Dougie Donnelly

Dougie Donnelly is a Sports Presenter, Conference Host and Entertaining After-Dinner Speaker.

An internationally recognised television sports presenter, Dougie has over 25 years experience of live broadcasting from some of the world’s major sporting occasions.

Dougie Donnelly was the first Scot to present Grandstand in 1993, while Beijing 2008 marked his seventh Olympic Games, during which time he became only the third BBC commentator to have ‘done the double’ of a British gold medal in both Summer and Winter Games.

Dougie has worked on an impressive list of international sporting events, including:

• Olympic Games
• FIFA World Cups
• Commonwealth Games
• Winter Olympic Games
• The U.S. Masters
• Open Championships
• Scottish Cup Finals

Dougie was the face of BBC Sport Scotland between 1978 and 2010. Originally, football was his main responsibility, however, network viewers will also know him well through his long involvement with golf, snooker, darts and bowls.

Since 2005 Dougie has established a worldwide reputation as a golf commentator in the USA, South Africa, Australia and the Far East.

A former radio DJ and twice Scottish Radio Personality of the Year, Dougie Donnelly is a law graduate and a popular, humorous after-dinner speaker who has entertained a variety of audiences, from a North Sea oil platform to the House of Lords.

His anecdotes include his experiences of working with some of the biggest names in golf: Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Seve Ballesteros and his long time friends, Colin Montgomerie and Lee Westwood, to name just a few.

His versatility has been reflected with a chat show series for BBC Scotland and a one-off special, Connolly With Donnelly, in which Billy Connolly reminisced about the early days of their friendship – when Dougie used to book him for the university folk club for a generous fee of £40.

Dougie Donnelly has also presented quiz shows for both the BBC and ITV, and TV appearances have included The Weakest Link, Ready Steady Cook, Banzai and The Games.

His rapport with major sporting figures has led to Dougie being asked to write and direct dozens of top-selling videos and DVDs – including biographies of Ally McCoist, Paul Gascoigne, Gavin Hastings and many others.

Nominated in 2003 for The Royal Television Society Sports Presenter of the Year, Dougie was also honoured in October 2004 with a tribute dinner from The Variety Club of Scotland.

Married with three daughters, Dougie Donnelly lives in his native Glasgow, enjoys food and wine, travelling, and playing and speaking at corporate golf days across the UK.