David Coleman Biography
David Coleman was a British longtime BBC sports personality. He hosted sports talk shows, covered football matches, and called Olympic events. Coleman was just as famous for his “Colemanisms,” slips of the tongue. Additionally, some of these, and those of other commentators, were turned into a series of humorous books entitled “Colemanballs”.
David Coleman Age
How old is David Coleman? Coleman was 86 years old by the time he died in 2013. He was born on April 26, 1926, in Alderley Edge, Cheshire, of Irish heritage, England. Additionally, he held British nationality. He was born under the birth sign Taurus.
David Coleman Parents
At the moment, the name and details of his parents are not available. Similarly, information on any other family members, such as siblings and others, has not yet been available. Coleman kept his personal and family life secret and never spoke about it before the light of day.
David Coleman Wife
David Coleman and his wife, Barbara, had six children. He married Barbara Manning in 1952 in northeast Cheshire. His daughter Anne, was born in 1954 and was a British ladies’ showjumping champion. And his son, Michael, born in 1962, was a Panavia Tornado navigator who flew in the Gulf War in 1991. He also became a Squadron Leader. Moreover, they had twin sons in the year 1955 and two other daughters in the years 1961 and 1969.
David was living in Warwickshire and Buckinghamshire. Then, in the year 1992, on the New Year’s Honors List, he received the OBE for broadcasting services. He also won the Judges’ Award for Sport at the 1996 Royal Television Society Awards.
David Coleman Death
David Coleman died on 21 December 2013. He took his last breath at his home located in Berkshire after a short illness.
David Coleman Education
As far as his educational history and credentials are concerned, the name of the kindergarten, high school, and university he attended has not yet been available. Considering his work and profession, he would have graduated from both high school and university.
In addition, Coleman was a keen novice athlete, running as a middle-distance schoolboy. He also captured the Manchester Mile in 1949 as a member of Stockport Harriers, the first non-international runner to do so. David also played in the English National Cross-Country Championships for the Manchester Athletic Club in 1952 (116th, 3rd Team) and 1953 (118).
He also raced for Staffordshire for 440 yards (1⁄4 mile). Eventually, however, the injury forced him to give up the sport and later became president of the Wolverhampton & Bilston Athletics Team.
David Coleman Career in Sports
David Coleman was a reporter for the Stockport Express. And he served for the British Army Newspaper Unit during the military service in the Royal Corps of Signals. In the same way, part of his time in the national service was in Kenya. And, during the Second World War, David was a soldier for someone named Walter Jaundrill. Even after the war, they remained friends.
After demobilization, David joined Kemsley Newspapers and, at the age of 22, became editor of Cheshire County Express. He did not attend the 1952 Olympic trials due to hamstring problems but instead contacted the BBC to see if they would like some assistance with the coverage of athletics. While David Coleman did not have an audition, he was asked by the BBC to cover Roger Bannister at Bradford City Police Sports. And he started freelance radio work in Manchester the following year.
In 1954, David Coleman moved to Birmingham and joined the BBC as a news assistant and sports editor. His first television appearance was on Sportsview, and it was the day that Roger Bannister hit the four-minute mile. Then, in November 1955, he was also appointed Sports Editor for the BBC’s Campbell Region.
Likewise, in October 1958, BBC Sports Director Peter Dimmock hired David to present the new Grandstand Saturday afternoon sports show. He also remained a regular presenter until 1968. He also presented BBC Sports Personality of the Year from 1961, and Sportsnight from 1968 to 1972, as well as other special sporting events such as the Grand National.
David Coleman Athletics
In 1954, David Coleman moved to Birmingham and joined the BBC as a news assistant and sports editor. His first television appearance was on Sportsview, and it was the day that Roger Bannister hit the four-minute mile. Then, in November 1955, he was also appointed Sports Editor for the BBC’s Campbell Region.
Likewise, in October 1958, BBC Sports Director Peter Dimmock hired David to present the new Grandstand Saturday afternoon sports show. He also remained a regular presenter until 1968. He also presented BBC Sports Personality of the Year from 1961, and Sportsnight from 1968 to 1972, as well as other special sporting events such as the Grand National.
David Coleman Retirements
Coleman also hosted a sports quiz show “A Question Of Sport” for 18 years from 1979 to 1997, striking up a strong rapport with captains such as Emlyn Hughes, Ian Botham, Willie Carson, and Bill Beaumont. And, although he hosted the vast majority of the shows, he was occasionally absent and stand-in hosts were drafted in. Former host David Vine returned to the show in the year 1989 when David Coleman was ill.
Likewise, Bill Beaumont hosted two editions in the year 1996, while Will Carling temporarily replaced Beaumont as team captain, and Sue Barker hosted two editions later that year. Moreover, he is on-air gaffes, use of clichés, and occasional mispronunciations led the satirical magazine Private Eye to name its sports bloopers column Colemanballs – a word conceived by Coleman himself – in his honor.
David Coleman retired from broadcasting after the 2000 Summer Olympics. And, in December 2000, he was presented with the Olympic Order by then-IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch in recognition of his services to the Olympic ideals. He then retired, requesting no fanfare or recognition by the BBC, despite working for the corporation for over 40 years.
Furthermore, the BBC later broadcast a program entitled “The Quite Remarkable David Coleman” to celebrate Coleman’s life. This program aired just after his 85th birthday in May 2011.
David Coleman Net Worth
Coleman had an estimated net worth of approximately $1 million $5 million. His income was mainly attributed to his successful career as a
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