Sandy Roberts OAM (born 22 February 1950) is an Australian veteran sports presenter and commentator formerly working on television for Fox Sports Australia and radio with Crocmedia. He was a long-time personality of the Seven Network for four decades, notably part of the Seven Sport Olympics coverage as a host for more than 20 years.
Sandy Roberts | |
|---|---|
| Born | 22 February 1950 |
| Occupation | Sport presenter & commentator |
| Years active | 1971–2019 |
| Employer(s) | Fox Footy and Crocmedia |
Career
editRoberts' career started at Perth radio station 6PM, after a short stint as a copyboy for the Adelaide News. Roberts then travelled extensively throughout Europe for two years, before returning to Australia, where he joined Radio 3CS Colac as an announcer. In 1971, he switched to television station BCV8-TV in Bendigo as a news presenter. He later joined the Seven Network in Adelaide in 1973 as a general announcer and presenter.
In 1980, Roberts was asked to be one of the commentators for the 1980 Moscow Olympics telecast after which Roberts moved to Melbourne to work for the Seven Network in Melbourne.[1]
In his time with the Seven Network, Roberts commentated over 700 Australian Football League (AFL) games. Roberts also commentated on NBL games, the Australian Open, the Spring Racing Carnival and many major golf tournaments. He has also been involved in the coverage of every Summer Olympic Games from Moscow 1980 to Beijing 2008, including Sydney 2000, as well as many Winter Olympic Games.
Roberts hosted the Seven Network's Bathurst 1000 coverage four times: in 1991, 1993, 1994 and the 1997 Super Touring 1000.
Alongside Dennis Cometti, Roberts was a commentator during the famous AFL match between Sydney and St Kilda in 1993 in which a pig was released onto the ground by a Sydney member with a number 4 and the nickname "Pluga" spray-painted onto it (in reference to then St Kilda player Tony Lockett). Roberts became famous for his call of the incident, exclaiming: "There's a pig at full-forward!".
In January 2005, Roberts joined Seven News Melbourne after Beverley O'Connor resigned.
Outside of sports broadcasting, Roberts was an annual contributor to Seven's telecast of the Good Friday Appeal[2] and also hosted the game shows It's Academic and The $1,000,000 Chance of a Lifetime.
Despite this impressive résumé, Roberts is often remembered for his gaffe in introducing the 1981 Miss Australia, Leanne Dick as "Leanne Cock" during a Mount Gambier Cup meeting. (Ironically, Dick's surname after marriage is Cockerill).[3]
In early February 2013, Roberts was the subject of media speculation that he was leaving the Seven Network to work at another channel, Fox Footy.[4] In November 2013, Roberts confirmed that he would be leaving the Seven Network after 40 years with Seven in Melbourne and Adelaide to work at Fox Footy as a host-commentator.[5] Tim Watson took Roberts' place as the weekday sports newsreader. Roberts last day reading sport news was Friday 29 November 2013, and he finished his hosting duties for Seven at the Australian Open golf tournament on Sunday 1 December 2013.[6] Roberts retired from television in 2018.
Roberts was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the 2024 King's Birthday Honours for "service to media as a sports commentator".[7]
Personal life
editRoberts grew up on a sheep farm in Lucindale, South Australia.
Roberts is married to Carolyn, a former Vice President of international sports management company IMG, and they have a son, Angus. A previous marriage broke down following the death of a 15-year-old son from that marriage. He also has another son from his first marriage, Ben. Ben is married to Jane, and they have three daughters.[8]
In May 2023, Roberts stated that he was diagnosed with the blood cancer multiple myeloma in May 2022.[9] He is now an ambassador for Myeloma Australia.[10]
Community work
editIn addition to his ambassadorship for Myeloma Australia, Roberts has, since July 2013, been an ambassador for the non-profit organisation The Beehive Foundation, a charity that runs free programs to develop resilience and coping mechanisms for youth via junior sporting organisations.[11]
References
edit- ^ Sandy Roberts, Yahoo!7, Retrieved 2 November 2013. Archived 16 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ David Knox (19 March 2013). "Seven ready for 2013 Good Friday Appeal". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
- ^ Geoff McClure, Just names, Sandy, The Age, 16 April 2007.
- ^ Jane Lee (11 February 2013). "I'm not off to Fox: Sandy". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
- ^ Pierik, Jon (5 December 2013). "Roberts welcomes new role". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
- ^ David Knox (30 November 2013). "Seven farewells Sandy". TV Tonight. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
- ^ "Mr Sandy Roberts". Australian Honours Search Facility. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
- ^ Sandy ends silence on son, Sydney Morning Herald, 16 Jan 2006
- ^ Sandy Roberts in the fight of his life but locked out of using new treatment offering hope | 7NEWS, retrieved 6 November 2023
- ^ "Broadcasting legend in frightening health battle with incurable disease". 15 May 2023.
- ^ "Ambassadors". The Beehive Foundation. Beehive Foundation. 2014. Retrieved 29 March 2014.