FORMER SKY SPORTS News presenter and A League Of The Own regular Georgie Thompson was in Dublin along with the Lotus team F1 car as the face of Suremen’s Formula Win campaign this week.
When we were invited to a one-to-one chat with the pocket-sized TV star, Ben Blake jumped at the chance to fulfill a boyhood dream of his… naturally.
BB: Hi Georgie. It’s great to meet you. As we’re sitting in front of an F1 car, why don’t you start off by explaining to me how you became a self-confessed fan of motorsport.
GT: When I was growing up, Formula One was always on the TV. I grew up with a background noise of cars racing around circuits because my dad was a bit of a F1 fanatic. It was part of the Sunday afternoon ritual in my life and when that’s the case, there’s a familiarity and a nostalgia attached to that.
When the opportunity arrived to join Sky’s F1 channel, there was no alternative but for me to be involved because I really love the sport. I also love what I do as a job and the idea of combining the two was fantastic.
BB: I see. Have you had the chance to drive many fast cars given the line of work you’re in?
GT: About four years ago, I had the most extraordinary opportunity. Nigel Mansell was driving a load of journalists around Silverstone and he allowed me in the back seat of this F1 car. They had elevated the position of the passenger seat just behind the driver so even me (she’s only 5ft tall) could see over his head.
BB: Brilliant. Did they do that especially for you?
GT: (Laughs) I do wonder. It did cross my mind at the time! I had a button which I could press should I feel like I was about to pass out or if I was sick and he would be made aware of it and stop immediately.
While other people were violently ill and passing out left, right, and centre, I managed to make it to end. It wasn’t without some level of discomfort as it was quite a fast ride.
BB: You were big into tennis as a child. Am I right in saying you competed as a junior international?
GT: (Bursts out laughing) If I say it isn’t true, it will ruin a decade of brilliant myth and rumour. It’s not the case but has been reported for years. My brother-in-law always says: “GT, they’ve still got on your Wikipedia that you were a junior international at tennis” but I told him to just let it go. Don’t you dare go back and edit it now!
BB: Really? Who would make something like that up? You did play though, right?
GT: Oh yeah, I absolutely loved my tennis at school. I was at an all-girls boarding school so sport was everything. I immersed myself in tennis and hockey but then you grow up and go to university and you stop.
This is something I have been speaking to the Women’s Sports Foundation about because when a girl grows up there are limited opportunities to play team sports which aren’t really competitive. Sometimes you want to have a knockabout but there’s isn’t that sort of relaxed atmosphere.
Guys can join a rugby team or a football team but most girls just end up going to the gym. It would be nice to see that change.
BB: That’s a good point. What do you to keep active these days?
GT: I’ve just discovered power yoga, which means you break a sweat while you’re doing yoga. For me, that’s the perfect compromise.
BB: Those who don’t sit in front of Sky Sports News for hours on end would probably know you best for your time on A League Of Their Own with James Corden. You always seem to be having such a laugh on the programme.
Are there any particular moments which stand out for you?
GT: It’s funny, I get asked about A League Of Their Own more than anything else. One rather embarrassing moment was when I had to stop Peter Crouch from shooting into a basketball net by trampolining up and down in front of him.
A high point would be taking on the Olympic downhill skeleton in Innsbruck, which I did with John Bishop and James. That was amazing but extremely scary. At one point, James wobbled his head and nearly ended up crashing!
That Peter Crouch incident (5:58 in):
BB: You got your big break on Sky Sports News and we were all gutted to see you leave in December 2011. Right now, Jim White is standing outside Old Trafford covering Alex Ferguson’s departure and the arrival of David Moyes to Manchester United. Do you miss be involved in it all?
GT: It’s stories like this one with Sir Alex Ferguson that, as a sports journalist, you live for. That’s the sort of thing you want to break, you want to report on, you want to follow up on. It’s what drives us.
Of course I miss it. I miss all my pals as well. We had a great team and it’s a brilliant concept. The format works really well and it’s forever growing.
Life’s about challenges though and sometimes you’ve got to take the odd risk here and there. Looking back, I’m proud it happened and that I bowed out loving it on a high.
Georgie and Jim. Credit: YouTube screengrab
BB: Having left the F1 channel in February, you’re not on our screens at the moment.
GT: I’ve not been on for awhile now, have I. Don’t worry though, I am on Ireland AM in the morning!
BB: I don’t get up early enough to watch that, sorry. There have been rumours about a move to BT. Can we expect a return in the near future?
GT: There are lots of rumours, none of which are to be substantiated. It’s just what you call “speculation” in this wonderful world of sports journalism.
I think I’ll be back very soon though. The whole point of me leaving was to pursue a new challenge. Why would I walk away from that unless I felt the need for something else to drive me forward.
I’m looking forward to the future with a degree of optimism and excitement.
BB: Interesting. So you’re over in Ireland for a couple of days. Have you been here many times in the past?
GT: I’ve been to Dublin to judge Ireland’s Most Eligible Bachelor and also to present the World Fireman Awards. I’m only here until tomorrow so I’m trying to find something to do in between my working.
BB: Handy work if you can get it! Well if you’ve got time to spare you’re welcome to come for a spin at Mondello Park?
GT: Yeah, absolutely. I’d love to do that.
BB: Alternatively, my local team is Shamrock Rovers. How about a trip to Tallaght Stadium next time you’re over?
GT: Definitely, that would be a great laugh!
BB: You must have met your fair share of Irish athletes over the years. Have any stood out?
GT: I’ve got a lot of time for Brian O’Driscoll. He’s an exceptional talent but also a great leader of men. People respect him and listen to him. He’s not afraid to voice his opinions and is a really decent guy as well.
Credit: David Davies/PA Archive/Press Association Images
BB: The man is a legend. Will you be watching the Lions Tour?
GT: Of course I will. I watch too much sport on telly. I’m basically the ideal date because I’ll just sit there going: “Yeah, chuck the golf on. Or the tennis or the football or whatever.”
BB: Finally, I know you shouldn’t believe everything you read but is it true you once climbed out of a toilet window to escape a really terrible date?
GT: Ha, you need to stop with the Google searches. That was an awful date I went on years ago.
BB: I’m delighted this hasn’t gone quite as badly as that…
GT: Well, you say that but it’s only because there are no windows in this room (laughs).
BB: Oh. On that note, I’ll finish up. It’s been a pleasure talking to you, Georgie.
For more information on the Suremen Formula WIN competition, click here.
Let them kiss and make up
@Tom Walsh: Did you come up with that on your own Tom?