Jackie Oatley: Changing career to follow your passion

The Game Changers

This episode was previously released on April 14, 2020

Jacqui talks about her lifelong obsession with football, how she changed careers at 27 to re-train as a journalist and how lonely and isolated she felt after the hideous build up to her first appearance on BBC’s Match of The Day.

Being the first female commentator on Match of the Day is how Jacqui is best known to many. She went on to present the show in 2015, and in 2016 was awarded an MBE for her services to broadcasting and diversity. Jacqui presented the BBC’s flagship sports news show Sportsweek, hosted Euros and World Cups for BBC and ITV and now hosts football and darts for ITV. She recently became the first female host of Sky Sports Sunday Supplement show.

It’s no wonder that in 2015 Jacqui was named as the 8th most influential woman in sport by the Independent.

Abbie Ward. A Bump in the Road a powerful documentary, chronicles the remarkable journey of an England rugby player as she battles back to the professional game just 17 weeks after the birth of her baby in July 2023 and then to secure her place back in England’s Six Nations squad for 2024.
Watch now
UK on ITVX: https://www.itv.com/watch/abbie-ward-a-bump-in-the-road/10a5679a0001B
Worldwide on RugbyPass TV: https://rugbypass.tv/video/6069
Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.
Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangers

Hosted by Sue Anstiss
Produced by Sam Walker, What Goes On Media
A Fearless Women production