Radcliffe football commentator Clive Tyldesley made OBE

Clive Tyldesley was ITV’s senior football commentator between 1998 and 2020.

During the role, the now 71-year-old led the commentary team at five World Cups and five European Championships.

He was the lead commentator on 17 UEFA Champions League Finals and nine FA Cup finals for ITV.

This included his synonymous line ‘Solskjaer has won it’ as Manchester United claimed the 1999 Champions League.

His career started in 1975 when he worked as a teaboy at Radio Trent in Nottingham.

Within weeks, he joined the sports team and covered Nottingham Forest.

Two years later, he joined Radio City in Liverpool and worked his way up to become head of sport there.

At Radio City, he reported on the Heysel Stadium Disaster, and in the 1980s he reported on the Hillsborough Disaster.

He worked at ITV during his early TV career and then, in 1992, took a job at the sports department at the BBC.

Four years later, in 1996, he returned to ITV and, between 1998 and 2015, he commented on every Champions League final for the broadcaster.

In July 2020, he said he was ‘upset’, ‘baffled’ and ‘annoyed’ when ITV promoted Sam Matterface to be senior commentator in his place.

Later that year, he joined CBS Sports and became a regular commentator on Amazon Prime Video’s live coverage of the Premier League.

He published a semi-autobiographical book with Headline in 2021 named Not for Me, Clive.

Now he works as the lead commentator for CBS/Paramount+ live UEFA Champions League coverage in the United States.

He has been made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his services to both broadcasting and charity, in the New Year’s Honours List announced on Monday evening (December 29).

This article will be updated when Mr Tyldesley makes a statement on his OBE.

Commenting on the New Year’s Honours List, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “This year’s Honours list celebrates the very best of Britain – people who put the common good ahead of themselves to strengthen communities and change lives.

“Their quiet dedication speaks to the decent, compassionate country we are proud to be. On behalf of the whole nation, thank you – and congratulations to everyone recognised today.”

This year’s honours list includes 1,157 recipients, with 67 per cent living outside London and the South East.

Idris Elba and ice dancers Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean lead the list, while England’s victorious women’s football and rugby teams are also recognised.

Sir Idris, 53, known for his roles in The Wire and Luther, is knighted for services to young people, having founded the Elba Hope Foundation, which supports community empowerment, education, youth advocacy and sustainable development.

Dame Jayne and Sir Christopher, who took home the Olympic gold at the 1984 Winter Games and saw success at the World, European and British Championships, are made a Dame and Sir for services to ice skating and to voluntary service.

The pair, who later became the faces of celebrity competition show Dancing On Ice, said the honour is “wonderful and humbling at the same time”.

They join other stars who rose to fame in notable partnerships, such as Paul Elliott, one half of the Chuckle Brothers, who is made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), and Matt Lucas, half of the comedic Little Britain duo with David Walliams, who becomes an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).

England’s Lionesses feature heavily on the list after their Euros win in the summer – with captain Leah Williamson made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).

Alex Greenwood, Keira Walsh, Georgia Stanway and Ella Toone, who were all part of the side that beat Spain in the final in Basel, Switzerland, in July, become MBEs.

And the team’s Dutch manager Sarina Wiegman, who has won the Euros twice with England, and once with the Netherlands, is awarded an honorary damehood, the Cabinet Office said.