Who is BBC snooker presenter Hazel Irvine?

TRIPLE crown tournament commentator Hazel Irvine has been the voice of snooker for almost two decades.

She is among a number of familiar faces returning to the World Snooker Championships in 2024.

Hazel Irvine is a household name in the world of sportsGetty – Contributor

Who is Hazel Irvine?

Hazel Jane Irvine is a Scottish sports presenter, born on May 24, 1965.

She is considered one of the very first female sports presenters in the country, making history aged 28 as the youngest presenter of the BBC’s leading sports show, Grandstand, on June 19, 1993.

The broadcaster competed in golf, netball and athletics while studying art history at the University of St Andrews.

She joined Radio Clyde in 1986 before transitioning to Scottish television in 1988 as a continuity announcer.

In 1988 she co-presented ITV coverage of the 1988 Olympics with Dickie Davies.

She also reported from the Scotland football team’s training camp during the 1990 World Cup.

That same year, the reporter moved to the BBC, serving as a presenter for BBC Scotland’s Sportscene programme. 

ALL THE LATEST FROM THE WORLD SNOOKER CHAMPIONSHIP 2024

In 1999, she won the RTS Regional Sports Presenter award.

In the 2024 New Year Honours, she was awarded the title of Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her contributions to sports and charitable activities.

When is Hazel Irvine hosting the World Snooker Championship?

Hazel is a regular presenter of the Triple Crown snooker tournaments which include the World Snooker Championship, the Masters, and the UK Championship.

She will be leading the coverage of the 2024 Cazoo World Champs from April 20 to May 6, at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England.

It will be broadcast live across BBC and Eurosport platforms.

You can live stream all the action from the World Snooker Championships on BBC iPlayer, providing you have a valid TV licence.

Eurosport will also be showcasing the event and subscribers can live stream coverage through the Discovery+ app.

What other shows has Hazel Irvine presented?

In 1995, Hazel began hosting coverage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and started reporting for Football Focus.

She has been a presenter for the BBC at every Summer Olympics since Barcelona 1992, and commentated on the opening and closing ceremonies at the London 2012 Olympics.

In addition she has covered five Winter Olympics and four FIFA World Cup tournaments, as well as fronting the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

She has also been the face of Ski Sunday and the Women’s British Golf Open.

Hazel not only presents sports, but has also fronted coverage of historic occasions, such as the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings and VE Day celebrations.

The commentator also anchored BBC Scotland’s coverage of Children In Need for ten years.

Irvine also led the presentation of the BBC’s Bafta award-winning athletics coverage in 2009.

The Royal Television Society described her as “the consummate all-rounder” in 2007. 

They added: “She knows her sport, she puts in the homework and she is a formidable asset.”

Irvine is expected to return to commentate at the World Snooker ChampionshipGetty – Contributor

Who is Hazel Irvine’s husband?

Irvine wed her long-term partner, whose identity has always been kept secret, in a private Scottish ceremony in 2008. 

The couple resides in London with their daughter, who was born the same year.

At the time of her big wedding day, her agent confirmed to the Daily Express that the couple were “very happy”.

In a statement, they shared: “I can confirm that she married her long-term partner a few months ago.

“It was a small and very private affair, and she and her husband are very happy.”

She added that the pair wanted to keep the details private.

Her BBC colleagues were reportedly delighted to hear the news, adding that she generally kept her personal life private.

What is Hazel Irvine’s net worth?

Unsurprisingly, not much is known about Hazel’s net worth.

However in 2017, it was revealed that despite her success, Irvine did not earn above £150,000 unlike some of her male counterparts.

She joined the likes of Newsnight’s Emily Maitlis and BBC Breakfast‘s Louise Minchin, who also did not earn above the threshold.