Presenting live sports requires unwavering professionalism, an encyclopedic knowledge of sports anoraks and the management skills of a circus ringleader. Because it can be quite confusing at times.
Take Premier Sports’ coverage of the United Rugby Championship, for example. They are thorough in their reporting, but they also add an entertainment element that is central to the way they do business. Especially since Ryan Wilson was added to the roster of specialists.
The former Scotland striker brought further chaos to the proceedings by tackling his teammates to the ground in the air, riding a penny farthing (below) or pretending to be blown away by the wind.
Trying to keep all this in check must always keep presenters on their toes, but those responsible do so with grace and a requisite sense of humour.
‘It’s a lot of fun,’ confirmed Jenny Drummond, a familiar face in the channel’s rugby coverage. ‘I’ve been working with Premier for several years and their energy on screen is welcome.
‘They want to convey this not only to the fans in the stadium but also to the people watching at home.
Jenny Drummond presents with Ian Madigan, John Barclay and Ryan Wilson.
Drummond proved to be a calming presence on the pitch during live URC matches.
‘That’s a very clear message they are sending. And with the experts, they have a really good mix of things that will keep you on your toes while also keeping you on your toes.
‘You’re trying to manage top mates like Ryan Wilson and John Barclay and it’s exciting! They’re fun, but they know their stuff.
‘They have a good relationship with the club and the players. They are so close to everything that is happening that it is very easy to talk to them.
‘This is like chatting in a bar. I’m someone who loves sport so the fact that elements are being promoted within the Premier is great for me.’
The channel’s commitment to broadcasting from stadiums is another key factor, but it can also bring challenges. Drummond was quick to debunk the notion that television was glitz and glamour.
‘There were times when the rain was pouring down and people at home were holding microphones, umbrellas, iPads or clipboards with multiple voices in their ears telling them what was going to happen next.’ Revealing Glaswegian.
‘Last season I dropped my notebook on the ground and it was soaked and I couldn’t read it. Another time, John apologized because he was too wet and cold to say anything, and Ryan also pretended to have been blown away by the strong wind.
‘So when it’s freezing and the water is pouring down, it’s a difficult moment. And that’s when you have to try to have some fun to get through it all.’
But indiscretion must be measured appropriately. The demands of live TV mean that microphones are often shoved under players’ noses as soon as they leave the field, and those tasked with asking questions must do so tactfully and sensitively.
‘Your emotional intelligence has to kick in,’ says Drummond. ‘Sometimes people from the losing team don’t want to talk, but as a journalist you know you have to get answers from them.
‘Sometimes there are more introverted players who don’t like to talk. Duhan van der Merwe always says this to me: “I only have two questions, Jenny!” Then he’ll complain that I bit him five. But it’s all a joke. The more you do it, the more you learn about your players’ characters and how they react best.
‘I follow a human-led approach. ‘Sometimes players cry or react emotionally and the same goes for their reactions.’
Drummond has an impressive pedigree and has also worked at major tennis events.
Drummond’s dream is to sit in the ‘big chair’ at Wimbledon, the world’s largest tennis tournament.
Social media snipers tend to pass the harshest judgment on female hosts, and while Drummond received her fair share of criticism too, she realized it wasn’t worth wasting her time on.
‘As a woman, you are commented on for how you look and what you wear rather than how you conduct yourself as a presenter or reporter,’ she adds. ‘Then people criticize the angle of your question or how clear the way you spoke was. That’s really annoying.
‘I use Twitter/X for work, but not actively. I don’t even bother to look for it because I’m sensitive and can’t hack that (exploit) aspect.’
Drummond has seen this happen over the past decade, presenting and reporting on sporting events ranging from Wimbledon to the Women’s Six Nations. But her first step was on the production side, learning the ins and outs of the business.
‘I deliberately set out to create it to show that as a woman in a male-dominated industry, I know what I’m talking about when it comes to sports,’ she adds. ‘I started as a production manager or floor manager while traveling and sometimes worked as a reporter so I could put together a showreel.
Drummond’s father Duncan (front row, right) played many sports, including playing cricket with West Indies legend Gordon Greenidge.
Her grandfather Ian Rae was an avid golfer and once played in The Open.
‘From there I blended the two roles until just before COVID when I decided to focus on reporting and presenting. I came back in my mid-20s and got a degree in journalism, which also helped me a lot.
‘I probably got to the camera a little later than I wanted to. But it allowed me to gain all sorts of other experiences that proved equally invaluable.’
Drummond comes from a strong sports stock. Her father Duncan played for Glasgow Warriors during his amateur days, one of her grandfathers played cricket for Scotland and another was a passionate amateur golfer who competed in The Open.
That’s no surprise, considering sport was a constant part of Drummond’s gene pool growing up in Bearsden.
‘I come from a very sporty family,’ she adds. ‘My father was a rugby player, a tennis player, a golfer and a cricketer – he did it all. And so were my grandparents.
‘My dad started throwing balls to me when I was in diapers, so I developed good hand-eye coordination from a young age. He was my biggest influence in sport.’
Also a student at Glasgow High School, he showed many sporting talents. After trying every field of activity, it was in tennis that young Drummond showed his greatest potential.
She was set to win a scholarship to study at an American university, but a freak car accident ended those prospects and the then 18-year-old took a different path, studying politics and international relations at the University of Aberdeen before entering journalism.
‘I was a top junior in England and coached by Judy Murray and Leon Smith throughout my life,’ she revealed. ‘Then some idiot got into a car accident that didn’t stop at a yield intersection and broke his left wrist. The fracture was then misdiagnosed and fused in the wrong location.
‘So I ended up going to study abroad in Aberdeen instead of the United States. After that he played a little tennis, but not much more. I think I still have a bit of PTSD floating around after what happened. I also had hip surgery last year due to a tennis injury. Maybe I have one of those bodies that is prone to injury!’
It wasn’t the worst career detour, with Drummond working across a variety of sports including football, tennis, golf, snooker and rugby for a variety of broadcasters. Asked to pick his favorite memory, the 35-year-old singled out one particular highlight.
‘I interviewed Nick Kyrgios as a BBC reporter at Wimbledon for the first time a few years ago and it put me out of a terrible mood on air and made him laugh,’ she added.
‘So they wanted me to keep doing it. It was Court One, a match between Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas, and it was so hot that both players almost defaulted.
‘I had to interview Nick later and everything was fine. And my boss texted me, “5.8 million people are watching, Jen.” I’m glad they didn’t tell me that beforehand!’
And what about the future? As she ticks off the items on her bucket list, two events immediately come to mind.
‘One day I’d like to sit in the big chair previewing Wimbledon,’ she admits. ‘And it would be a dream to be able to showcase all of the men’s Six Nations competitions. I would be really happy to do both of these things at some point in my life.’
Jenny Drummond is part of the Premier Sports team providing live coverage of all Glasgow and Edinburgh matches for BKT United Rugby. They won both home and away this season.
Watch Glasgow take on Benetton in the second round of the Championship on Friday night from 7pm on Premier Sports 1. Jenny will join John Barclay, Ryan Wilson, Rory Hamilton and Jamie Lyall to showcase all the action and build-up from Scotstoun.
Premier Sports now provides live coverage of 80 of Europe’s best rugby matches, 151 URC matches and 110 TOP 14 matches from all five rugby nations, providing the most comprehensive live rugby club coverage across the UK and Ireland. This makes Premier Sports the destination for all rugby fans. Premier Sports is available in the UK from £10.99 per month and is available on Sky, Virgin and Amazon Prime.
Premier Sports also streams online through a dedicated app on a variety of devices and platforms, including iOS and Android smartphones and tablets, PC and Mac, Fire TV and Chromecast, LG Smart TV and Android TV-enabled devices.
