Guy in commentary: And Tielemans is going to hit it… and hit it beautifully. Saved by Alisson. What a big hand. Munoz across, oh Palace in front.
Guy: Hello everyone I'm Guy Mowbray I'm the lead commentator for BBC Television's football coverage. What I want to do today is just talk you through some of the processes involved in preparing for, and then delivering a commentary on a televised football match, it's not what you might think - there's a little bit more to it.
What do you do when you're the commentator of a high-stakes football match and the nation is relying on you to provide all the rights facts while describing the action?
If you're Guy Mowbray, the BBC's lead football commentator, it means doing a lot of research and not leaving anything to chance during a live broadcast, as he explained to BBC Bitesize Other Side of the Story.
Guy: So, here we are, all set up and ready to go for the game. The notes are all laid out, so I can just glance down and take the information from them when I need. So where do I source a lot of the information that I need in order to prep for my commentary?
Guy in commentary: Another one for the Anfield Trophy cabinet. FA Cup winners for the first time since 2006.
Guy: Well, a load of websites, basically. In the old days you used to rely on one or two really good books. The Football Yearbook was the go to Bible for any sports reporter or commentator, but generally now you go to websites because they're constantly updated. The next question is which ones are you able to trust? Well, that comes down to experience, and it's trial and error, and it's working out yourself and finding your favourites really over time. Naturally, the BBC sport website is one that I would trust implicitly, although even on there you've got to be very careful to separate fact pieces from opinion pieces, because opinion pieces might come from an author's one-sided view, and as a commentator on national television, you have to be very, very careful to avoid any sorts of accusations of bias. I don't think it's going to count. Chelsea's lead is going to remain intact. The red line is in. Fans can be biased, that's absolutely fine, understandably and rightly they are. But when they hear things you say, they might be interpreting it from their place and not in the context that you meant. So you've got to be very careful with that in your delivery and in your research as well.
One of the most important thing journalists look for, whether they are writing a big political story or announcing a major signing in the transfer window, is a reliable source.
These are the places providing facts that have been thoroughly researched and checked in advance. As Guy explained, he has to make sure all the information he provides during a commentary is accurate.
Guy: Getting it right is the first part of any commentator's credibility. So don't just believe anything that you read. Don't just believe the first thing that you see. Check it, check it, check it again, and make sure that you are confident that what you're about to say is absolutely right.
Guy in commentary: For the first time. Crystal Palace are winners of the FA Cup.
Guy: So how do I know if something that I've found out is real, correct, or just plain fake or wrong? One big rule is beware the big headlines, the clickbait headlines, particularly those that you see on social media. Because a lot of the time they'll draw you in, you'll think that's interesting, what's that about? You'll click on it and it might be wrong, it might be out of context, it's not what you're looking for, and you're going down a rabbit hole that you really don't want to discover. So just be wary of that.
Guy in commentary: And there's a good try. Oh, incredible. Ilkay Gundogan! Right from the start. It's the fastest that's ever been scored in an FA Cup final.
There are lots of websites and social accounts which claim the big exclusives on football stories but that doesn't mean they should automatically be believed. Guy said he doesn't rely on those posts or articles with "big headlines" for his research as these can be clickbait. Posts like these are designed to get hits for whoever posted it, and may be an example of disinformation or take facts out of context.
Guy in commentary: The form he's in… a goal at Real Madrid, two at Southampton last Saturday, one at Wembley on the big day.
Guy: So how do I use all the information that I've got ready for the game? Well this is how it's set out, more or less. Different places require different sorts of setups, but as long as I can see everything that I've got… I will reread it, I'll underline the key points, I'll go through it again in the hour or so before kick off. Once we've got the team news through, I'll highlight the players who are playing, different colour the ones that are substitutes. And I'll make sure that I can see at a glance what I need to see during a commentary, and it can only ever be a glance. So I need to know where everything is, because it's vitally important, as I'm sure you'll understand, to keep your eyes on the game, because that's that's ever changing all the time. There's there's an old saying, isn't there? Fail to prepare, you prepare to fail. And I know it's a bit boring hearing stuff like that, but it is absolutely true, because in the act of doing this, it just enables me to be able to deliver a really confident commentary because I'm across all the facts, I'm across anything that could happen or anything that might need referencing… if you like, all this is the revision and the game is the exam.
Gathering your facts is one thing, using them effectively is another. Once Guy has compiled all his facts about the different players and teams involved in a fixture, he has to bring them to life during his commentary and drop them in while not distracting from the action itself. So what are his top tips in getting those details right?
1. Go to the right sources. Make sure you're going to trusted, primary sources. In Guy's job, that means going to trusted, established websites, such as those of different teams and clubs, or official bodies such as the Football Association (FA). These employ experts who do all the appropriate fact-checking and research when writing content - make sure you do yours as well.
2. Make sure you're not being biased. As a commentator, it’s important Guy remains fair as you don't want anyone to think you're taking sides. It can affect their point of view and influence or maybe even change their behaviour. Present a fair picture of what's happening during a game or event, then the people watching can make up their own mind about who they support.
3. Don't fall for clickbait headlines. Ask yourself, 'has this headline been written to get hits?' If you think 'yes', then it's well worth checking all the information in that story against trusted, primary sources.
4. Prepare, prepare, prepare. If Guy's done his homework right, it will all blend together into a tight piece of info-packed commentary. But to make that happen, you've got to do the prep. Even if you don't use all the information at hand, it's still important to do the research - from those trusted and valued sources. You never know when you might need that fact for something else weeks, or even months, later.
This article was published in June 2026
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