For Orla Chennaoui, there is a positive side to the abuse she regularly receives on social networks. “It’s mainly about my appearance or the way I dress, which is the norm for a woman,” sighs the new face of Premiership Rugby on Friday nights on TNT Sports.
“But I hope that means that what I say and the way I present it is received quite well.” People don’t tend to say, “You’re talking stupid,” so that’s good, because that’s what I’m here for!
Far from talking nonsense, Chennaoui is one of the best in the sector. The 43-year-old Northern Irishwoman has just been shortlisted for Sports Presenter of the Year at the Broadcast Sport Awards, pitting her against industry heavyweights such as Gabby Logan, Mark Pougatch and Ed Chamberlin.
“It’s really exciting and terrifying at the same time,” she told Mail Sport from her home in Amsterdam. “To see your name on a list like that with absolute legends, you think ‘whoa’ and you feel that imposter syndrome. It is very humbling that I can one day be considered among this level of broadcaster.
Formerly of Sky News and then Sky Sports News, Chennaoui made his name on Eurosport presenting its cycling coverage, notably the Tour de France. Today – following the merger of BT Sport with Eurosport owners Warner Bros. Discovery – she takes up rugby. It comes at a critical time for the country’s struggling football, with three top clubs having gone bankrupt in the past year.
Orla Chennaoui (above) is the new face of Friday night’s Premiership Rugby on TNT Sports
“Given the difficulties the game is facing, it’s definitely a good time to try to open up the fan base,” says Chennaoui. “I am deeply respectful to the die-hard fans of any sport. I understand what type of coverage this level of fan requires, demands, and expects. But I’m really passionate about getting more people into sports.
“I don’t believe that keeping a store closed and speaking in a code that only die-hard fans of the sport will understand is something that will attract new fans to the sport. My mission is to open it up, make it more fun and more accessible. It has to be entertainment.
“We’re getting more into the locker room and introducing the viewer to the texture of the sport – the look, feel and smell of it – and making them feel more like they’re a part of it.”
For the new Premiership season, TNT Sports plans to hold pre-match dressing room chats and in-game interviews with try scorers. They’re also considering putting players on microphones during warmups and putting cameras on coaches.
Chennaoui will also bring a new flavor to the proceedings with her vibrant personality and bold outfits, which attracted a lot of attention during her time in cycling, including the gold jumpsuit she wore on the final day of this Tour de France. year.
“As a child I was passionate about Gaelic football and athletics, but I always saw them presented by men in suits,” explains the former Irish triple jump champion. “I knew I was a foreigner. So I want people like me to know that there is a place for them in sport.
She has just been selected for the title of sports presenter of the year by the Broadcast Sport Awards.
“I dress in a very ‘feminine’ way, if you will. This raises questions, but I never wanted to blend into this environment. I want to help change the environment.
“I think it’s really important to express your personality if and when you can. If you like to wear high heels and red lipstick, if you are interested in fashion, sport may still be for you.
“For every person who says something mean about what I wear, I get so many women messaging me saying, ‘Thank you for showing that it’s okay and I can dress like I wish”.’
This summer, TNT Sports announced an all-female soccer anchor roster. And Chennaoui is grateful that attitudes towards women in sport have improved since early in her career, when she was subjected to some of the worst behavior imaginable.
“I was a victim of sexual assault,” she says, revealing that she was groped at least twice by cycling team directors at social events around cycling races. “I spoke about it at the time and one person apologized and another didn’t.
“I hesitate to make too much of the headlines about it, but at the same time I can’t help it because I think many women will have experienced similar incidents.
“The only reason I’ve spoken out about it in the past is to show that it’s not okay to grope a woman. Whatever the situation, it is simply not acceptable and it is not something that should be easily ignored.
“It’s not just physical, it’s this objectification, which is much less measurable but very obvious. It’s difficult, because what do you do about it? Are you covering yourself? Are you hiding?
Chennaoui attracted attention with a gold jumpsuit on the final day of this year’s Tour de France
“This is not how I want to live my life. You need to decide, “How can I make things better for the people who come after me?” “I tried to improve it by staying in the game and showing people that I’m here to take it seriously. These days, women in sports aren’t just there to be looked at.
In addition to empowering women in sport, Chennaoui is passionate about promoting mental health. She has a “side passion project” called Ten Times Braver, an online wellness platform to “encourage people to live their most courageous lives.” Much of this is based on his own personal struggles.
“I had to overcome many internal obstacles to be able to do the work I love,” she admits. “I suffered from postnatal depression and anxiety after my first child.
“It was a horrible experience. It’s a very hard, lonely and dark place. It was my husband who called the doctor for me because I couldn’t figure out what was wrong. I couldn’t understand why I felt like my life had turned upside down.
“When I got the diagnosis, everything seemed a little easier. I stopped drinking alcohol and that led me to meditate and try to take control of my own mind.
“If anyone reading this who has just had a baby feels like they’re not quite themselves anymore, please speak up because it’s the first step to getting better .”
Chennaoui now has two children, Eve, eight years old, and Austin, four years old. After this interview, she will cycle to school – the preferred mode of transport in Amsterdam – then accompany her daughter to the piano and her son to judo.
She balances parenting and presenting with podcasting and writing, often setting her alarm for 4:30 a.m. “Balls can fall,” is how she refers to this juggling act on her Instagram and X bios.
“Whenever I was offered a job as a rugby player, I made it clear to the bosses that I would need to speak to my husband first to see if it would work for the family,” she says. “It’s not always easy and the balls fall, but we make it work.”
Chennaoui made a name for himself on Eurosport by presenting his cycling coverage
Chennaoui has come from Amsterdam – where she moved for her husband’s job as a scientist – to present Premiership Rugby Cup matches since last month. On Friday evening she will be at Ashton Gate for the Championship season opener between Bristol and Leicester.
“The matches I have attended so far have been really welcoming,” she adds. “Everyone has been so nice. Several big names in the sport have contacted me to say: “Whatever you need, just ask me, I’ll support you.” The respect that I have been shown already gives me this pleasant feeling that this is the right place and the right time.
“I love my rugby. It’s something I’ve been following since I was a teenager. Rugby and cycling are two very different sports, but being able to bring what I do to cycling into our rugby coverage feels really good and really exciting.
Watch Gallagher Premiership Rugby only on TNT Sports and discovery+. Bristol Bears v Leicester Tigers is live on Friday from 7pm
‘I get abuse for the way I dress but… sport’s not just for men in suits!’: Orla Chennaoui, TNT’s new face of Premiership Rugby, on empowering female presenters
