On The Spot with BBC commentator Mowbray as he prepares for Euro 2024

BBC lead commentator Guy Mowbray sat down with LiveScore's Adam Drury to talk all things football, broadcasting and more. 

Mowbray, who will be behind the mic as England chase glory at Euro 2024, also discusses his love of York City and his role as the voice of Gladiators.

You are the voice of football on the BBC. How do you deal with the pressure of broadcasting to huge audiences?

I try not to consider it.

I get more nervous talking at my daughter's school to an audience of children because I can see them listening.

Plenty of the commentaries I do are for highlights but I prepare for them the same way.

I remember England's 2018 World Cup semi-final. That was live on ITV but it made no difference to me, doing the highlights. I do it as live and it gets edited.

You can't switch between modes, I don't see how that works. It means I don't get too worried about live games.

You could be the voice of England's first tournament win in 56 years this summer. Have you let yourself imagine that?

You do get a chill, thinking of being the first person after Kenneth Wolstenholme to call England home to glory.

But genuinely, I don't think about it often.

We've all watched England enough to know that you can't let yourself dream because it will only disappoint you.

I certainly wouldn't be thinking it would just be great for me or the broadcast. It would be fantastic for everyone.

You are credited as the youngest ever World Cup final commentator, aged 26. How does that feel?

Well, yes, I'm credited. I'm not sure how much research was done because you'd have to ask every broadcaster around the world.

But it was a great honour to do it and unexpected when I'd only been at Eurosport for just over a year.

Tournaments are the highlight of the job. We get this buzz for a few weeks every two years that's beyond anything else. It's the hardest you work but also the most fun.

The adrenaline comedown afterwards is huge and I do mope around in the first week back. I'm aiming to book a holiday straight afterwards this year so I can avoid the tournament blues.

You are a massive York City fan. How satisfying is it to support a team from down the pyramid?

At the moment, not much! We were on the up and then once again the self-destruct button has been pressed.

But generally, it's great. I've been to seven games this season. I go with my family or mates, we have a few beers beforehand and it's great fun.

Do you worry about the health of the football pyramid?

I love the razzmatazz of the Premier League — but I'm also a traditionalist, who loved the old four-division structure.

I mourn the loss of that and something has to be done for finances to be shared more equally through the divisions.

That said, it is incumbent on all clubs to not take gambles chasing the golden goose.

There isn't a pot of gold for everybody but there is a solid supporter base that can be the basis for growth.

I have to ask about your role as commentator on Gladiators. How did that come about and how much fun has it been?

An awful lot of fun.

I got asked last summer to voice a minute-long clip from the original series in the 1990s. I presumed a few of us had been asked for some reason.

And then I got a call saying: "Yeah, we'd like you to do it."

I've become invested in it. You don't have a voice for a day afterwards.

Hopefully it's done well enough for another series and I'll be asked again, we'll see.