In The Gantry

Joining me today is football commentator Jonathan Blakeley. When I started this I wanted to get Jon on as we share similar commitments by juggling a day job whilst side hustling our way into the sports broadcasting world. 

Jon has had a unique pathway so far. He started his commentary journey at 34 having been an actor throughout his 20’s and early 30’s. But Jon knew sports commentary, and story telling were passions of his. In this conversation we go over his time in drama school and how he decided to follow his 5 year old dream of being a sports commentator.

Throughout this conversation I was amazed at his drive and infectious enthusiasm. Aside from stories, Jon eloquently shared his views on work ethic that can help create a framework for listeners to reach their destiny.

Big thanks to Jon for coming on. Enjoy!

https://www.tiktok.com/@blakeleyjcommentator

https://www.instagram.com/blakeleyjono/

When I first started this podcast, Rich was someone I had been hoping to get on, and the way this conversation went is exactly why.

What fascinates me about Rich’s career is its versatility. From hosting on Radio X to regularly commentating on football for Sky and other broadcasters, he’s also built an online fanbase of more than 380,000 followers.

I see Rich as a perfect example of a modern-day commentator, given his success online as well as behind the mic.

Thanks to Rich for coming on. Enjoy!

Rich's socials 👇

Instagram

TikTok

In The Gantry

Instagram

TikTok

Joining me In The Gantry today is freelance commentator Mike Minay. Having studied History at University, Mike always had a vision of being in radio and that’s where large parts of his career has been spent so far. Mike is a regular commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live and is now a part of TNT Sports’ Premier League and Champions League coverage.

In this conversation he recognises the years he’s spent in the industry but discusses how he still has more to do, which is exciting given the position he finds himself in now.

Mike gave impactful and practical advice to those in a position where their journey has begun. Certainly worth a listen for those intrigued by the industry, and those like myself who have made steps but still have a fair way to go.

Big thanks to Mike for coming on. I’m very grateful for his time and the detail he went into about his journey and current job which will certainly inspire and help listeners.

⁠https://x.com/MikeMinay⁠ - X/Twitter

⁠https://www.instagram.com/mikeminay/⁠⁠ - Instagram

On today’s episode I am joined In The Gantry with Barry Swain. Barry has been involved in sports reporting and commentary for years, with his early work seeing him at the BBC and now plying his trade to global audiences with GB Vision and Talksport.

A great mentor and supervisor in this industry that has certainly helped a lot of aspiring commentators start out. Without willing people like him, a lot of broadcasting dreams may not come to light. 

Also, as a father of two Barry shared his experiences of parenthood coinciding with football commentary, which was a part of the conversation that I found really interesting. It’s a standard reality for a lot of freelance workers to be tasked with juggling parenting and their career, and as Barry highlighted “if you want it that badly, you make it work”. 

Thank you Barry for coming on!

Today’s guest is Emily Herbert, a young commentator and reporter who has shone in recent years through her work with Sky Sports, TNT and the BBC all whilst building a strong social media following.

Of course we touched upon on her journey from studying to today as well as her present practices within the industry. But what I really liked in this conversation was getting to understand Emily on a deeper level which really came through when she openly discussed some of her experiences that represent a struggle for young, and specifically female, professionals. 

This is why I started In The Gantry, to understand people’s real life experiences in order to share with others so people can feel comfortable with the inevitable emotions like imposter syndrome and nerves. In any industry we should communicate about the difficult parts of the job so that it opens up an environment for people to be comfortable with fear, and ultimately suppress it to the extent it is no more. Without letting fear dictate, anything can be achieved.

This was a great conversation and a big thank you to Emily for coming on. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. 

From commentating in his room to now being the voice of Queen’s Park Rangers and working with leading broadcasters like TalkSport and Sky. A ‘Rising Star’ in the industry is a fair description for Tyler Morris and in today’s episode he provides his insight on how he got to where he is today.

Sharing the highs of landing big roles but also the less glamorous side of the job... like when the team he commentates for found itself 7-1 down!

I certainly came away from this conversation inspired at Tyler’s hard work and persistence that has been central to firing him forward.

As well as commentary, Tyler also documents his work and experiences through social media which you can find below:

Youtube 

TikTok 

Instagram