Sunderland graduate lands presenting job with BT Sport

Joel Manning has been watching and playing cricket from a young age. His passion for the sport led him to travel 7,000 miles from his home in Barbados to Sunderland and take up an MA in Sports Journalism.

Less than two years after graduating, the 29-year-old is now a cricket reporter for BT Sport, currently covering the West Indies vs England Test series back home in the Caribbean.

Joel landed the role after working as the Digital Insider (digital presenter) for the International Cricket Council ICC at the U19 Cricket World Cup earlier this year.

He said: “This is pretty much a dream come true for me, to be working alongside some of the biggest names in cricket, presenting and production.

“My role over this Test series as a presenter is to bring the vibes and energy of the Caribbean to the live coverage. Many individuals back in the UK are unable to travel down and be here in person so my job is to help them experience as best I can what is happening at each venue.”

Joel, a popular public speaker and event host in Barbados, was keen to get a job in TV sports presenting But opportunities in his hometown, Saint Michael, were limited.

Following a job interview he was recommended to enrol on a Sports Journalism course to increase his chances of landing a TV job. After some extensive research he found the course at Sunderland and enrolled in September 2019.

Senior Lecturer in Sports Journalism, Neil Farrington, who taught Joel during his time at Sunderland, said: ”It’s wonderful – but not a surprise – to see Joel having made such progress in his career so quickly.

“His knowledge of cricket is only matched by his love of the game, and we saw at first-hand the instinctive broadcasting skills that he has.”

Joel added: “Studying at Sunderland ranks high amongst some of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. I’d recommend the experience to anyone.”

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