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Tom Fordyce
Tom Fordyce
Tom Fordyce
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Tom Fordyce is a British sports journalist and author.[1] He wrote text commentaries on cricket and tennis, also writing features on various other sports and blogging from a number of different events.[2]

Key Information

Fordyce graduated from Girton College, Cambridge in 1992 with a degree in Geography,[3][4] and started his career as a features writer on Total Sport magazine and as a writer on the Sported magazine.[5]

In 2007 he "blogged my way round the Rugby World Cup in a camper van" with BBC colleague Ben Dirs. He drove 4,500 miles around France whilst producing written and video diaries of the matches and interactions they had during the 44-day tournament.[5] In 2008 he covered the Beijing Olympics on a number of different sports. His contributions for the Olympics also included experiments to observe how well he could run in the Beijing smog, and he also "road tested" the new Speedo swimsuit for "groinal roominess".[6]

In June 2009 Fordyce published his first book, entitled We Could Be Heroes: One Van, Two Blokes and Twelve World Championships with Dirs, charting the madcap escapades that resulted from trying to become the world champion in something.[7][8] Fordyce was the ghostwriter of Peter Crouch's book, How to Be a Footballer[9] and Geraint Thomas's book, The World of Cycling According to G.[10] He was co-host of That Peter Crouch Podcast, with Peter Crouch and Chris Stark.[11] He is also co-host of the history podcast We Didn't Start the Fire with Katie Puckrik and the Joe Marler Show with rugby player Joe Marler.[12]

In June 2020, Fordyce left his post as chief sports writer at the BBC to "take up an opportunity in podcasting".[1]

References

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Tom Fordyce

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from Grokipedia
Tom Fordyce is a British sports journalist, , and broadcaster, best known for his long tenure at the and his role as for multiple bestselling sports memoirs. Fordyce joined Interactive in 2000, initially focusing on text commentaries for and while also producing features on diverse sports and major events like the Olympics. Over the course of his career at the , where he later became Chief Sports Writer, he covered an extensive array of international competitions, including seasons, rugby World Cups, , Wimbledons, Tour de Frances, Ashes series, Six Nations tournaments, and Ryder Cups, contributing across digital, radio, and television platforms. As an author, Fordyce has collaborated on several acclaimed books, ghostwriting Sunday Times bestsellers such as How to Be a Footballer by (Telegraph Sports Bestseller of the Year 2018), I, Robot by , Swim Bike Run by Alistair and , The Tour According to G and The World of Cycling According to G by , Sevens Heaven by Ben Ryan (Telegraph Sports Book of the Year 2019), Six Machine by , The Inside Track by Laura and , Belonging by (2021), and Unbreakable by (2023). He has also worked on titles like Me, Family and the Making of a Footballer with and is ghostwriting forthcoming autobiographies including According to G by (2025) and No Other Place by (2025). In addition to his writing, Fordyce co-hosts the popular and presents other shows, including , , and We Didn’t Start The Fire. His contributions have earned recognition for blending insightful analysis with engaging storytelling across sports media.

Early life and education

Early years

Tom Fordyce is a British sports journalist whose early years remain largely private, with limited public details available regarding his birth date, , and family background. His British origins are confirmed through his longstanding association with UK-based media outlets and at a British university. His initial professional focus was on live text commentaries for and .

University education

Fordyce read at Girton College, , beginning his studies in 1992. The Cambridge program encompasses both human and , training students in research methods, statistical analysis, and the evaluation of complex environmental and societal issues through fieldwork and data interpretation. These elements foster skills in multivariate problem-solving and clear communication of findings, providing a strong analytical foundation applicable to . No specific student activities or extracurriculars related to writing or during his years are documented in available sources. Following his studies, Fordyce entered as a features for sports magazines.

Journalistic career

Magazine work

Tom Fordyce began his professional career in as a features for Total Sport magazine, where he contributed in-depth articles on various athletic topics during the publication's run in the 1990s. The magazine, which focused on broad sports coverage, eventually ceased operations due to insufficient sales. Following his time at Total Sport, Fordyce wrote for Sported magazine, producing sports features that highlighted emerging trends and personalities in . Despite its engaging content, Sported—noted by Fordyce for its appealing style despite an awkward name—also folded amid low circulation. These early magazine roles provided Fordyce with foundational experience in narrative-driven sports writing, paving the way for his later opportunities in .

BBC employment

Tom Fordyce joined the BBC in as a sports journalist for Interactive. In this role, he primarily produced text commentaries on and matches, often infusing them with a sarcastic and engaging style to enhance live online coverage. He also contributed features on a range of other sports, including , , and , drawing from his reporting at events such as the athletics World Championships, European Championships, and . During his tenure, Fordyce rose to the position of chief sports writer, overseeing broader editorial responsibilities for Sport's digital output. His work extended to interactive content and blogs, where he provided in-depth analysis and opinion pieces on major sporting developments, such as anti-doping systems and historical sporting moments. Notable among his contributions was his coverage of the , for which he traveled extensively across in a camper van with fellow Ben Dirs, producing on-the-ground blogs and reports from matches including France vs. and Argentina vs. . Fordyce's reporting on the 2008 Beijing Olympics exemplified his innovative approach to features. He covered multiple disciplines, including , , , and , while conducting personal experiments to contextualize athlete experiences, such as running a 10k through Beijing's to assess its impact on and testing the controversial Speedo LZR Racer swimsuit ahead of its Olympic debut. These pieces highlighted environmental and technological challenges faced by competitors, blending with experiential reporting. Fordyce remained in his chief sports writer role until June 2020, when he departed the to pursue opportunities in podcasting.

Post-BBC transition

After two decades with the , where he served as chief sports writer, Tom Fordyce departed the organization in June 2020. Fordyce's primary motivation for leaving was to pursue opportunities in podcasting and expand into broader broadcasting roles, building on his recent forays into audio media during his tenure. In the immediate aftermath, he indicated plans to maintain freelance writing engagements with the BBC while initiating early collaborations that advanced his pivot toward independent podcast production.

Writing career

Authored books

Tom Fordyce co-authored his debut book, We Could Be Heroes: One Van, Two Blokes and Twelve World Championships, with fellow BBC sports journalist Ben Dirs in 2009. Published by Macmillan, the book chronicles their year-long road trip across Europe in a battered van, as they attempt to compete as amateurs in twelve obscure world championships, from dwarf-throwing in Finland to bog snorkeling in Wales. This gonzo-style narrative highlights underdog tales and the eccentric fringes of global sports, blending humor, self-deprecation, and insights into the passion driving participants in niche competitions. The book's focus on inspirational, often overlooked sports narratives stems from Fordyce and Dirs' shared background in BBC online sports reporting, where they covered major events but sought to capture the grassroots spirit of competition. Through vivid, first-person accounts, it explores themes of resilience and joy in failure, portraying sports not as elite spectacle but as accessible adventure for everyday enthusiasts. No major sales figures are publicly documented, but it received positive critical reception for its witty prose and relatable charm. Critics praised the work for its entertaining escapism and fresh perspective on athletic endeavor. The Bookbag awarded it five stars, calling it "hilarious and heartwarming" in depicting the duo's mishaps and triumphs. On , it holds a 3.90 out of 5 rating from 31 user reviews as of November 2025, with readers appreciating its lighthearted take on pursuing dreams in unlikely arenas. Amazon customer reviews average 4.4 out of 5 stars from 17 ratings, highlighting its appeal as a fun, motivational read for sports fans. Fordyce and Dirs followed up in with Karma Chameleons: No-one said the search for would be dignified, published by Yellow Jersey Press. The book recounts their further misadventures in pursuit of personal fulfillment through extreme challenges, maintaining the humorous, self-deprecating tone of their debut while exploring themes of mid-life reinvention and the absurdities of self-improvement. It received positive reviews for its engaging storytelling, with a rating of 3.78 from 23 ratings as of November 2025.

Ghostwriting projects

Tom Fordyce has established himself as a prominent for sports autobiographies, leveraging his journalistic background to craft narratives that authentically reflect the voices of elite athletes. His approach typically involves in-depth interviews to gather personal anecdotes and insights, followed by meticulous editing to preserve the subject's tone and perspective while ensuring narrative flow and readability. One of Fordyce's most notable collaborations is with former footballer on a Footballer (2018), a humorous insider's to professional that was longlisted for the Telegraph Sports Book Awards Autobiography of the Year. The book drew on Crouch's career experiences, from training rituals to media interactions, and achieved widespread acclaim for its witty, relatable style. Fordyce continued the partnership with sequels : How to Be a Footballer 2 (2019, Telegraph Sports Book of the Year winner) and an Ex-Footballer (2022), each maintaining Crouch's distinctive humor through structured interviews that captured off-field absurdities. Fordyce also worked with winner on The World of Cycling According to G (2015) and The Tour According to G (2018, Sunday Times bestseller), engaging explorations of professional cycling's demands, from grueling training to . The books highlighted Thomas's journey as a double Olympic gold medalist, blending technical details with personal reflections to demystify the sport for general readers. These collaborations showcased Fordyce's skill in translating athletic jargon into accessible prose while retaining Thomas's understated Welsh wit. Other early projects include Swim Bike Run: Our Triathlon Story (2013) with Olympic triathletes Alistair and Jonny Brownlee (Sunday Times #1 bestseller), detailing their path to dominance in the sport; Sevens Heaven (2017) with Fiji rugby coach Ben Ryan (Telegraph Sports Book of the Year winner), chronicling the team's Olympic triumph; Six Machine (2017) with cricketer , a lively account of his explosive career; and The Inside Track (2016) with cyclists Laura and , the most decorated British Olympians, focusing on their training and family life. In 2023, Fordyce ghostwrote Unbreakable for legend , a that delved into the seven-time world champion's mental and emotional battles alongside his on-table triumphs. The was shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award, praised for its raw honesty and Fordyce's ability to evoke O'Sullivan's dialect and introspective style through verbatim interview transcripts woven into thematic chapters. Additional projects include Me, Family and the Making of a Footballer (2020) with ex-Liverpool captain , which traced his upbringing under manager father and career highs, emphasizing family influences on his playing philosophy, and Belonging: The Autobiography (2021) with rugby icon , chronicling the Welsh lock's record-breaking career and leadership in the , with a focus on resilience and derived from extensive sessions capturing Jones's combative mindset. In 2025, Fordyce collaborated on Inside: Winning, Losing, Starting Again (September 2025) with legend , a reflecting on his , career highs, and personal redemption, and No Other Place: My Autobiography (September 2025) with Welsh rugby player , exploring his injury-plagued career, triumphs, and battles with . These works underscore Fordyce's expertise in distilling complex sports careers into compelling, voice-true narratives.

Podcasting and media

That Peter Crouch Podcast

Tom Fordyce has co-hosted That Peter Crouch Podcast since its launch in September 2018, joining former England footballer Peter Crouch and broadcaster Chris Stark as a core member of the team. The podcast adopts a light-hearted, conversational format centered on the quirks of professional football, offering satirical "guides" to topics such as dressing room dynamics, transfer negotiations, relationships with managers, and team bus hierarchies, interspersed with Crouch's personal anecdotes and listener-submitted stories. Over multiple series, the show has achieved significant popularity, amassing over 12 million downloads by 2021 and consistently ranking among the top , with a 4.9 rating on based on thousands of reviews. Its success has led to expansions including live performances, such as appearances at the annual Crouchfest events, where the hosts deliver episodes in front of audiences. Fordyce's contributions extend beyond hosting to shaping the podcast's witty structure and content, informed by his role as ghostwriter for Crouch's bestselling autobiography How to Be a Footballer.

Other podcasts and appearances

In addition to his primary podcasting endeavors, Tom Fordyce has co-hosted several other audio series, often blending sports, history, and personal narratives. He co-hosted We Didn't Start the Fire: The History Podcast from January 2021 to June 2023, alongside journalist Katie Puckrik, under production by Crowd Network. The series dissected the 120 historical references in Billy Joel's 1989 song of the same name, featuring expert guests and exploring topics from the Korean War to the fall of the Berlin Wall, with episodes structured chronologically to provide cultural and political context. Fordyce also serves as co-host of The Joe Marler Show (later rebranded as Things People Do), launched in 2019 with rugby prop , produced by Crowd Network. The podcast delves into the lives of ordinary professionals—from teachers and masseuses to construction workers and football hooligans—through interviews that highlight the "extraordinary things" people do in everyday jobs, amassing over 100 episodes by 2025. Similarly, since 2019, Fordyce has co-hosted Watts Occurring, a year-round podcast with winner , , and others, also from Crowd Network, covering race previews, rider interviews, and fan questions during events like the . Beyond hosting, Fordyce has made guest and co-host appearances in sports broadcasts. He contributed voice work as himself in a radio segment cameo on season 2, episode 7 ("Headspace") of the Apple TV+ series in 2021, alongside podcast collaborators and , discussing fictional football events. These roles often intersect with his journalistic background, including occasional guest spots on sports programs and live events like commentary sessions. As of 2025, Fordyce holds the position of at Crowd Network, where he oversees development and serves as an in-house presenter, contributing to the production of multiple sports and lifestyle series.

Notable contributions

Major event coverage

Fordyce's coverage of the stood out for its immersive, on-the-road blogging, as he and colleague Ben Dirs traveled across in a camper van, producing daily features on matches, team preparations, and logistical challenges like navigating rural routes and fan interactions. Their reports captured the tournament's intensity, from England's semi-final run to South Africa's victory, blending live updates with personal anecdotes from sites like and . In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Fordyce employed experimental reporting techniques, including athlete-like immersion to explore event dynamics; he blogged extensively from venues like the Bird's Nest, highlighting Usain Bolt's record-breaking sprints and Britain's cycling successes while critiquing organizational lowlights such as security delays. His dispatches emphasized narrative depth, such as the electric atmosphere during Bolt's 100m and 200m wins, which he described as "lightning striking twice." Fordyce's broader event reporting delved into persistent issues like anti-doping in , where he simulated an athlete's experience under the Anti-Doping "whereabouts" system for a month in 2011, documenting the rigors of daily location submissions and unannounced tests to illustrate the system's invasiveness and effectiveness. This hands-on approach extended to coverage, including vivid accounts from 2010's humid stadiums and 2014's relay races featuring , focusing on cultural clashes and athletic triumphs. For London 2012, his contributions included live analysis of "," where Britain secured six golds, and reflective pieces on the Games' transformative impact. His style often featured live text commentaries that brought real-time drama to digital audiences, such as during Olympic opening ceremonies and rugby matches, where rapid updates conveyed tension and crowd energy. Feature articles showcased his knack for humanizing sports; in , he profiled Muhammad Ali's enduring legacy through Olympic roots and pro bouts, while pieces explored athletes' multi-event endurance, like Jessica Ennis-Hill's preparations. Football coverage included immersive match narratives, such as England's clashes, emphasizing tactical shifts and emotional stakes.

Public engagements

Following his departure from the BBC in 2023, Tom Fordyce has actively engaged in public speaking and event hosting centered on sports, particularly . In July 2025, he hosted the " Evening" at DeFINE Food and Wine in Sandiway, , where he shared insights into the , drawing on his extensive experience as a former chief sports writer and commentator. Later that year, on November 11, 2025, Fordyce headlined "An Evening with Tom Fordyce" at The Victoria Club in , , discussing his career highlights including coverage and interacting with enthusiasts. Fordyce has made notable appearances at sports-related talks, often leveraging his ghostwriting collaborations, such as his work on 's autobiography The Greatest Ride. He joined Thomas for in-conversation events during the book's 2024 tour, including a session at The Stoller Hall in , where they discussed Thomas's victory and cycling career. Additionally, Fordyce co-hosts live iterations of the Watts Occurring podcast with Thomas, such as the 2023 "Geraint Thomas Cycling Club LIVE: The Greatest Ride" at in , fostering audience engagement through storytelling and Q&A on professional cycling. On November 16, 2025, Fordyce joined on stage for "Geraint Thomas LIVE: The Retirement Party" at the in , celebrating Thomas's retirement from professional with discussions of his career highlights. On social media, Fordyce maintains an active presence on X (formerly ) under @tomfordyce, where he regularly engages fans with commentary on events, updates, and behind-the-scenes insights from his podcast work, amassing interactions on topics like stages. His Instagram account (@tomfordyce1) features occasional posts related to and personal reflections, though it serves more as a supplementary platform for fan outreach. In recognition of his contributions to and writing, Fordyce was shortlisted for the 2021 Telegraph Sports Book Awards in the Football Book of the Year category for co-authoring My Greatest Football Team Ever with Kieran Carroll.

References

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  2. https://www.hachette.co.uk/contributor/tom-fordyce/
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  5. https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/olympics/2008/03/about-tom-fordyce.html
  6. https://www.girton.cam.ac.uk/alumni-supporters/publications/publications-alumni
  7. https://www.geog.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/teaching/
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  10. https://www.prolificnorth.co.uk/news/bbcs-chief-sports-writer-leaving-after-two-decades/
  11. https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/tomfordyce/2011/06/inside_the_anti-doping_system.html
  12. https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/tomfordyce/2009/08/the_witnesses_who_saw_sporting.html
  13. https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/rugbyworldcup/2007/09/aixenprovence_early_on_saturda_1.html
  14. https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/olympics/2008/08/how_my_lungs_coped_with_a_10k.html
  15. https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/olympics/2008/08/testing_a_spaceage_swimsuit_in_1.html
  16. https://www.amazon.co.uk/We-Could-Heroes-Tom-Fordyce/dp/0330517384
  17. https://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/We_Could_be_Heroes:_One_Van%2C_Two_Blokes_and_Twelve_World_Championships_by_Tom_Fordyce_and_Ben_Dirs
  18. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6645831-we-could-be-heroes
  19. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9025840-karma-chameleons
  20. https://www.thetimes.com/culture/books/article/unbreakable-by-ronnie-osullivan-review-how-snookers-genius-grew-up-bldwncmgz
  21. https://sportsgazette.co.uk/sg-reviews-unbreakable-by-ronnie-osullivan-and-tom-fordyce/
  22. https://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Footballer-Peter-Crouch/dp/1785039784
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  25. https://www.podiumcafe.com/book-corner/2015/12/21/10633056/the-world-of-cycling-according-to-g-by-geraint-thomas
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  27. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Me-Family-Making-Footballer-Redknapp/dp/0241446213
  28. https://www.amazon.com/Alun-Wyn-Jones-Autobiography/dp/1529058082
  29. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inside-Winning-Losing-Starting-memoir/dp/0008737797
  30. https://www.amazon.com/No-Other-Place-My-Autobiography/dp/B0F5WLVSZP
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  32. https://www.prolificnorth.co.uk/news/crouch-promises-insight-bizarre-world-football-new-podcast/
  33. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06kyljg
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  35. https://bettermarketing.pub/peter-crouchs-rise-to-podcasting-royalty-8479deac8442
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  37. https://www.edisonresearch.com/the-top-25-podcasts-in-the-uk-for-q2-2025/
  38. https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/peter-crouch-tickets/artist/5423183
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  40. https://www.thetimes.com/sport/rugby-union/article/best-sports-books-of-2019-the-year-gkzqlgbl3
  41. https://crowdnetwork.co.uk/podcasts/we-didnt-start-the-fire/
  42. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/we-didnt-start-the-fire-the-history-podcast/id1549243765
  43. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16157732/
  44. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/classic-about-teachers/id1533107619?i=1000632865887
  45. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watts-occurring/id1547237758
  46. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11786360/
  47. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/6yLdXtbfBV4fJVvkYwCktn/7-sporting-podcasts-that-we-ll-score-highly
  48. https://crowdnetwork.co.uk/we-are-crowd-network/tom-fordyce-3/
  49. https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/rugbyworldcup/2007/07/about_tom_fordyce.html
  50. https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/rugbyworldcup/2007/10/post_21.html
  51. https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/olympics/2008/08/goodnight_beijing.html
  52. https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/olympics/2008/08/bbc_reporters_pick_out_their_o.html
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  54. https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/50868762
  55. https://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/live_action/7549103.stm
  56. https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/tomfordyce/2012/01/still_the_greatest_ever.html
  57. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44785165
  58. https://www.definefoodandwine.com/past-events
  59. https://www.facebook.com/definefoodandwine/posts/tour-defrance-eveningwith-tom-fordycetuesday-22nd-july-7pm-9pmsomething-a-little/1298208042312591/
  60. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-evening-with-tom-fordyce-tickets-1751557578869
  61. https://www.facebook.com/HolmesChapelVelo/posts/we-warmly-invite-you-to-a-special-evening-with-tom-fordyce-bbc-sports-commentato/1292626322559723/
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