After Dinner Speakers: Steve Rider, Alexander Allan, Savage Garden

Steve Rider is now one of televisions foremost sports presenters, having hosted BBC Television’s "Grandstand" since 1991. Prior to this he hosted "Sportsnight" for six years. Steve Rider has a journalistic background both in local newspapers and press/public relations. For two years he was a reporter and feature writer with Hayters, the Fleet Street based sports agency, before joining the newly established independent local radio stations LBC/IRM as a sports presenter and reporter. His television career began at Anglia Television, where he was Sports Editor. Two years later he joined Thames Television where he was widely regarded as one of ITV sports top presenters and reporters. In 1985 he accepted an invitation from the BBC to take over from Harry Carpenter as presenter of Sportsnight, a role he filled for six years. In 1991 he switched positions to become the main host of BBC Sports flagship programme Grandstand. During this period he also took over as BBC’s golf presenter and has become closely associated with the Ryder Cup, The Open and the US Masters. Since 2000, Steve has also presented the BBC coverage of 'The Seve Cup'. He has shared the presentation of the 1986 and 1990 Commonwealth Games, Winter Olympics in Calgary and Albertville and the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer with Sue Barker. In 1996 he hosted the bulk of BBC’s coverage of the Barcelona 1996 Olympics which won the International Olympic Committee Golden Rings Award, the Royal Television Society Sports Award and was nominated for a BAFTA award. In 1998 he co-hosted the Winter Olympics in Nagano and the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur. Steve presented the award winning documentary on Ayrton Senna and Motormonth a weekly look at motor racing around the country. 1998 saw Steve host Wimbledon and front the Whitbread Round The World yacht race. He has hosted the Boat Race for several years and the BBC's rowing coverage. Steve's other credits (appearing as 'himself') include "Goodnight Sweetheart", "French and Saunders", "The Full Wax", "Blankety Blank" and "They Think it's all Over". He developed the BBC’s domestic motor sports profile and pioneered the highly successful British Touring Car Championship through BHP which is now a highly rated Grandstand feature. Steve has become strongly involved in corporate video and presentation for the motor industry along with Golf companies, recent clients include: Williams, McLaren, HSA, Volvo, Wilson, Nissan, Jordan, Littlewoods, Jaguar and the RAC Network Q Rally for BBC. He is in high demand as a compere and host for corporate events. Recent credits include BMW, Fleet News Awards, Motor Cycle News, Road Transport Awards, Motor Trader Awards, British Insurance Awards, British Motor Transport Awards, OAG Airline of the Year Awards, Security Awards, British Hairdressing Business Awards, Vodafone, Building Industry & Electrical Industry, Bathroom & Kitchen Awards, EFTA Print Awards with many others coming up. Conference credits include: Natwest, British Telecom, Cellnet, Flymo, Wells Water, Alliance Mutual, Reliance Mutual and Vauxhall. Press conference hosting is another of his skills and credits include, Adidas, Wells Water and Steve's particular favourite, Formula One car launches. Steve presented "The Cricket World Cup" in 1999 and three major documentaries on "The Open" for the BBC during 2000. Steve also hosted the BBC's 2000 Olympics coverage from Sydney and the Winter Olympics from Salt Lake City in February 2002. He presented the BBC coverage of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, July 2002