John Inverdale (born 27 September 1957) is an English broadcaster who works for both the BBC and ITV. During his radio career, he has presented coverage of many major sporting events including the Olympic Games, Wimbledon, the Grand National and the FIFA World Cup. He was the main television presenter of Today at Wimbledon until 2014 and has hosted television coverage of sports programmes including Rugby Special and Grandstand. He has presented ITV's coverage of the Rugby World Cup and the French Open. Since 2013, Inverdale has been embroiled in several broadcasting controversies, which have prompted criticism as well as articles written in his defence. Early life Inverdale was born in Plymouth, Devon, the son of a Royal Navy dental surgeon, Captain John Inverdale, who played rugby union for Devonport Services. Inverdale was educated at Clifton College in Bristol and at the University of Southampton, graduating with a history degree in 1979. He was the editor of the student newspaper Wessex News (now Wessex Scene) and captained the university's tennis team for two years. After gaining a post-graduate journalism qualification at University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, he began his career with two years at the Lincolnshire Echo, and then joined BBC Radio Lincolnshire in 1982. Broadcasting career Radio Inverdale began to work on the BBC's national radio stations in 1985, firstly on Radio 2's sports unit where he presented the final edition of Sport on 2 in August 1990, then between 1990 and 1994 at Radio 5, where he presented the flagship sports programme Sport on 5. In 1994 he became one of the main regular presenters on the relaunched BBC Radio 5 Live. He presented the drivetime show John Inverdale Nationwide until 1997, for which he was named Sony Broadcaster of the Year in 1997. At 5 Live, he hosted the topical show, Any Sporting Questions, a variation on Radio 4's Any Questions, and similarly toured the UK each week. In 2008 he broadcast for 5 Live from the Olympic Games in China. Along with Sir Steve Redgrave he appeared at Shunyi Rowing Lake for the Olympics in Beijing. Inverdale headed 5 Live's coverage of the Wimbledon, Olympic and Commonwealth Games, football and rugby union World Cups, World Athletics Championships, Ryder Cup, Open Championship, London Marathon and Cheltenham Festival. He has hosted the station's coverage of BBC Sports Personality of the Year and occasionally guest presented on Radio 2.