Andrew Cotter

Andrew Douglas Millar Cotter (born 20 July 1973) is a Scottish sports broadcaster working primarily for the BBC, covering mainly golf and rugby union, but also tennis, athletics and The Boat Race.[2][3]

Andrew Cotter
Cotter in May 2020
Born
Andrew Douglas Millar Cotter[1]

(1973-07-20) 20 July 1973
Troon, Ayrshire, Scotland, UK
NationalityScottish
EducationUniversity of Glasgow
OccupationSports commentator
Employer(s)BBC Sport, Sky Sports, BT Sport
Websitewww.andrewcotter.co.uk

Personal life

Cotter is from Troon in Ayrshire and has a degree in French and Philosophy from the University of Glasgow.[4] He played golf for Scottish Schools and Scottish Universities.[5][6] He now lives in Cheshire.

Cotter owns two Labrador dogs: Olive and Mabel. Videos of Cotter commentating on his dogs went viral in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic.[7]

Career

Radio

Cotter started his broadcasting career at Scot FM, a commercial radio station based in Edinburgh, in 1997. In 2000 he moved to London to work at both BBC Radio 5 Live and Sky News. It was at BBC Radio that he began his commentary career, in both rugby and golf covering The Six Nations and Rugby World Cup as well as the Masters Tournament, The Open Championship,[8] the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup. At the same time he was presenting sports bulletins across BBC Radio.

Television

Cotter's work in television began in 2001, presenting sports bulletins on BBC News 24. In 2003 he began commentating on golf for BBC Television,[9] covering the Masters Tournament and The Open Championship,[10] as well as other events on the European Tour. That year he also began commentating on rugby union for BBC Sport, primarily covering the Six Nations Championship.

In 2008, he began commentating on tennis and is a regular voice for the Wimbledon Championships on the BBC, whose commentating is also used for the tournament’s English language coverage on Eurosport.[11]

Since 2013, Cotter has been part of BBC Sport's commentary team for athletics, working on several European Athletics and World Athletics Championships, as well as The Olympic Games.[12] He has attended four Olympics, initially as a multi-sport commentator, but since 2016 as part of the athletics team and also as commentator on The Opening and Closing ceremonies.

Cotter took over as lead commentator on The Boat Race,[2] when it returned to BBC from ITV in 2011.[13]

Former BBC positions
  • 2000–2004: Commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live covering golf and rugby union
  • 2001–2006: Sports presenter on BBC News 24 and BBC World.
  • 2008: Commentated on 2008 Summer Olympic Games for BBC covering weightlifting and modern pentathlon.
  • 2011: Main BBC Commentator on the 2011 Australian Open tennis
  • 2012: London 2012 Summer Olympics, commentating on tennis and canoeing/kayaking events.
  • 2016 Rio Olympics covering the athletics 2016 Summer Olympics and Opening Ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  • 2021 Tokyo Olympics covering the athletics 2020 Summer Olympics and Opening Ceremony in Tokyo, Japan

Current BBC positions

Freelance work
  • 2011: ESPN Rugby
  • 2012: wheelchair rugby for Channel 4 Paralympic Coverage
  • 2010–2014: Sky Sports Red Button commentary of the Heineken Cup
  • 2014–present: Pool Stage commentator for BT Sport European Rugby Champions Cup & European Rugby Challenge Cup
  • 2020–present: Olive and Mabel videos on social media and YouTube

Publications
  • Olive, Mabel & Me: Life and Adventures with Two Very Good Dogs. Edinburgh: Black & White, 2020. ISBN 978-1785303227.
  • Dog Days: A Year with Olive & Mabel. Edinburgh: Black & White, 2021. ISBN 978-1785303654.

References
  1. "Statutory registers - Births". Scotland's People. National Records of Scotland and the Court of the Lord Lyon.
  2. "The Boat Race - 80 Years Through the Lens". bbc.com.
  3. Lynam, Des (22 July 2011). "Rising star of BBC sport's commentary Andrew Cotter is not 'jack of all trades' ... but could be a master of them" – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  4. "About Andrew » Home". www.andrewcotter.co.uk.
  5. "BBC profile".
  6. "Sorry there was a problem..." www.andrewcotter.co.uk.
  7. Harmon, Steph (10 April 2020). "Coronavirus stars: BBC sports commentator Andrew Cotter's dogs Olive and Mabel go viral". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  8. "The Open 2016: BBC's Andrew Cotter knows Royal Troon better than anyone". Today's Golfer.
  9. "Access all areas with commentator Cotter". 28 May 2011 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  10. "Interview: BBC's Andrew Cotter on the art of commentating". www.scotsman.com.
  11. English, Paul (27 June 2015). "Andrew Cotter: Andy Murray doesn't have to worry about independence backlash". Daily Record.
  12. "BBC - Rio 2016: Opening Ceremony - Media Centre". www.bbc.co.uk.
  13. "Sport Editors: Boat Race returning to the BBC". BBC. 27 January 2009. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
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