Quick Facts
Biography
Steve Banyard (born in England in 1963) is both a freelance television commentator covering leading football tournaments around the world and a songwriter. In particular, he works on the worldwide television feed of the Premier League, as well as major FIFA and UEFA competitions. He was also a lead commentator for the Olympic Games at London 2012.
Career
Radio
Banyard began his broadcasting career in 1985 as a part-time sports reporter in Bristol at GWR FM alongside Jonathan Pearce before being offered the job of Sports Editor at Invicta Radio in Kent in 1988.
In 1991, he moved to Hallam FM in Sheffield, where he led coverage of FA Cup and League Cup Finals, as well as a first ever promotion to the Premier League by Barnsley in 1997. In 1999 he was named the top Sports Broadcaster at the North East of England Press and Broadcast awards.
Television
Banyard went freelance in 1999, initially working as a reporter for Sky Sports News before establishing himself in television as a commentator on the Premier League and presenter on shows like FIFA Futbol Mundial.
He now works on the international feed of the Premier League produced by IMG Media in London that is broadcast to 600+ million people in over 200 countries worldwide. Other lead commentators include Martin Tyler, Peter Drury, and Jon Champion. Banyard is occasionally heard in the UK commentating on Sky Sports, but he is more widely known in other English-speaking territories, ranging from the United States and Canada to Australia.
Banyard has commentated on major international tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup, the FIFA U-20 World Cup, the FIFA U-17 World Cup, the FIFA Confederations Cup, the FIFA Women's World Cup and the UEFA European Championship. Other credits include commentating on France's Ligue 1 from 2004-2008 which aired in the UK on Channel 4 and then Five.
In 2006, Banyard designed and developed a specialist website for commentators and broadcasters.
Music
Banyard is a songwriter and a former member of the Cotswold Male Voice Choir.
In 2010, he wrote and produced a football anthem for the England national football team ahead of the FIFA World Cup in South Africa called "Let's Hear It England" under the artist name 'Commentators United' and published by The Prince's Trust. The song featured lines from well-known commentators including Martin Tyler, Clive Tyldesley, Guy Mowbray, Ian Darke, Jon Champion, Rob Hawthorne, Steve Wilson, Peter Drury, Simon Brotherton and Peter Brackley. The singing was done by the Cotswold Male Voice Choir.
In 2011, Banyard performed one of his songs in public for the first time. He accompanied tenor soloist Martin Dear in a performance of "No One Else" at Cheltenham Town Hall with the Bach String Ensemble Japan in a concert compered by well known actor Brian Blessed.
Personal
He lives in the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire.