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Quiz about Television Athletes
Quiz about Television Athletes

Television Athletes Trivia Quiz


A common career path for former athletes is to go into broadcasting. Here are 10 questions on retired sports people who are now a familiar sight on UK Television.

A multiple-choice quiz by HCR1. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
HCR1
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
361,745
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
8 / 10
Plays
391
Last 3 plays: jonnowales (9/10), Guest 13 (8/10), Guest 194 (7/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. This woman was a grand slam winning tennis player before becoming the face of the BBC's Wimbledon coverage and hosting "A Question of Sport" - who is she? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Former cricketer Phil Tufnell became a familiar face on British TV as a team captain on "A Question of Sport" and as the art reporter for "The One Show" - but do you know which reality show gave him his TV break? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Since retiring from football Vinnie Jones has been seen on UK TV in a number of adverts including one teaching people to perform basic CPR! However, he is more likely to be seen on the big screen having appeared in a number of successful movies. Do you know the name of the first movie he was in? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Clare Balding is a very well known TV presenter, having played a key role in presenting the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games as well as fronting horse racing coverage for the BBC and Channel 4. In which sport did she win the amateur "Lady's Championship" in 1990? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. This former athlete set a world record in the triple jump in 1995 and won a gold medal at the 2000 Olympic games. He started his TV career presenting sports news on the BBC local news covering North East England and Cumbria before going on to present athletics coverage for the BBC. Who is he? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Ade Adepitan is a TV presenter who has presented shows on the BBC and Channel 4 - in which sport did he win a bronze medal at the 2004 Paralympic games? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Former wheelchair racer Tanni Grey Thompson can sometimes be seen on TV coverage of paralympic sport and athletics events such as the Great North Run and the London Marathon. However, is it true that most of her time is taken up with her political work in the House of Lords?


Question 8 of 10
8. Who is this athlete who won gold for Wales in the 400m at the 1998 Commonwealth Games, before going on to work as a TV presenter for the BBC and Channel 4? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Although not a British athlete, New Zealander Robbie Hunter-Paul (known as Robbie Paul before his marriage in 2010) often features on the BBC's "Super League Show" showing highlights of the sport which he used to play. Which sport is it? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Former footballer Gary Lineker is well known as the host of the football highlights program "Match of the Day". However, he has also been a familiar sight on British TV since 1995 starring in adverts for which brand of crisp? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Mar 25 2024 : jonnowales: 9/10
Mar 23 2024 : Guest 13: 8/10
Feb 24 2024 : Guest 194: 7/10
Feb 10 2024 : Guest 92: 8/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. This woman was a grand slam winning tennis player before becoming the face of the BBC's Wimbledon coverage and hosting "A Question of Sport" - who is she?

Answer: Sue Barker

Born in 1956, Sue Barker was a British tennis player who won the French Open in 1976 and reached the semi finals of the Australian Open (in 1975 and 1977) and Wimbledon (1977). She had a career high world ranking of number three which she achieved in 1977. Since retiring from tennis Sue Barker has worked for Channel 7 in Australia and British Sky Broadcasting but she is best known for her work on the BBC having been involved in their Wimbledon coverage since 1993 and presenting coverage of many different sports for the broadcaster including horse racing and the summer and winter Olympic games.

In 1997 she replaced David Coleman as presenter of the BBC's sports quiz show "A Question of Sport".
2. Former cricketer Phil Tufnell became a familiar face on British TV as a team captain on "A Question of Sport" and as the art reporter for "The One Show" - but do you know which reality show gave him his TV break?

Answer: I'm a Celebrity... Get me Out of Here!

Phil Tufnell is a former orthodox spin bowler who played for Middlesex between 1986 and 2002 as well as playing in 42 test matches and 20 one day international matches for the England national team. On his retirement from cricket in 2003 "Tuffers" as he is nicknamed appeared on the ITV reality show "I'm a Celebrity... Get me Out of Here!" and was voted the winner by the British public. Since his appearance on "I'm a Celebrity", "Tuffers" has appeared on a number of other reality and quiz shows as well as featuring regularly on the BBC's "The One Show" as the art reporter.

In 2008 he replaced Ally McCoist as a team captain on "A Question of Sport". As well as TV work Phil Tufnell can be heard on the BBC's radio cricket commentary programme, "Test Match Special".
3. Since retiring from football Vinnie Jones has been seen on UK TV in a number of adverts including one teaching people to perform basic CPR! However, he is more likely to be seen on the big screen having appeared in a number of successful movies. Do you know the name of the first movie he was in?

Answer: "Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" (1998)

Vinnie Jones played for a number of English football clubs during the 1980s and 1990s. These included: Leeds United, Sheffield United, Chelsea, Queens Park Rangers and Wimbledon, with whom he won the 1988 FA Cup. As a football player Jones traded on his "hard man" image including presenting a video in 1992 called "Soccer's Hard Men" which saw him fined and banned by the Football Association for bringing the game into disrepute. Since retiring from football Jones has forged a career as an actor appearing in a number of movies.

His film debut came in the British film "Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" in which he played a debt collector called "Big Chris". Jones had a role in all the movies listed as answers for this question!
4. Clare Balding is a very well known TV presenter, having played a key role in presenting the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games as well as fronting horse racing coverage for the BBC and Channel 4. In which sport did she win the amateur "Lady's Championship" in 1990?

Answer: Horse Racing

Clare Balding was born in 1971. Her father, Ian Balding was a successful race horse trainer who trained the Derby winning horse Mill Reef as well as several horses for Queen Elizabeth II. In her late teens Clare had success as an amateur jockey winning the "Lady's Championship" in 1990, however, she realised that she did not have the build to be a jockey long term and stopped when she went to the University of Cambridge where she studied English.

After university Clare went to work for the BBC starting out on radio before moving to TV to present the channel's horse racing coverage. Since then Clare has presented a wide variety of sports both for the BBC and Channel 4 as well as undertaking numerous other presenting roles for UK broadcasters the BBC, Channel 4, and BT Sport.
5. This former athlete set a world record in the triple jump in 1995 and won a gold medal at the 2000 Olympic games. He started his TV career presenting sports news on the BBC local news covering North East England and Cumbria before going on to present athletics coverage for the BBC. Who is he?

Answer: Jonathan Edwards

Jonathan Edwards regularly presents BBC coverage of major athletics events, such as the Olympic games and World and European Championships. As well as athletics coverage he used to be a presenter on "Song's of Praise" the BBC's Christian worship programme but stopped in 2007 after he renounced his Christian faith. His first work in TV was on the local BBC news in North East England and Cumbria where he was involved in presenting the sports news in 2003.

In his athletics career Jonathan Edwards won 14 medals at major championships including gold medals at the Olympic Games, World Championships, European Championships and Commonwealth Games between 1993 and 2002. He also broke the world record in the triple jump, jumping 18.29m at the 1995 World Championships.
6. Ade Adepitan is a TV presenter who has presented shows on the BBC and Channel 4 - in which sport did he win a bronze medal at the 2004 Paralympic games?

Answer: Wheelchair basketball

Ade Adepitan was born in Nigeria in 1973. When he was six months old he contracted polio which left him unable to use his left leg. Ade and his mother emigrated to the UK when he was three and settled in the London borough of Newham. As well as winning a bronze medal in the wheelchair basketball at the 2004 Paralympic games he was also part of the gold medal winning team at the 2005 Paralympic World Cup. Ade has appeared on many TV programmes both as a presenter and an actor.

He has acted in the British soap 'Eastenders' and a children's programme called "Desperados".

As a presenter he was part of the presenting team of the CBBC show "Xchange", a magazine programme for children as well as having presented 'That Paralympic Show' for Channel 4 and been a main presenter of their 2012 Paralympic games coverage.
7. Former wheelchair racer Tanni Grey Thompson can sometimes be seen on TV coverage of paralympic sport and athletics events such as the Great North Run and the London Marathon. However, is it true that most of her time is taken up with her political work in the House of Lords?

Answer: True

Tanni Grey-Thompson was born in Wales in 1969 and was Christened Carys Davina Grey. She acquired the name Tanni after her sister decreed her to be 'tiny' as a baby and she became known by that nickname. She became Grey-Thompson after adding her husband's name to her own when she got married. Tanni was born with spina bifida and has used a wheelchair since she was a child.

As an athlete Tanni met with great success competing in wheelchair events ranging from 100m to 800m and winning multiple Paralympic medals, including 11 golds, in a career lasting from 1988 - 2004. She also won the wheelchair race at the London marathon six times. In 2005 she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire - the female equivalent to a Knight.

Since retiring from athletics Tanni has appeared on TV coverage of athletics events and the Paralympic games as well as doing presenting work for the Welsh channels, BBC Wales and S4C. She was made a Life Peer in 2010, becoming Baroness Grey-Thompson of Eaglescliffe and a member of the House of Lords, the second chamber of the British parliament where she sits as a crossbencher - a member with no alignment to a political party.
8. Who is this athlete who won gold for Wales in the 400m at the 1998 Commonwealth Games, before going on to work as a TV presenter for the BBC and Channel 4?

Answer: Iwan Thomas

Despite having been born in London, Iwan Thomas was able to compete for Wales due to his parents being from the country. As well as Gold in the 1998 Commonwealth Games he has also won medals at the Olympic Games, Athletics World Championships and Athletics European Championships in both the 400m and 4x400m relay.

After retiring from athletics Iwan featured on numerous TV programmes; and often presented pieces for the BBC's "The One Show". In the run up to the London 2012 Paralympic Games Iwan was part of the presenting team for "That Paralympic Show" on Channel 4.
9. Although not a British athlete, New Zealander Robbie Hunter-Paul (known as Robbie Paul before his marriage in 2010) often features on the BBC's "Super League Show" showing highlights of the sport which he used to play. Which sport is it?

Answer: Rugby League

Born and brought up in New Zealand, Robbie Hunter-Paul spent most of his professional career playing with rugby league clubs in England. The majority of his career was spent at Bradford Bulls although he also had short spells at Huddersfield Giants, Salford City Reds and Leigh Centurions.

He also made 27 appearances for the New Zealand national rugby league team. Since retiring from rugby league Robbie has worked in the marketing department at Bradford Bulls and regularly appeared on the BBC's Super League highlights programme "The Super League Show" and the broadcaster's live rugby league coverage.
10. Former footballer Gary Lineker is well known as the host of the football highlights program "Match of the Day". However, he has also been a familiar sight on British TV since 1995 starring in adverts for which brand of crisp?

Answer: Walkers

Gary Lineker was an English footballer who played for Leicester City, Everton, Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur and the Japanese club Nagoya Grampus in a career lasting from 1978-1994. He is often regarded as football's "good guy" having never received a yellow or red card during his playing career.

This image is something that the Walkers crisp adverts play on often casting Lineker as a crisp stealing villain. The advertising campaign has also saw the company rename its "salt and vinegar" flavour "salt-n-Lineker" for a time during the late 1990s.
Source: Author HCR1

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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