Sporting greats of UK and Ireland
Those who have proven their talent on the playing fields
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Anthony Joshua is a British professional boxer. He is a two-time unified heavyweight champion, having held the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO titles since December 2019 and previously between 2016 and June 2019. At regional level, he held the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles from 2014 to 2016.
Anthony Joshua represented England at the 2011 AIBA World Boxing Championships as an amateur in the super-heavyweight division, winning a silver medal; he also represented Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics, winning gold. In 2014, a year after turning professional, he was named Prospect of the Year by The Ring magazine. In 2017, his victorious fight against Wladimir Klitschko was named Fight of the Year by The Ring and the Boxing Writers Association of America. Joshua is the second British boxer, after James DeGale, to win both a gold medal at the Olympics and a world title by a major professional sanctioning body, as well as the first British heavyweight to do so.
Joshua was ranked as the world's best active heavyweight by BoxRec and third by The Ring magazine and Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, as well as the eighth best active boxer, pound for pound, by BoxRec.- Actor
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Sir Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton is a British racing driver competing in Formula One for Mercedes AMG Pretronas Formula One Team. In Formula One, Hamilton has won a joint-record seven World Drivers' Championship titles (tied with Michael Schumacher), and holds the records for the most wins (103), pole positions (103), and podium finishes (184), among others. He is the only black driver in Formula One history.
Born and raised in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, Hamilton joined the McLaren young driver programme in 1998. This led to a Formula One drive with McLaren from 2007 to 2012, making Hamilton the first, and so far only, black driver to race in the series. In his inaugural season, Hamilton set numerous records as he finished runner-up to Kimi Räikkönen by one point. The following season, he won his maiden title in dramatic fashion making a crucial overtake on the last lap of the last race of the season to become the the youngest Formula One World Champion in history. After six years with McLaren, Hamilton signed with Mercedes in 2013.
Changes to the regulations for 2014 mandating the use of turbo-hybrid engines saw the start of a highly successful period for Hamilton, during which he has won six further drivers' titles. Consecutive titles came in 2014 and 2015 during an intense rivalry with teammate Nico Rosberg. Following Rosberg's retirement, Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel became Hamilton's closest rival in two intense championship battles, in which Hamilton twice overturned mid-season point deficits to claim consecutive titles again in 2017 and 2018. His third and fourth consecutive titles followed in 2019 and 2020 to equal Schumacher's record of seven drivers' titles.
In December 2020, Hamilton confronted the Bahrain's human rights abuses and spoke out on the allegations of sportswashing. Hamilton said he "won't let it go unnoticed" after an 11-year-old boy, Ahmed Ramadhan, wrote a letter to Hamilton, asking him to save his father, who was facing the death penalty, after a confession was allegedly extracted through torture for the death of a policeman.
Hamilton's contribution and influence has been recognised regularly in the Powerlist, an annual list of the most influential Black Britons, in which he has ranked in the top 10 in 2016 and 2017. In 2021, Hamilton was named the most influential Black Briton in the 14th Powerlist, for his sporting success and his advocacy in the Black Lives Matter movement. In 2020, he was listed as one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people globally, and was knighted in the 2021 New Year Honours for services to motorsports.
He is a absolute Legend in Formula One history and in a entire World.- Additional Crew
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Mo Farah was born on 23 March 1983 in Mogadishu, Somalia. He is an actor, known for The London Marathon (1981), W1A (2014) and The Leadership League (2019). He has been married to Tania Farah since April 2010. They have four children.- Kenny Dalglish was born on 4 March 1951 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. He is an actor and editor, known for First Division Liverpool FC versus Derby County (1978), Will (2011) and Eyewitness to History (1959). He has been married to Marina Dalglish since 26 November 1976. They have four children.
- Chris Hoy was born on 23 March 1976 in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. He has been married to Sarra Kemp since 17 April 2010.
- Sir Steven Geoffrey Redgrave is a retired British rower who won gold medals at five consecutive Olympic Games from 1984 to 2000. He has also won three Commonwealth Games gold medals and nine World Rowing Championships golds. He is regarded as one of Britain's greatest-ever Olympians, the most successful male rower in Olympic history, and the only man to have won gold medals at five Olympic Games in an endurance sport.
In 2002, Redgrave was ranked number 36 in the BBC poll of the 100 Greatest Britons. As of 2012 he is the third most decorated British Olympian after Sir Chris Hoy and Sir Bradley Wiggins. He has carried the British flag at the opening of the Olympic Games on two occasions. In 2011 he received the BBC Sports Personality of the Year - Lifetime Achievement Award. - Actress
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Sally Gunnell was born on 29 July 1966 in Chigwell, Essex, England, UK. She is an actress, known for Trevor's World of Sport (2003), Get Santa (2014) and Silent Witness (1996). She has been married to Jonathan Bigg since 1992. They have three children.- Rebecca Adlington was born on 17 February 1989 in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England, UK. She is an actress, known for JLS: Proud (2012), The Boat Race (1938) and Olympic Games (1936). She has been married to Andrew Parsons since 28 August 2021. They have one child. She was previously married to Harry Needs.
- Jessica Ennis-Hill was born on 28 January 1986 in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, UK. She is an actress, known for The Missing Crown Jewels (2017), Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (1973) and British Olympic Dreams (2010). She has been married to Andy Hill since 18 May 2013. They have two children.
- Dina Asher-Smith was born on 4 December 1995 in London, England, UK. She is an actress, known for Stormzy: Mel Made Me Do It (2022), Dave: Black (2019) and Twelve Nights (2021).
- Daley Thompson was born on 30 July 1958 in London, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Daley, Daley's Decathlon (1982) and Stopwatch (1978).
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Max Whitlock was born on 13 January 1993 in Hemel Hempstead, England, UK. He is known for Sky World News (1989), Sky Midnight News (2010) and Sky News at 10 (2006).- Actor
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David Beckham is one of Britain's most iconic athletes whose name is also an elite global advertising brand. He was captain of the English national team from 2000 to 2009, scored in three different FIFA World Cups, and played midfield for clubs in Manchester, England, Madrid, Spain, and Milan, Italy; he also won the MLS Cup playing for Los Angeles Galaxy in 2011 and 2012.
He was born David Robert Joseph Beckham on May 2, 1975, in Leytonstone, East London, England, to Sandra Georgina (West), a hairdresser, and David Edward Alan "Ted" Beckham, a kitchen fitter. Beckham's maternal grandfather was Jewish, and David has mentioned the religion as an influence; he wears a tattoo written in Hebrew from the 'Song of Songs' in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), albeit he is not known to practice Judaism or any other faith. Beckham has always played in long sleeve shirts to cover up his tattoos in consideration of others who may feel uncomfortable due to their beliefs.
He was brought up by his parents, supporters of Manchester United, attended Bobby Charlton's football school in Manchester, and won a spot in a training session at FC Barcelona as a child. In 1986 he was a Manchester United's mascot for a match against West Ham United. From 1992 - 2003 Beckham made almost 400 appearances for Manchester United and scored 85 goals, although his official record counts only 62 goals in 265 official senior team's matches. In the 1998 FIFA World Cup he played all of England's qualifying matches and scored in several important victories. He received a red card for violent conduct in England's match against Argentina, albeit his opponent later admitted to trying to send Beckham off by over-reacting to their contact during the game and by urging the referee to send Beckham off. After losing the game England was eliminated, Beckham was made a scapegoat and became the target of criticism and abuse in media.
He had a good season in 1999 - 2000 and helped Manchester United to win the Premier League. At that time, he married singer Victoria Beckham (nee' Adams) from the popular musical group The Spice Girls, and the couple had their first son, Brooklyn, born in 1999. That same year, Beckham was given a permission to miss training routine, in order to look after his son Brooklyn, who suffered from a stomach infection. Meanwhile, the Manchester United's manager, Alex Ferguson, fined Beckham £50,000 (about $80,000 then) the maximum amount that was permitted, for babysitting with his sick child, while his wife was spotted at a London fashion Week event on the same night. Ferguson's claim that Beckham should be able to train if his wife stayed home that day, caused a serious personal tension between two men. In February 2003, following the defeat to Arsenal, the Manchester United's manager Alex Ferguson entered the changing room and kicked a football boot that struck Beckham over the eye, causing a cut that required stitches.
David Beckham has been a good scorer and a major attraction for public. On the field he has been demonstrating his consistent ability to see a big picture even under severe pressure during the most rapidly changing and unpredictable games. His field vision has been remarkable, allowing him to create many assists in a number of important matches. Beckham's forte has been his delivery from the right-hand side as well as his efficient free kicks. His superior performances in the midfield position has required a higher physical endurance through the entire game. "David Beckham's right foot" was mentioned, although humorously, as one of British national treasures in the movie Love Actually (2003).
He signed a four-year contract with Real Madrid, beginning on July 1, 2003, and worth a potential 40 million dollars. In Madrid, Beckham was not allowed to wear his favorite number seven, because another player had the right to wear it written into his contract. Beckham decided to wear the number 23 instead, being a big fan of Michael Jordan. He immediately became popular with the Real Madrid fans, but the team did not perform well enough to win either the Spanish League or the Champions League. However, Beckham remained a reliable scorer and his performances attracted more public. His shirts sales and other merchandising deals remained lucrative for the club, which continued to under-perform, regardless of the Real's management's higher expectations.
In 2005 Beckham became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. He was also involved in promoting London's successful bid for the 2012 Olympic Games. His third season in Madrid was unremarkable, and he was criticized a lot, mainly because the team finished second to Barcelona in Spanish "La Liga" and lost to Arsenal in the European Champions League. However, during that season, he expanded his international presence by establishing football academies in Los Angeles and East London. During the FIFA World Cup 2006, he played for England, and became the first ever English player to score in three World Cups. In the quarter final game against Portugal, Beckham was replaced because of his injury in the middle of the game. Without him the English team lost and was knocked out of the World Cup.
In June 2007 Beckham played his final game for Real Madrid, winning a medal and celebrating with his friends Tom and Katie Cruse, who attended the game. This was his fourth, and last season there, ending his contract with the club. He announced that he had signed a five-year contract to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy from July 1, 2007 through June 2012. The 5-year deal includes up to $10 million a year in direct salary, and with merchandising endorsements and profit-sharing could earn Beckham up to $50 million a year, and may end up worth about $250 million in five years, making him one of the highest earning athletes of all time.
In 2009, in a unique time share agreement David played on loan at AC Milan to maintain his fitness after ending the season with the Galaxy. He ended up staying with Milan for five months, from January to May 2009. In 2010, he also arranged to embark on a second loan spell at AC Milan from the Galaxy, to play for Milan for another five months. He said that he "genuinely enjoyed playing for Milan."
In 2011, after winning his first MLS Cup, his five-year deal with the Los Angeles Galaxy ended. At that time, Beckham was invited to play for Paris Saint-Germain. But the 36-year-old player said "My family and I are incredibly happy and settled in America and we look forward to spending many more years here... I am still passionate about playing in America and winning trophies with the Galaxy" he stated after signing another two-year contract with the Los Angeles club.
In 2012, Beckham helped the Los Angeles Galaxy to retain their championship by defeating the Houston Dynamo 3-1 in the final game and winning the MLS Cup 2012. His last appearance for Los Angeles was on December 2, 2012. Beckham's jersey No 23 has been the best selling in the MLS and one of the best in the world, as he expands his image as one of sport's leading icons. Although he plays his best in the right of midfield, Beckham can be dangerous anywhere in the field and can make a difference in a big game with a pass, a cross, or a free kick. Arguably no one in the game can rival Beckham's accuracy in free kicks, as he can put that ball on a teammate's head with uncanny precision. He is still a decisive player, regardless of age.
In January 2013, David Beckham signed a 5 month contract with Paris Saint-Germain.
The Beckhams, who have become known as "Posh and Becks", have four children: three sons - Brooklyn Joseph Beckham (born 1999, in London), Romeo James Beckham (born 2002, in London), Cruz David Beckham (born 2005, in Madrid), and daughter Harper Seven (born in 2011, in Los Angeles).- Nicola Adams was born on 26 October 1982 in Leeds, Yorkshire, England, UK. She is an actress, known for Waterloo Road (2006), Wimbledon (1937) and BBC Sport: Boxing (1936).
- Roy Keane was born on 10 August 1971 in Mayfield, Cork, Ireland. He is an actor, known for The Young Offenders (2018), The Joy of Pepsi (Foosball) (2001) and Pepsi - Inside the Man U Changing Room (1999). He is married to Teresa. They have five children.
- Ben Ainslie was born on 5 February 1977 in Macclesfield, Cheshire, England, UK. He has been married to Georgie Thompson since 20 December 2014. They have one child.
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James Hunt was known as Hunt The Shunt for his many accidents in lower formulas. He started his F1 career in 1973, driving for the maverick Hesketh team. Known for its wild parties and eccentric attitude, Hesketh wasn't taken too seriously by rival teams, but after competitive outings in 1974 and 1975, including a win in the Dutch Grand Prix and another in a non-championship race, Hesketh and Hunt were now a force to be reckoned with.
James joined McLaren for 1976 after the Hesketh team folded, and after a controversial and dramatic season, which saw him disqualified twice and re-instated as the winner in one race, his friend and rival Niki Lauda nearly being killed in the German Grand Prix and a run of bad luck in the early part of the season, James snatched the title in the dramatic final race in Japan in torrential rain, to the delight of Britain.
James had two more season at McLaren in which he won another 3 races, but by 1979, his interest and motivation was waning. He tried to save Ronnie Peterson from his burning Lotus in the 1978 Italian Grand Prix, but his friend died that night. He and Niki Lauda had both decided that enough was enough (Lauda was to change his mind and make a comeback in 1982, however) and both retired before the 1979 season was over. Their mutual friend Jody Scheckter gave up at the end of 1980 for the same reason.
James became a controversial and very entertaining commentator for BBC's Grand Prix show, winning him a whole army of new fans, but on 15 June 1993, his life was cut short, and he died from a heart attack. He was just 45 years old.
James had two sons, Tom and Freddie.- Nick Faldo was born on 18 July 1957 in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England, UK. He was previously married to Valerie Bercher, Gill Bennett and Melanie Rockall.
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Fatima Whitbread was born on 3 March 1961 in Stoke Newington, London, England, UK. She is known for The Carl Lewis Challenge (1992), Celebrity Wrestling (2005) and I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! NOW! (2002). She was previously married to Andrew John Norman.- Andy Murray is a British professional tennis player from Scotland.
Murray represents Great Britain in his sporting activities and is a three-time Grand Slam tournament winner, two-time Olympic champion, Davis Cup champion, winner of the 2016 ATP World Tour Finals, and former world No. 1.
Murray defeated Novak Djokovic in the 2012 US Open final, becoming the first British player since 1977, and the first British man since 1936, to win a Grand Slam singles tournament. Murray is also the first British man to win multiple Wimbledon singles titles since Fred Perry in 1936, winning the tournament in 2013 and 2016.
Murray is the men's singles 2012 and 2016 Olympic gold medalist, making him the only tennis player, male or female, to have won two Olympic singles titles. He featured in Great Britain's Davis Cup-winning team in 2015, going 11-0 in his matches (8 singles and 3 doubles) as they secured their first Davis Cup title since 1936. - Nigel Mansell was born on 8 August 1953 in Upton-upon-Severn, Worcestershire, England, United Kingdom. He is an actor, known for Formula 1 (1950), 1 (2013) and International Pro-Celebrity Golf (1975). He has been married to Roseanne since 1975. They have three children.
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Linford Cicero Christie OBE is a Jamaican-born British former sprinter. He is the only British man to have won gold medals in the 100 meters at all four major competitions open to British athletes. He stars in several TV shows including BBC TV Show Hustle S3 E1.- Actor
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Gary Winston Lineker OBE was English football's most famous striker in the 1980s and early 1990s. A unique blend of skill, intelligence and charm, he was venomous up front and yet also a superb professional, who rarely lost his temper. During his 14 year long professional career, Lineker was never cautioned, let alone sent off - very few footballers have achieved this feat.
He achieved stardom with Everton F.C., after initially playing for Leicester City F.C. He then had spells with F.C. Barcelona and other big clubs before returning to Tottenham Hotspur. After this, he played two years in Japan for Nagoya Grampus Eight before a foot injury finished his career and he returned to England, to become a TV pundit and presenter for the BBC. Through all these years, he was England's man up front, saving them more than once during the big matches. He has captained them for a few years too.
As an example of his value: in the 1986 World Cup, England had a lousy 1 point from the first two matches against Portugal and Morocco. Lineker's hat-trick saw England win 3-0 against Poland, and on England went into the quarter-finals, where they beat Paraguay 3-0 as well, before crashing out to Argentina, thanks to one of the greatest goals of all-time scored by Diego Maradona. Guess who scored England's only goal of the match...
When England was trailing 1-2 to Cameroon in the 1990 FIFA World Cup. Lineker produced two penalties by his dazzling runs, and scored from both, securing England's 3-2 victory. In the next match, he became one of only three England men's players ever to have scored in a World Cup semi-final (the others being Bobby Charlton against Portugal in 1966 and Kieran Trippier against Croatia in 2018) when he capitalized on a rare mistake by the West German defence and equalized for England with an extremely cold-blooded strike when England were trailing 1-0. The equalizer in the 80th minute sent the game into extra time and then penalties, making it one of the most epic and memorable games in England's history.- Bradley Wiggins was born on 28 April 1980 in Ghent, Belgium.
- Colin Jackson was born on 18 February 1967 in Cardiff, Wales, UK. He is an actor, known for Fast Girls (2012), Rachel Stevens: Some Girls (2004) and Cyberzone (1993).
- Ian Rush was born on 20 October 1961 in Flint, Wales, UK. He is an actor, known for Offside (2006), Hustle (2004) and Renford Rejects (1998). He has been married to Tracy Evans since 3 July 1987. They have two children.
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Jayne Torvill was born on 7 October 1957 in Nottingham, England, UK. She is an actress, known for Target Stars on Ice (2002), Target Stars on Ice (2001) and Fire & Ice (1986). She has been married to Phil Christensen since September 1990. They have two children.- Additional Crew
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Christopher Dean was born on 27 July 1958 in Nottingham, England, UK. He is an actor and director, known for Smucker's Stars on Ice (2003), Smucker's Stars on Ice (2005) and Holiday on Ice: Believe (2016). He was previously married to Jill Trenary and Isabelle Duchesnay.- Adrian Moorhouse was born on 24 May 1964 in Leeds, England, UK.
- Jack Charlton is an English former footballer and manager who played as a defender. He was part of the England team that won the 1966 World Cup. He spent his entire club career with Leeds United A.F.C. from 1950 to 1973, helping the club to the Second Division title (1963-64), First Division title (1968-69), FA Cup (1972), League Cup (1968), Charity Shield (1969), Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (1968 and 1971), as well as one other promotion from the Second Division (1955-56) and five second-place finishes in the First Division, two FA Cup final defeats and one Inter-Cities Fairs Cup final defeat. His 629 league and 762 total competitive appearances are club records. He is the elder brother of former Manchester United forward Bobby Charlton, who was also a teammate in England's World Cup final victory.
Called up to the England team days before his 30th birthday, Charlton went on to score six goals in 35 international games and to appear in two World Cups and one European Championship. He played in the World Cup final victory over West Germany in 1966, and also helped England to finish third in Euro 1968 and to win four British Home Championship tournaments. He was named FWA Footballer of the Year in 1967.
After retiring as a player he worked as a manager, and led Middlesbrough F.C. to the Second Division title in 1973-74, winning the Manager of the Year award in his first season as a manager. He kept Boro as a stable top-flight club before he resigned in April 1977. He took charge of Sheffield Wednesday F.C. in October 1977, and led the club to promotion out of the Third Division in 1979-80. He left the Owls in May 1983, and went on to serve Middlesbrough as caretaker-manager at the end of the 1983-84 season. He worked as Newcastle United F.C. manager for the 1984-85 season. He took charge of the Republic of Ireland National Football Team in February 1986, and led them to their first ever World Cup in 1990, where they reached the quarter-finals. He also led the nation to successful qualification to Euro 1988 and the 1994 World Cup. He resigned in January 1996 and went into retirement. - Greg Rutherford was born on 17 November 1986 in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England, UK.
- Began her career as a professional tennis player when she moved to the USA in 1973. In 1976 she won the French Open Championship, her only Grand Slam title. However, following recurring injuries and loss of form, she retired in 1985, and after a short hiatus began her broadcasting career in Australia, before the BBC recognised her ability. In 2000 she was awarded the MBE for services to tennis and broadcasting.
- Tim Brabants was born on 23 January 1977 in Chertsey, Surrey, England, UK.
- Liz McColgan was born on 24 May 1964 in Dundee, Scotland, UK. She has been married to John Nuttall since 18 January 2014. She was previously married to Peter McColgan.
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Jenson Button was born on 19 January 1980 in Frome, Somerset, England, United Kingdom. He is an actor and producer, known for Breakneck, The Last Weekend and Untitled Jenson Button Project.- Beth Tweddle was born on 1 April 1985 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
- Nigel Benn was born on 22 January 1964 in Ilford, Essex, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Undisputed (2023), The Big Fight Live (1976) and Sky Sports World Championship Boxing (1989). He has been married to Caroline Jackson since 4 September 1996. He was previously married to Sharon Crowley.
- Adam Peaty was born on 28 December 1994 in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England, UK.
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George Best is a Northern Irish professional footballer who played as a winger, spending most of his club career at Manchester United F.C..
Named European Footballer of the Year in 1968, he is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. A highly skillful winger, considered by several pundits to be one of the greatest dribblers in the history of the sport, George Best received plaudits for his playing style, which combined pace, skill, balance, feints, two-footedness, goalscoring and the ability to get past defenders.
In international football, George Best was capped 37 times for Northern Ireland National Football Team between 1964 and 1977, scoring nine goals. He is regarded as one of the greatest players never to have played at a World Cup.- Tessa Sanderson was born on 14 March 1956 in St Elizabeth, Jamaica. She is an actress, known for Kenny Everett's Christmas Carol (1985), Cyberzone (1993) and Children in Need (1984).
- Sir John Young Stewart OBE is a British former Formula One racing driver from Scotland. Nicknamed the "Flying Scot", he competed in Formula One between 1965 and 1973, winning three World Drivers' Championships and twice finishing as runner-up over those nine seasons. Outside of Formula One, he narrowly missed out on a win at his first attempt at the Indianapolis 500 in 1966, and competed in the Can-Am series in 1970 and 1971. Between 1997 and 1999, in partnership with his son, Paul, he was team principal of the Stewart Grand Prix Formula One racing team.
- David Wilkie was born on 8 March 1954 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. He died on 22 May 2024.
- Jade Jones was born on 21 March 1993 in Bodelwyddan, Denbighshire, Wales, UK.
- Lizzy Yarnold is married to Roche.
- Mark Cavendish was born on 21 May 1985 in the Isle of Man. He has been married to Peta Todd since 5 October 2013. They have two children.
- Jonathan Edwards was born on 10 May 1966 in Westminster, London, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Fast Girls (2012), Doctors (2000) and Olympic Games (1936). He has been married to Alison Joy Briggs since 1990.
- Sir Robert Charlton is an English former footballer who played either as a midfielder or a forward. Considered one of the greatest players of all time, he was a member of the England team that won the 1966 FIFA World Cup, the year he also won the Ballon d'Or. He played almost all of his club football at Manchester United, where he became renowned for his attacking instincts, his passing abilities from midfield and his ferocious long-range shot, as well as his fitness and stamina. He was cautioned only twice in his career; once against Argentina in the 1966 World Cup, and once in a league match against Chelsea. His elder brother Jack, who was also in the World Cup-winning team, was a former defender for Leeds United and international manager.
- Alan Hansen was a formidable defender during his playing days. He was also the first outfield player to win English league titles in three different decades. Since retiring he has become one of the most respected and knowledgeable pundits on the beautiful game.
His first club as a professional was Scottish team Partick Thistle, where his brother John Hansen already played. Alan and John also played together before signing professional contracts with Partick Thistle at non league club, Sauchie Juniors.
It didn't take long for Alan to break into the Partick Thistle first team. His intelligence and defensive talents began to attract attention from bigger clubs, including Bob Paisley's Liverpool. A move to one of the country's top clubs was beckoning.
He transferred to Liverpool at a cost of £110,000, and made his debut on the 24th September, 1977, in a league match at Anfield against Derby County.
As an integral part of the great Liverpool side of the late 70s and early to mid- 80s, Alan's record of achievement with the Merseyside giants is impressive.
His first full international cap came on the 19th May, 1979, in a British Home Championship match against Wales. He also represented his country at the 1982 World Cup finals in Spain, however, Scotland failed to progress beyond the qualifying group due to drawing 2-2 with the USSR.
In total he received 26 caps for Scotland- not a lot for a defender of such considerable talent. This was in part due to the already formidable central defensive partnership of Willie Miller and Alex McLeish, who also played together at Aberdeen.
Given his exceptional footballing brain, it wasn't long after his retirement that Sky Television employed Hansen as a pundit and summariser. He then moved to BBC Radio 5 Live before taking up his most well-known role as a pundit for Match of the Day.
He is a columnist for the Daily Telegraph, Telegraph.co.UK and the BBC website on football issues and has also worked as a motivational speaker.
He is represented in the UK by Useful Sports. - Actor
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Robin Cousins was born on 17 August 1957 in Bristol, England, UK. He is an actor and producer, known for The Sleeping Beauty (1987), The Nutcracker: A Fantasy on Ice (1984) and The Cutting Edge (1992).- Gavin Hastings was born on 3 January 1962 in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. He is an actor, known for Play On (2010), A Question of Sport (1970) and This Is Your Life (1955).
- James DeGale was born on 3 February 1986 in Hammersmith, London, England, UK.
- Barry Sheene was born on 11 September 1950 in St. Pancras, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Space Riders (1984), MotoGP (1949) and Joey Dunlop 1952-2000 (1997). He was married to Stephanie McLean. He died on 10 March 2003 in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
- Nicole Cooke was born on 13 April 1983 in Swansea, Wales, UK. She is a writer, known for The Breakaway, A Question of Sport (1970) and British Olympic Dreams (2010).
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Katarina Johnson-Thompson was born on 9 January 1993 in Liverpool, England, UK. She is known for A Question of Sport (1970), A League of Their Own (2010) and Celebrity Lingo (2022).- Actor
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John Curry was born on 9 September 1949 in Birmingham, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Broadway on Showtime (1979), The Snow Queen: A Skating Ballet (1982) and ABC's Wide World of Sports (1961). He died on 15 April 1994 in Binton, Warwickshire, England, UK.- Duncan Goodhew was born on 27 May 1957 in Marylebone, London, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Trevor's World of Sport (2003), Rock with Laughter (1993) and The Little and Large Show (1978). He has been married to Anne Patterson since 1984. They have two children.
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Universally popular, Graham Hill was the epitome of the Grand Prix racing driver. Hill started out his racing career as a mechanic, trading in his services as a mechanic for a drive. He made his mark in sports cars before getting the call to the internationally famous Formula 1 Grand Prix series in 1958. His first few years in Formula 1 were without much success until he recorded his first win in 1962, at the Dutch Grand Prix. That first win opened up the floodgates as he won three more times that season and won his first World Championship. He was a consistent winner throughout the 1960s in a variety of races series, including sports cars and the 1966 Indianapolis 500. Hill raced against several of the sport's greatest stars including Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart, Dan Gurney and Jack Brabham. Hill won his second and last World Championship in 1968, and his final Formula 1 race at Monaco, the following year. His last big win was at Le Mans, in 1972, but Hill's final three seasons in racing were fruitless. Hill started his own Grand Prix team in 1973, and initially the prospects of a winning team were promising, however Hill, his racing protected Tony Brise, and four other team members were killed when Hill, piloting his own plane, clipped the tree tops in a dense fog, and crashed short of the Elstree Airport. Grand Prix racing had lost one of its greatest racing figures. In 1996, Hill's only son Damon won the World Championship, making them the first father-son combination to accomplish the feat.- Helen Glover was born on 17 June 1986 in Truro, Cornwall, England, UK.
- Heather Stanning was born on 26 January 1985 in Yeovil, Somerset, England, UK.
- Christine Ohuruogu was born on 17 May 1984 in London, England, UK.
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Laura Kenny was born on 24 April 1992 in Harlow, Essex, England, UK. She is known for Granada Reports (1992), A Question of Sport (1970) and South at Six (1974). She has been married to Jason Kenny since 24 September 2016. They have one child.- Jason Kenny was born on 23 March 1988 in Bolton, Greater Manchester, England, UK. He has been married to Laura Kenny since 24 September 2016. They have one child.