Radcliffe commentator Clive Tyldesley honoured with OBE in New Year list

Monday, 29 December 2025 22:48

By David Murphy

Veteran football broadcaster Clive Tyldesley, who grew up in Radcliffe, has been awarded an OBE for services to broadcasting and charity in the King’s New Year Honours List 2026.

The 71-year-old, best known for his decades-long commentary career with ITV, was one of the most recognisable voices in British football from the late 1990s through the 2010s.

His career highlights include leading commentary teams at five World Cups and five European Championships, as well as delivering coverage on 17 UEFA Champions League finals and nine FA Cup finals.

Among his most iconic moments is the 1999 Champions League Final, where his now-famous line, “Solskjaer has won it,” captured the dramatic climax of Manchester United’s treble-winning season.

Tyldesley began his media career in 1975 as a teaboy at Radio Trent in Nottingham. He soon joined the station’s sports team, covering Nottingham Forest, and later moved to Radio City in Liverpool, becoming head of sport. There, he covered major events such as the Heysel and Hillsborough disasters.

He first joined ITV in the 1980s, then spent several years with the BBC before returning to ITV in 1996. From 1998 to 2015, he was ITV’s lead commentator on all Champions League finals. In 2020, he was replaced by Sam Matterface in a move that he later described as “upsetting” and “baffling”.

Following his departure from ITV’s lead role, he began commentating for CBS Sports and became a familiar voice on Amazon Prime’s Premier League coverage. He now works as lead commentator for CBS/Paramount+ on Champions League matches in the United States.

Tyldesley also published a part-autobiographical book, Not For Me, Clive, in 2021.

His OBE recognises not only his achievements in sports broadcasting but also his contribution to charitable causes, although specific organisations were not listed at the time of publication.

A total of 1,157 individuals were named in the 2026 New Year Honours, with two-thirds living outside London and the South East.

Other notable recipients include actor Idris Elba, who has been knighted for his work with young people, and Olympic ice dancers Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, who are made Dame and Sir for services to ice skating and voluntary service.

Paul Elliott, of the Chuckle Brothers, was made an MBE, while comedian Matt Lucas received an OBE.

England Lionesses captain Leah Williamson received a CBE, with teammates Alex Greenwood, Keira Walsh, Georgia Stanway and Ella Toone named MBEs. Manager Sarina Wiegman received an honorary damehood.