Cricket-News.Org

talkSPORT, the UK’s only national commercial speech radio station, today announced that former England and Essex all-rounder Ronnie Irani is to join the station as a presenter on the massively successful Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast Show.

From Tuesday 25th September, recently retired Irani will join Alan Brazil on talkSPORT’s No.1 show.  With the Premier League getting in to full swing and the Rugby World Cup preparing to kick off, the show’s one million listeners will put Irani’s sporting knowledge to the test when he arrives at the station.

Prior to joining talkSPORT, Irani, 35, was an accomplished cricketer, playing first for his native Lancashire before moving to Essex in 1994, becoming captain in 2000.  A genuine all-rounder, he made 232 first-class appearances scoring 13,472 runs and taking 339 first-class wickets.  With the bat, his career best came in what was ironically to be his last first-class innings at The Ford County Ground when in April of this year he knocked Glamorgan for 218.

Irani announced his retirement from first-class cricket on Thursday 21st June 2007.  Having sustained a knee injury in a match earlier this season Irani was advised that if he continued to play professional sport he risked his lifestyle and health so the decision was made that he should retire from the game with immediate effect.

Since its conception in 2000, the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast has gained a cult following with more than a million avid listeners tuning in every week.  Former Scotland international and Manchester United striker Alan Brazil has made the slot his own with his unique blend of football insight, disdain for ‘numpties’ and amazing anecdotes.

On joining talkSPORT, Irani said: “I cannot wait to start!  I’ve worked with Alan before and we had a brilliant chemistry on air.  I love my sport, not just cricket, so to get the chance to talk about and express a view on football, rugby, tennis, and any sport in fact, has massive appeal and I cannot think of a better place to do it than talkSPORT.”

Bill Ridley, talkSPORT, programme director, added:  “Ronnie is a cracking coup for us and I am sure he will prove to be a great broadcaster.

“He’s not afraid to express his opinion, and nor is [Alan] Brazil, so their pairing should make for brilliant speech radio.”

Before taking up his full-time role on Breakfast, Irani will be appearing on talkSPORT throughout the summer as a pundit on the County Championship.

Graham Beecroft, who is currently on the Alan Brazil Breakfast Show, will stay with the station by providing match reports from his native North West as well as standing in for regular presenters.  Mike Parry will continue to co-present on Mondays.

Comments Off