Des says fortune favours the brave after taking a punt on pursuing sports paid off

DES Lynam has come a long way since he moved from Co. Clare to Britain, where his schoolmates couldn’t understand his Irish accent. Both his parents had moved to the UK to train as nurses.

The 81-year-old is a household name after presenting BBC flagship sports programmes such as Grandstand and Match Of The Day. In a 50-plus-year career he hosted numerous Olympic Games, World Cups and top-class boxing bouts. The icon of British sports commentary also has a strong GAA pedigree; his maternal grandfather, Packo Malone, played hurling and Gaelic football for the Banner county. He continues to devote much of his time to sport, writing columns and books.

What was your first money lesson?

Money was tight when I was a kid. My parents both worked for the NHS, and were as poorly paid then as the health service staff are now.

So, I didn’t really need any instruction. I knew if you wanted a new toy, you saved up for it.

What was your first job?

While I was still at school I worked at a supermarket on a Friday evening and Saturday mornings. I earned 15 shillings [86p] for six hours work. I saved up and bought a bicycle.

How did you get into broadcasting?

When I left school, I went into insurance, earning £275 (€315) a year. While I was doing that, I did some freelance sports writing for a local paper. There was no payment, it was an investment in my time to gain experience. In 1967, a chap from Radio Brighton called David Wain saw my byline on a couple of sports pages and invited me to interview for a bit of reporting. With time I found myself very busy with match reports and had to make a decision about my future. I gave up my insurance career and focused on my hobby. Fortune favours the brave.

My new career started with a oneyear freelance contract with BBC Radio Brighton, getting paid £3 (€4) per interview. I did this for about a year, just earning freelance fees.

But I was only there for a few months when national radio came calling, within six weeks I was presenting the BBC’s Sports Report. My salary was £1,900 (€2,200). I still get a pension from them, because I was on the staff from about 1969 to 1976, which just about buys me a loaf of bread.

How did the move to TV happen?

When I to moved to TV, my annual salary doubled to £14,000 (€16,000), but of course I was freelance again, so no pension. I found television difficult because I didn’t like people looking at me. I was camera shy. Terry Wogan put it nicely when he said ‘radio is for introverts who want to be performers’.

Are you a spender or a saver?

The easy answer is a bit of both, but I’m more of a saver than a spender.

Do you invest in the stock market?

I have a financial company that does that for me.

What has been your best money decision?

I didn’t get a pension with BBC television because I was a freelancer, so I was careful enough to put my money into one or two schemes.

Des Lynam’s Now Who’s Talking? books are available from all good booksellers.