Oxford Utd Commentary

The view from the press box

I had an absolutely brilliant time commentating on Oxford United's pre-season friendly versus Mansfield Town for BBC Radio Oxford. A career ambition achieved commentating on a 90 minute match and on the team I support! To top it off, Oxford United won. It was a pleasure to be alongside Jack Shoemark, from The Manor Podcast, who was my summariser and did a top job. Here's the short highlights of the match...

markansell · Mansfield v Oxford 22nd July 2025 Highlights

BBC Copyright

Jordan Flynn-Dhanjal

I really enjoyed filming with boxer Jordan Flynn-Dhanjal who is from Oxford and has moved up to Sheffield in the hope of becoming the first world champion from Sikh heritage.

BBC Copyright

BBC 100 Share Your Story

This week I've been part of a BBC team speaking at schools back in Oxfordshire for a project called 'Share Your Story' where we explained the value of telling stories.

I told students the story of my mental health breakdown.

Here it is in audio form:

markansell · Mark Ansell Share Your Story

And here is my script if you prefer reading it:

"I’ve got a story to tell you about how an experience in my life made me a better journalist and really a better person. How challenges in life can actually help you to believe in yourself!

I had a good childhood. Parents who cared, three brothers who I got on well with. A happy life, until it wasn’t a happy life. A Levels and school complete, I was travelling around Mexico on my own aged 18. Suddenly late one night in my hotel room I felt really, really, strange, my throat was getting smaller and smaller. I couldn’t breathe. A panicked confusion took over my body. I was convinced I was having a heart attack and was going to die. I was petrified, panicking. Desperate to be back home. I was rushed to hospital and remember being in an air-conditioned room where a middle-aged doctor in a white shirt did several tests on me. After being assessed I was given drugs to make me relax called tranquillisers. I couldn’t understand why I was being given these drugs but through broken Spanish I worked out the doctor thought I was suffering with a mental and not a physical problem. A panic attack, not a heart attack.

I flew home early to get better, but instead I got a lot, lot worse. Sitting on a bench with my Mum outside the GP practice in Thame I came to a realisation - I was in such a dark place that I admitted to her that I could understand why people take their own lives.  I was at the start of a mental health breakdown. I couldn’t escape the feelings of desperation, of deep anxiety and yet just weeks earlier I’d finished my A Levels and life at school in my final year couldn’t have been more fulfilling as Head Boy and running a mobile disco business, DJing at loads of parties, alongside my studies. Life, from the outside, looked so good and yet inside, I was in turmoil.

I remember turning up to DJ at a pub in Thame for friend’s 18th birthday feeling petrified. I was feeling a deep panic, my stomach was churning and my throat was getting smaller and smaller again. Another panic attack. I didn’t think I’d be able to go on stage to DJ but thankfully I felt the fear and did it anyway. And when I was up there mixing between the tracks and entertaining the crowd on the mic, I felt free, the mental turmoil lifted – if only for a few hours while I was performing. 

Despite my feelings of desperation, I did whatever I could to get better. Counselling, antidepressants, living healthily. The doctor said don’t go to university in Sheffield that year, too much to cope with. I was determined to go, so I did. University was a struggle. I felt very on edge. One of the only ways I could cope was by calling my Mum every single day on the phone and taking the train home to see her every weekend.

And yet from the outside no one would know I was suffering with deep anxiety. I went to all my lectures, got top grades for my essays, DJ’d at student club nights, got involved in student politics and made good friends. When I was feeling particularly brave I plucked up the courage to tell my best friend Matt what felt like my secret, that I suffered with mental health problems. He, and other close friends I confided in, were shocked. They didn’t think someone who was, in their eyes, so confident and successful could have a mental health problem. Although many of them couldn’t understand, their friendship, really helped me get through university. Being with my friends on a night out was like an escape, I could forget my fears and enjoy myself. I’m still close friends with Matt and many of those other friends now, 19 years on!

As the months and years went by, and after a lot of counselling and support from friends and family, I became stronger and more resilient. In my second year at uni my brother Andrew invited me to go to Finland on holiday. I was petrified about being away from my comfort zone. The last time I’d been abroad – in Mexico – I’d had a panic attack and thought I was going to die. I went to Finland anyway and even enjoyed it. Gradually, I broke free from the dark cloud which followed me everywhere.

I came to realise that I could cope with life. I finished my degree and started my career in radio and TV News.

My breakdown changed me forever but for the better. I can really empathise with others especially people who are going through a tough time. This makes me better at interviewing people. I really listen and really try to put myself in their shoes.

This was my life changing experience and I learnt an incredible amount about myself. On the rare occasions when I start to feel the dark cloud following me, I am able to use the techniques I have developed that work for me so I can overcome the feelings of anxiety. These include talking to loved ones, doing exercise, meditating and praying.

My breakdown was really my breakthrough.

So whatever the challenges are in your life – now or in the future – I want you to know that they can help you believe in yourself."

Reporting on Oxford United

I never thought I'd have the chance to report on Oxford United but on Easter Saturday I covered the Chesterfield match at the Kassam Stadium for BBC Radio Derby - albeit from the opposition's perspective. My pre match, half time and full time reports had to be brief. I wonder what you think about me singing during my half time report? Too much? Perhaps, but I think it's important to inject personality into reporting and I feel it fitted the mood of a club celebrating promotion. Here's my pre match, half time and full time reports...
Oxford v Chesterfield by markansell

After the game I went pitch-side tointerview Oxford United's defender Damian Batt on my iPhone. He was voted by the Professional Football's Association as the best right back in League 2. I forgot to stop the recording at the end of the interview so you can hear a bit of small talk afterwards...
Damien Batt interview by markansell
I also interviewed Chesterfield Manager John Sheridan...
John Sheridan interview by markansell

It's been about 4 years since I last reported on football but I really enjoyed it. When I was a student I used to go to a lot of Sheffield United matches at Bramall Lane with my friend Paul and I'd write half and full time reports and read them to my audience - him! Very sad I know but I love the challenge of summing up the action. The aim is to try to capture the essence of the game in an engaging way.

The Cancer Diaries

I've been listening to some incredible podcasts made by one of my former colleagues at BBC Radio Oxford who's very sadly recently passed away. It's the best radio I've heard since the 'Anatomy of a Car Crash' Radio 4 programme which I blogged about a year ago. Ali Booker made 'the cancer diaries' for Oxford commercial station Jack FM. They are an incredibly moving insight into what it is like to live with terminal cancer. Her warmth, self deprecating humour and popularity with her audience always struck me.

You can listen to all 21 podcasts on this website: http://alisdiaries.podomatic.com/

And 15 of them on iTunes so you can put them on your MP3 player: http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/alis-diaries-podcast/id371979295/

Ali won Gold at the Arqiva Commercial Radio Awards 2010 for the cancer diaries...

Butler School in Oxfordshire! BBC Oxford

I took a trip to to see what it's like to be a Butler. There's a Butler school in Oxfordshire believe it or not, at Ditchley Park, a stately home near Chipping Norton!

It's a far cry from everyday life and as you'll hear, I'm not up to it...

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN THEN CLICK PLAY

Today's top story on BBC Radio Oxford...

I'm coming to the end of a two week placement at BBC Radio Oxford which has been superb. Getting my hands dirty, covering stories for breakfast.

Today I had the top story in the bulletins thanks to an unusual source - my Dad!

He found a small story in the Guardian (I've since learnt he reads the finance pages of the Guardian every morning!) about Toyzone, a toy shop retailer, going into administration. This morning he suggested it as a possible story as one of the company's toy shops is Pied Pedaller in Thame (Oxfordshire). It later transpired that Toyzone's HQ is in Wallingford, Oxfordshire. Definitely a story. Fortunately my fellow journalists agreed, and it led the bulletins...

CLICK HERE AND THEN CLICK PLAY

My BBC Radio Oxford Sports Reporting

Over Christmas I have been reporting on football matches for the sports programme on BBC Radio Oxford.

I covered five games...

Yesterday (5th January) I covered the Abingdon United v Paulton Rovers match. The match was abandoned, find out why by CLICKING HERE.

New Years Day took me to the local derby between Oxford City v Abingdon United. CLICK HERE to listen to a montage of my reports from the match.

I reported at Ardley United v Milton United near Bicester on Saturday 29th December. CLICK HERE to hear me in the freezing cold conditions.

On Boxing Day I took in Banbury United v Brackley Town in the Southern League Premier. CLICK HERE for my take on the game.

On the 22nd December I travelled to Brackley to cover their match with Halesowen Town. CLICK HERE to listen to my reports on the match.