Alison Mitchell

<h2 id="early-life">Early life</h2>

Born to an Australian mother and English father, Mitchell began her broadcasting career with the <a href="/facts/BBC/qFateIz8">BBC</a> as a part-time broadcast assistant at <a href="/facts/BBC_Radio_Northampton/Y29Dz1Ne">BBC Radio Northampton</a> while studying for <a href="/facts/A-levels/2dDtme7x">A-levels</a> at <a href="/facts/Wellingborough_School/HFLgdTMm">Wellingborough School</a>, where she later spent time as a committee member of the Old Wellingburians. She played many sports at school, captaining the tennis, netball and athletics squads.
She played <a href="/facts/Field_hockey/FjV4r6FH">hockey</a> competitively, representing Northamptonshire, being selected for Midland Development squads, playing for the <a href="/facts/University_of_Nottingham/PR8osn19">University of Nottingham</a> 1st XI and captaining the club.
She took a degree in <a href="/facts/Geography/TRd1Toyo">geography</a> at the University of Nottingham (dissertation entitled "The Impact of Television on the Cultural Geography of English Cricket" 1995–2000) and then trained in broadcast journalism at <a href="/facts/Falmouth_College_of_Arts/qGTdX0Uw">Falmouth College of Arts</a>. She gained her first experience of live reporting on cricket, football and rugby at <a href="/facts/BBC_Radio_Cornwall/QqNeYmxb">BBC Radio Cornwall</a> before freelancing for <a href="/facts/BBC_Radio_Leicester/9qDGaBLA">BBC Radio Leicester</a>.

<h2 id="bbc-career">BBC career</h2>
Mitchell has worked across all BBC networks, including <a href="/facts/BBC_Radio_5_Live/rveJ2X5B">Radio 5 Live</a>, <a href="/facts/BBC_Radio_Four/7jFBld49">Radio 4</a>, <a href="/facts/BBC_Radio_1/1RD7Cc9U">Radio 1</a>, the <a href="/facts/BBC_Asian_Network/hJN9KH3D">Asian Network</a> and the <a href="/facts/BBC_World_Service/XdhGb57h">World Service</a>, and has presented sport news for the <a href="/facts/BBC_News_Channel/EbVz3Bdf">BBC News Channel</a>. She was Britain's first female cricket commentator<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2">2</a> calling games ball-by-ball.
Mitchell specialises in cricket as part of the Test Match Special team, but she also covers major events for <a href="/facts/BBC_Sport/PUhfwSmC">BBC Sport</a> such as the <a href="/facts/Olympics/TXbdPIVS">Olympics</a>, <a href="/facts/Commonwealth_Games/GhNRljEu">Commonwealth Games</a> and <a href="/facts/The_Championships%2c_Wimbledon/pjbvc99T">Wimbledon</a>. She also presents sport on <a href="/facts/Today_(BBC_Radio_4)/06wnbS0e">the Today programme</a> on BBC Radio 4. She spent many years as a sports news presenter for 5 Live, and has also presented the sport for Radio 1's <a href="/facts/Newsbeat/GrRjnbqC">Newsbeat</a>, including a stint on <a href="/facts/The_Chris_Moyles_Show/dtsJQcjh">The Chris Moyles Show</a>.
In January 2015, Mitchell took on the role of lead presenter of <a href="/facts/Stumped_(radio)/foFA0zH5">Stumped</a>, the weekly cricket show on the <a href="/facts/BBC_World_Service/XdhGb57h">BBC World Service</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3">3</a> which is also broadcast on and produced in partnership with <a href="/facts/All_India_Radio/1EH2IPLY">All India Radio</a> and <a href="/facts/ABC_Radio_Grandstand/VtRgvVV8">ABC Radio Grandstand</a>.

<h2 id="bbc-radio">BBC Radio</h2>
Mitchell joined the BBC Asian Network as staff in 2002, mainly covering international cricket, and did her first broadcast for Radio 5 Live in 2003.
She has covered <a href="/facts/England_Cricket_Team/NaPsyaFD">England</a> Winter cricket tours to Australia, <a href="/facts/India/QW4TV4sy">India</a>, <a href="/facts/Pakistan/cbIsvJy1">Pakistan</a>, <a href="/facts/Sri_Lanka/VtTBmysE">Sri Lanka</a>, <a href="/facts/New_Zealand/4mpSlJdg">New Zealand</a> and South Africa; World Cups in <a href="/facts/Australia/qLHpbppq">Australia</a>, <a href="/facts/India/QW4TV4sy">India</a> and the <a href="/facts/West_Indies/PpnoN692">West Indies</a>; World Twenty20s in <a href="/facts/ICC_World_Twenty20_2014/b9DA7Wq2">Bangladesh 2014</a>, Sri Lanka 2012, West Indies 2010, <a href="/facts/2009_ICC_World_Twenty20/Fp7rl72D">England 2009</a> and South Africa 2007, the <a href="/facts/ICC_Champions_Trophy/ToVY8njH">ICC Champions Trophy</a>, four <a href="/facts/ICC_Women%2527s_World_Cup/jru0MdKY">Women's Cricket World Cups</a>, the <a href="/facts/2012_London_Olympics/mF4apCwl">2012 London Olympics</a>, <a href="/facts/2008_Beijing_Olympics/G6YvB62G">2008 Beijing Olympics</a>, <a href="/facts/2014_Commonwealth_Games/4CEnC5DY">2014 Commonwealth Games</a> in Glasgow, <a href="/facts/2006_Commonwealth_Games/GpIDb4uM">2006 Commonwealth Games</a> in Melbourne, the <a href="/facts/Wimbledon_Championships/pjbvc99T">Wimbledon</a>, the French Open, Australian Open, four <a href="/facts/World_Gymnastics_Championships/aHdRpUcz">World Gymnastics Championships</a> and two <a href="/facts/World_Snooker_Championships/9wWreXl9">World Snooker Championships</a>.
She commentated on <a href="/facts/Ireland_national_cricket_team/t7FUwf7m">Ireland's</a> historic victory over <a href="/facts/Pakistan_National_Cricket_Team/SPXcV53c">Pakistan</a> at the <a href="/facts/2007_Cricket_World_Cup/bay410e3">2007 Cricket World Cup</a>, and was the last person to interview Pakistan coach <a href="/facts/Bob_Woolmer/fDIDuSqD">Bob Woolmer</a> before his sudden death in the <a href="/facts/Pegasus_Hotel_in_Jamaica/CPJFxd0W">Pegasus Hotel in Jamaica</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4">4</a> She reported on his death for all BBC Networks,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5">5</a> and was the only BBC reporter in <a href="/facts/Kingston%2c_Jamaica/qMfpXEdL">Kingston</a> when police announced a murder investigation.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6">6</a>
She made her full England commentary debut at the <a href="/facts/2007_ICC_World_Twenty20/Gat4Rz3j">2007 World Twenty20</a> in South Africa with <a href="/facts/Jonathan_Agnew/Yq0fn0tH">Jonathan Agnew</a> for Test Match Special (she seemed to get on well with summariser <a href="/facts/Ian_Chappell/bMEtAPIA">Ian Chappell</a> when she mentioned that her mother is Australian). She then flew on to <a href="/facts/Sri_Lanka/VtTBmysE">Sri Lanka</a> to commentate on her first ODI series there.
She commentated for both <a href="/facts/BBC_Radio/xGSYXsyQ">BBC</a> and <a href="/facts/ABC_NewsRadio/xcUJD8rF">ABC radio</a> during the England men's ODI tour of Australia in January 2014, working with Jim Maxwell and Kerry O'Keeffe. She also commentated for the <a href="/facts/ABC_NewsRadio/xcUJD8rF">ABC</a> at the <a href="/facts/2009_Women%2527s_Cricket_World_Cup/CTG1Ituy">2009 Women's Cricket World Cup</a> Final in Sydney, which was won by <a href="/facts/England_Women%2527s_Cricket_Team/7CjnTESN">England</a>.
She was <a href="/facts/BBC_Radio_5_Live/rveJ2X5B">BBC Radio 5 Live</a>'s England reporter during the <a href="/facts/2011_Cricket_World_Cup/jsDP7lNd">2011 Cricket World Cup</a>, commentating on a number of World Cup matches for <a href="/facts/Test_Match_Special/fJwEyq6m">Test Match Special</a> and following India through from the quarter-finals to their eventual triumph in <a href="/facts/Mumbai/BdoEc10R">Mumbai</a>.
She has presented a number of 'specials' for <a href="/facts/BBC_Radio_5_Live/rveJ2X5B">BBC Radio 5 Live</a>, including Black Armband: The Full Story.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7">7</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8">8</a>
Mitchell was a boundary commentator at the momentous <a href="/facts/2005_Ashes_series/Hr0nt1P3">Oval Test</a> when England regained <a href="/facts/2005_Ashes_series/Hr0nt1P3">the Ashes in 2005</a>.

<h2 id="bbc-television">BBC Television</h2>
Mitchell has presented sport for the <a href="/facts/BBC_News_Channel/EbVz3Bdf">BBC News Channel</a>.
She presented online video diaries from England's winter tour to <a href="/facts/India/QW4TV4sy">India</a> in 2008,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9">9</a> and The Mitchell Show online video series during the <a href="/facts/2009_Ashes/qggxDN7y">2009 Ashes</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10">10</a>
She made her TV cricket commentary debut in 2007,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11">11</a> joining <a href="/facts/Jonathan_Agnew/Yq0fn0tH">Jonathan Agnew</a>, <a href="/facts/Sunil_Gavaskar/faueDgD2">Sunil Gavaskar</a> and <a href="/facts/Graham_Gooch/BzGkj18u">Graham Gooch</a> as part of the commentary team for the ODI between <a href="/facts/Scotland_national_cricket_team/bBwjfBA1">Scotland</a> and <a href="/facts/India_national_cricket_team/m3wL0Y1x">India</a>, which was shown live on <a href="/facts/ESPN/1FeLYofR">ESPN</a> and <a href="/facts/BBC_Scotland/jm3CbUX0">BBC Scotland</a>, produced by <a href="/facts/Tinopolis/mNKqaU9T">Sunset + Vine</a>.

<h2 id="work-outside-the-bbc">Work outside the BBC</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/ESPN_Star_Sports/k0J3WeJU">ESPN Star Sports</a>: Commentator, ICC Women's World Cup 2013, Mumbai. Mitchell commentated alongside <a href="/facts/Shane_Warne/TvLAY2ba">Shane Warne</a> at the ICC Women's World T20 Final 2014 in Bangladesh for host broadcaster Star Sports.</li>
<li><a href="/facts/ABC_Radio_Grandstand/VtRgvVV8">ABC Radio Grandstand</a>: Mitchell became the first woman to call men's cricket ball-by-ball on the ABC in Australia when she joined the team for the third ODI at the SCG in January 2014. She was well-received as a full member of the commentary team for the historic day/night Test match between Australia and New Zealand at the Adelaide Oval in November 2015, and rejoined the ABC for Pakistan's Test series against Australia in 2016–17, the 2017-18 Ashes Test series and the 2018-19 Australia v India and Australia v Sri Lanka series.</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Channel_4/qosXcrpc">Channel 4</a>: Reporter, London 2012 Paralympics</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Channel_7_Australia/oRfIweHe">Channel 7:</a> Appointed in 2018 as one of the three lead ball-by-ball callers for Men's (all) and Women's (v England) Test Matches.</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Sky_Sports/FAstt7gL">Sky Sports</a>: Commentator, Netball Superleague, 2014</li>
<li><a href="/facts/BT_Sport/cwGw4hK5">BT Sport</a>: Commentator, WTA Tennis, 2013. Commentator, Ashes Test Series 2017–18. Mitchell became the first female commentator to call an English Test Series on television for a British Home broadcaster.</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Australian_Open/10VoWm79">Australian Open</a>: Commentator for world feed coverage on Rod Laver Arena and Margaret Court Arena matches.</li></ul>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/ESPNcricinfo/8td80KUS">ESPNcricinfo</a>: She has hosted the Alison's Tea Break series of interviews on <a href="/facts/ESPNcricinfo/8td80KUS">ESPNcricinfo</a> since May 2012.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12">12</a> It appears regularly during overseas TV coverage in the tea break of home and away Test matches—for example in May 2013, when she interviewed <a href="/facts/Tim_Southee/VrdTNWBS">Tim Southee</a> (prerecorded in Leicestershire and shown on the fourth day of the <a href="/facts/Lord%2527s/eqGa6ysL">Lord's</a> Test).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13">13</a></li></ul>
In June 2014 Mitchell hosted the ECB England Cricketer of the Year Awards at Lord's, and was part of the hosting team for the ICC Annual Awards in Sri Lanka.

<ul><li>In 2018 she joined Channel 5's Cricket on 5 team as Channel 5 announced their plans to cover England Women Cricket Internationals as part of their cricket highlights deal. Alison joined the main commentary team for men's games (replacing <a href="/facts/Simon_Hughes_(cricketer)/voxjIf74">Simon Hughes</a>) and fronted the women's highlights</li></ul>
<h2 id="writing">Writing</h2>
Mitchell has contributed to <a href="/facts/The_Wisden_Cricketer/pGEzvjeR">The Wisden Cricketer</a>, <a href="/facts/Wisden_Cricketers%2527_Almanack/MpQsbNzS">Wisden Almanack</a>, <a href="/facts/The_Times/5BwkodnX">The Times</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14">14</a> <a href="/facts/Mail_on_Sunday/j33XMMp1">Mail on Sunday</a> and <a href="/facts/The_Guardian/H84wwJYM">The Guardian</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15">15</a>
She has written for the <a href="/facts/Test_Match_Special/fJwEyq6m">TMS Blog</a> on the <a href="/facts/BBC_Online/BVorSKrg">BBC website</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16">16</a>

<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>
<ul><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110507070937/http://www.alison-mitchell.com/">Personal website</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/biographies/biogs/radiofivelive/alison_mitchell.shtml">Biography</a> BBC Press Office, August 2007</li>
<li><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/tms/alison_mitchell/">TMS Blog from the Boundary and photographs</a> <a href="/facts/BBC_Sport/PUhfwSmC">BBC Sport</a></li>
<li><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/7788512.stm">TMS On The Road – Behind the scenes in Mohali</a> BBC Sport, 17 December 2008</li>
<li><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/archive/8137396.stm">Relive Classic TMS Ashes Moments</a> BBC Sport, 6 July 2009</li>
<li><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/8409562.stm">BBC Radio 5 live recall England's Ashes win</a> BBC Sport, 14 December 2009</li>
<li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110604170321/http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/tx/documentaries/althea_gibson.shtml">Documentary</a> about pioneering African-American athlete <a href="/facts/Althea_Gibson/4F3Jy11c">Althea Gibson</a> on <a href="/facts/BBC_1Xtra/FcCAVwrL">BBC 1Xtra</a>, 23 June 2009</li>
<li><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chrismoyles/runningorder_20080501.shtml">Chris Moyles Show Running Order</a> BBC Radio 1, 1 May 2008</li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1">Lennon and Samuel land SJA's major prizes Sports Journalists' Association, 24 March 2014 <a href="http://www.sportsjournalists.co.uk/awards-news/lennon-and-samuel-land-major-prizes-at-sja-awards/" target="_blank">http://www.sportsjournalists.co.uk/awards-news/lennon-and-samuel-land-major-prizes-at-sja-awards/</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:2">Happy commentary on our times Daily Telegraph, 2 August 2007 <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/2318091/Happy-commentary-on-our-times.html" target="_blank">https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/2318091/Happy-commentary-on-our-times.html</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:3">"Cricket gets global radio run in new programme Stumped on World Service". BBC. <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2015/stumped" target="_blank">https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2015/stumped</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:4">Bob Woolmer's death stuns cricket world ESPN Cricinfo, 18 March 2007 <a href="http://www.cricinfo.com/wc2007/content/story/285953.html" target="_blank">http://www.cricinfo.com/wc2007/content/story/285953.html</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:5">Remembering affable Bob BBC Test Match Special, 19 March 2007 <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/tms/2007/03/remembering_affable_bob_1.shtml" target="_blank">https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/tms/2007/03/remembering_affable_bob_1.shtml</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:6">"Woolmer: it was murder". The Guardian. 23 March 2007. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/mar/23/pakistan.cricket1" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/mar/23/pakistan.cricket1</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:7">Mitchell, Alison (7 February 2013). "Andy Flower and Henry Olonga, men who spelt out their love of Zimbabwe in black and white". The Times. Retrieved 5 November 2016. <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/sport/cricket/article/andy-flower-and-henry-olonga-men-who-spelt-out-their-love-of-zimbabwe-in-black-and-white-hkpc8vpjh2m" target="_blank">https://www.thetimes.com/sport/cricket/article/andy-flower-and-henry-olonga-men-who-spelt-out-their-love-of-zimbabwe-in-black-and-white-hkpc8vpjh2m</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:8">"The black armband protest". BBC. 7 February 2013. <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/5live/entries/e9f14ca9-ac07-387e-973d-2713751d504c" target="_blank">https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/5live/entries/e9f14ca9-ac07-387e-973d-2713751d504c</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:9">Alison Mitchell's Indian tour diary BBC Sport, 12 November 2008 <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/7724496.stm" target="_blank">http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/7724496.stm</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:10">TMS – The Mitchell Show Episode 1 BBC Sport, 10 July 2009 <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/8143623.stm" target="_blank">http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/8143623.stm</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:11">Happy commentary on our times Daily Telegraph, 2 August 2007 <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/2318091/Happy-commentary-on-our-times.html" target="_blank">https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/2318091/Happy-commentary-on-our-times.html</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:12">"Alison's Tea Break". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 19 May 2013. <a href="http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/video_audio/index.html?genre=56" target="_blank">http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/video_audio/index.html?genre=56</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:13">"'Doing well in this series will help us gain respect' – Tim Southee". 11 May 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2013. <a href="http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/video_audio/634931.html?genre=56;" target="_blank">http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/video_audio/634931.html?genre=56;</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:14">"Match-fixing hotline fails to send out the right message". The Times. <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/match-fixing-hotline-fails-to-send-out-the-right-message-hk06vf3cfqs" target="_blank">https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/match-fixing-hotline-fails-to-send-out-the-right-message-hk06vf3cfqs</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:15">Mitchell, Alison (31 October 2012). "Kevin Pietersen makes frenetic return in England's game with India A". The Guardian. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/oct/31/kevin-pietersen-england-india-a" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/oct/31/kevin-pietersen-england-india-a</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:16">Alison Mitchell's Blog BBC Sport <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/alisonmitchell/" target="_blank">https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/alisonmitchell/</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
</ol>

Alison Mitchell open-in-new

Alison Mitchell