Charlie Webster

Charlie Webster
Webster at a 72nd Golden Globe Awards after party in January 2015
Born	Charlotte Webster (1982-11-09) 9 November 1982 Sheffield, England
Residence	London
Education	Tapton School in Sheffield and Newcastle University
Occupation	Sports TV presenter
Employer	BBC, ITV4, Sky Sports, ESPN, Star Sports, Setanta Sports, Channel 4
Known for	Sports TV presenting
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Website	charliewebster.me

Charlotte "Charlie" Webster (born 9 November 1982) is an English television presenter.

Early life

Born in Sheffield, Webster attended Tapton School where she participated in elite junior athletics, and then studied Language and Linguistics at Newcastle University. At University, she worked part-time as a personal trainer, fitness instructor, amateur model and actress. Webster is a lifelong fan of Sheffield United.

Career

Broadcasting

Webster moved to Spain as a TV presenter for Real Madrid TV interviewing the Galactico team and presenting football. In 2006, she moved to Asia to join ESPN where she presented live Premier League football in addition to motorsport and Asian football.

Upon moving back to the UK, Webster presented Setanta Sports News and ITV4's Live GP2 coverage. At the end of the motorsport season, she became a sports broadcast journalist for BBC Look East. Next she moved on to present the Red Bull Air Race worldwide for ITV4. In addition to this she was the voice of Channel 4's World Superbikes highlight show.

From 2009-2014, she was a presenter/reporter on Sky Sports' live coverage of Elite League and Grand Prix speedway.

In November 2010, Webster became a regular presenter on Sky Sports News through until March 2014. Also in 2010 she presented the Goodwood Festival of Speed live on Sky Sports, she featured on BBC One's Football Focus, and presented the UK School Games for Channel 4 with Iwan Thomas.

Webster features on Channel 4 presenting triathlon and endurance events which she also competes in herself including the London Triathlon. Webster presented the Sky Sports boxing Prizefighter series for 2012/2013. Webster also presented the Women's boxing at the London 2012 Olympic Games, as well as the Beach Volleyball and the athletics for the Paralympics 2012.

On 26 April 2014, Webster made TV history by becoming first female presenter of boxing coverage as Wladimir Klitschko defended his heavyweight belts against Alex Leapai shown live on British Eurosport 2.

Writing

Webster has written numerous sports columns, including a weekly football feature in the New Paper. She writes a blog on SkySports.com. She also writes for the Huffington Post Sheffield Star and football.co.uk. She writes a football column for Football Punk magazine.

Other activities

Following university, Webster took up modelling professionally. Webster hosted various Nike Training Club events for Nike Women to help inspire females into sport and exercise.

In 2004, Webster posed in lingerie for FHM magazine.

Webster has hosted the RCM obesity seminar, spoke at the Women's Aid 'real man' campaign dinner and at the London Football Coaches Association dinner.

She is a keen runner, triathlete, and boxer, training with ABA boxing coach Jacqui-Lee Pryce at Fitzroy Lodge, and is taking a level 2 Football Association coaching badge.

In November 2014 Webster resigned as a patron of Sheffield United after convicted rapist Ched Evans was invited to train at the club.

Charity work

In April 2009, Webster ran in the London Marathon raising money for the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK. In April 2010, she ran the London Marathon again, raising money for the Women's Aid Federation of England.

Webster in March 2010

An ambassador for Women's Aid, on 15 January 2014 in interview with BBC Radio 5 Live's Phil Williams, she revealed that aged 15 she had been sexually assaulted by her running coach, choosing to waive her right to anonymity to go public with the revelations to "break the taboo about abuse as a whole". Webster stated:

I got quite close to the running coach because you do. He abused my trust and abused the fact that I was an innocent person that maybe wanted his support, his compassion and his care as my running coach.

The man was later sentenced to 10 years in jail and put on the sex offender registry, after another younger girl recorded the abuse and contacted police. Later that month, Webster embarked on a 250 miles (400 km), seven-day run between 40 football grounds for the charity. Webster has appeared on BBC's This Week discussing domestic abuse

In March 2010, she competed in the Macmillan 4x4 UK Challenge event in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. She took an active role in the event, quickly learning the art of navigation and 4x4 driving, the event itself took place in the Mid to North Wales Forests. The event raised £123,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Webster was presented with a heroes award in Parliament for her work in raising awareness of domestic abuse and funds for Women's Aid. She is part of Chris Grayling's Ministry of Justice Victim's Panel to advise ministers directly on how to improve the Criminal Justice System.

She rode the 3 UK stages of the Tour de France in a Tour de Force group raising money for the William Wates Memorial Trust for disadvantaged young people and won the 2014 Running Awards Runners' Challenge.

External links

• Charlie Webster Official website
• Empowering Women Awards launch party Marie Claire, 2 March 2010