teams as well as in Canada with the 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 in the 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. Her mother went out of a "sense of duty".[4] Along with her brother and sister, Logan was in the crowd at Valley Parade on 11 May 1985, the day of the Bradford City stadium fire. She had left the stand only moments before the fire took hold and watched the unfolding disaster.[6]

Logan's debut TV appearance was when she was chosen as the Leeds Rose for the 1991 Rose of Tralee competition.[7][8]

Logan runs and plays golf and is a supporter of Newcastle United[9] 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[10] and made visits by air or rail to St James' Park throughout the 1990s and early 2000s,[9] including Newcastle's 5–0 win over Manchester United on 20 October 1996.[10]

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'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 presented their UEFA Champions League 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, In 2003, she reported on the Rugby World Cup. Also that year, Logan presented a programme called Britain's Brilliant Prodigies featuring a young Jessie J.

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 coverage of 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 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 7.00pm-8.00pm at the 2008 Olympic Games for the BBC and hosted Olympics Tonight between 10.40pm-12.00am 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. Gabby Logan has also publicised the challenges female presenters can face within the BBC, once criticised by a BBC executive for wearing "too sexy boots" ,"do you wear those boots while you're doing the dishes".

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, the 2016 London Marathon on 24 April and the 2017 London Marathon on 23 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.

In 2017 she hosted the BBC IAAF coverage in London.

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
2002 Loose Women Guest presenter Two episodes
2003 Britain's Brilliant Prodigies 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
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 & 2017
2015 Flockstars ITV Presenter Primetime reality series
The Edge BBC One Presenter Daytime game show
2015–2016 Let's Play Darts BBC Two Presenter Primetime series
2016 Invictus Games BBC One Co-presenter
2016 2016 European Cup – France Co-presenter / Correspondent June 2016
2016— The Premier League Show BBC Two Presenter
2018 Gabby & Gareth's Big 6 Nations Kick-Off BBC Co-presenter
2019 Would I Lie to You? BBC One Guest Series 13 Episode 1

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.

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 expressing their hope that Scotland would vote to remain part of the United Kingdom in September's referendum on that issue.[29]

Gabby also is the president of Muscular Dystrophy UK and hosts many fundraisers.

Honours, 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] Her natural style of broadcasting, combined with her relaxed demeanor and ability to banter with whichever ex-pro whom she is working alongside, has made Logan a hugely popular figure on TV.[41][42]

Logan, along with Clare Balding, received praise for their commentary during the coverage of the 2012 Summer Olympics.[43] 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.[44]

Logan was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2020 New Year Honours for services to sports broadcasting and the promotion of women in sport.[45]

Personal life

In 1992, Logan's 15-year-old brother Daniel collapsed and died from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.[46] Logan has actively appealed for the Daniel Yorath Appeal, which raises funds for the treatment and detection of the condition.[47]

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.[48]

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.[46] The couple live in Kew, southwest London.[49]

On 28 July 2005, after undergoing IVF treatment, Logan gave birth to twins, son Reuben and daughter Lois.[50]

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.[51][52]

In January 2013, Logan was named the first Chancellor of Leeds Trinity University.[53] In November 2017 it was announced that Logan would step down from this role in January 2018 after five years.[54]

Charity

Logan is currently a patron of The Disabilities Trust, The Prince's Trust, St John's Catholic School for the Deaf, Great Ormond Street Hospital and Newcastle United Foundation. She was named the President of Muscular Dystrophy UK in 2018.[55] She and her husband Kenny Logan are past presidents of the children's charity Sparks.[56]

gollark: ?remind 34d Figure out what I meant when I said Figure out when I said "test".
gollark: Why would you ever want that stuff? It just gives you cancer.
gollark: What are you trying to make, exactly?
gollark: Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuure.
gollark: Yes or no?

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. "Gabby Logan: Why Leeds will always have a special place in my heart". Yorkshire Life. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  4. Raphael, Amy (5 May 2002). "Angelic Host". The Observer. London. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
  5. "The Record Doctor: Gabby Logan". The Observer. London. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
  6. Logan, Gabby (12 May 2003). "Day that will live with me forever". The Times Online. London. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
  7. "Leeds Rose Gabby Logan Wants To Be A TV Presenter 1991". RTÉ. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  8. "13 fun facts about the Rose of Tralee". The Gathering. 3 February 2013. Archived from the original on 5 August 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  9. "Gabby has her eye firmly on the ball". Newcastle Evening Chronicle. 22 August 2002. Retrieved 20 August 2008.
  10. Logan, Gabby (23 January 2009). "Dear Joe Kinnear, let me put it in black and white". Times Online. London. Retrieved 31 May 2009.
  11. "Gabby Logan admits Flockstars was a disappointment". Digital Spy. 28 November 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  12. "Biography". Gabby Logan Official. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  13. "IAAF World Athletics Championships 2013 live on the BBC". Sport on the Box. 8 May 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  14. "BBC Sport Announces 2014 Athletics Coverage". Sport on the Box. 7 April 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  15. "World Aquatics Championships". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 November 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". Digital Spy. 18 September 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  18. "Gabby Logan to host Let's Play Darts for Comic Relief in 2015". Digital Spy. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  19. "Let's Play Darts to return for Sport Relief". British Comedy Guide. 8 October 2015. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  20. "Gabby Logan to host The Edge this autumn". Digital Spy. 11 September 2015. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  21. "Gabby Logan to host Channel 5 'Wright Stuff' spinoff". Digital Spy. 22 June 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  22. "Live With Gabby". Twitter. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  23. "Through The Keyhole". ITV. 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". Gabby Logan.com. 29 January 2014. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  28. "Gabby speaks to Juice FM 107.6 about heart health". Gabby Logan.com. 6 February 2014. Archived from the original on 23 February 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  29. "Celebrities' open letter to Scotland – full text and list of signatories". The Guardian. London. 7 August 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  30. "2000 TRIC Awards Winners". What's on Stage. 16 March 2000. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  31. "2002 TRIC Awards Winners". Television and Radio Industries Club. Archived from the original on 1 July 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  32. "2004 TRIC Awards Winners". Television and Radio Industries Club. Archived from the original on 14 March 2011. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  33. "2014 TRIC Award Winners". Television and Radio Industries Club. Archived from the original on 15 March 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  34. "2007 TRIC Awards Nominees". Television and Radio Industries Club. Archived from the original on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  35. "2008 TRIC Awards Nominees". Television and Radio Industries Club. Archived from the original on 14 May 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  36. "2010 TRIC Awards Nominees". Television and Radio Industries Club. Archived from the original on 1 March 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  37. "Mum of the Year Awards: Winner Gabby Logan". Contact Music. 12 March 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
  38. "2014 National Television Awards – Longlist Nominations". Digital Spy. 17 September 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
  39. "RTS Award Winners in Full". BBC News. 19 March 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  40. "Gabby Logan Interview: Being Gabby". Western Mail. 8 March 2003. Retrieved 20 September 2013 – via The Free Library.
  41. "Gabby Logan: Best female television presenters". MSN. 9 August 2013. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  42. "In Praise of Gabby Logan". The Guardian. 3 May 2007. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  43. "In praise of – True talent". The Herald. 14 August 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  44. "Twenty More Reasons From Our Mayor To Be Happy About The Games". Cyber Boris. 6 August 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  45. "No. 62866". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 2019. p. N20.
  46. Michelle, Lynne (7 November 2004). "Health: Gabby Logan: 'I was so chubby, my hubby called me a Teletubby'". Sunday Mirror. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
  47. "Ice to see you Gabby". Yorkshire Evening Post. 15 August 2006. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
  48. "Cirque du Soleil STRAPS – Artist: Louise Yorath". Cirquedusoleil.com. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
  49. Conway, Juliet (12 October 2012). "My London". Evening Standard Magazine. London. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  50. Turner, Robin (24 August 2009). "Kenny Logan relives day he thought wife would die". Western Mail. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  51. Cusick, James (23 June 2012). "'Times' writer among users of tax scheme". The Independent. Independent Print Ltd. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  52. "Kirsty Gallacher: Life as I know it". Daily Express. 8 August 2010. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  53. "Gabby Logan becomes first Leeds Trinity University Chancellor". ITV News. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  54. "Gabby Logan to step down as chancellor of Leeds Trinity University". ITV.com. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  55. "Muscular Dystrophy UK official website". Muscular Dystrophy UK - Our President and Patrons. Muscular Dystrophy UK. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  56. "Sparks Official Website".
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