After Dinner Speakers: John Inverdale, Nigel Kennedy, Andrew Motion

Educated at Clifton College, Southampton University and UWIC, John Inverdale began his career as a reporter on the Lincolnshire Echo before moving to BBC Radio Lincolnshire in 1982. His first job with network radio was in 1986 as a sports reporter for Radio 2 and a news reporter for Radio 4 on Today. In 1988 he became presenter of Sport on 2 which he hosted for six years until the advent of Radio Five Live when he moved to a daily news programme. During his radio career, he has presented four Olympic Games, three Football and Rugby World Cups, 13 Wimbledon Championships, 10 Open Championships, plus numerous other major sporting events at home and abroad including the Ryder Cup, World Athletics Championships, Grand Nationals and Cheltenham Festivals, Champions League and FA Cup Finals. In 1997 he was named Broadcaster of the Year at the Sony Awards, and in 1998 Radio Personality of the Year by the Variety Club. He has been a regular "dep" presenter on Radio 2. His television career began with BSB in 1990 as presenter of the rugby and football, and on the BBC he fronted Rugby Special from 1994 to 1997. He hosted his own BBC ONE sports chat show Onside for seven series, and is a regular presenter on Grandstand and other sports programmes including Wimbledon. He was part of the multi-award winning team that covered the Sydney Olympics in 2000. He has also hosted The World's Strongest Man for the past four years and fronted a three-part investigation into the history of gambling for BBC ONE.