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

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Roller Derby

A 17-year-old boy from Sheffield is raising money after being selected to compete in the Junior Roller Derby World Cup in Australia this summer. Tom Halsall will be representing Great Britain in the sport he's played since he was nine years old when he began training with Sheffield Steel Roller Derby.

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Gymnastics

Gymnasts from our region are gearing up to compete at the European Championships. Three members of Leeds Gymnastics Club will be competing for the GB team. They are Olympic bronze medallist Harry Hepworth, double European gold winner Luke Whitehouse and up and coming Jonas Rushworth. The 2025 European Championships in Men's and Women's Artistic Gymnastics will be taking place in Leipzig in Germany at the end of May.

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Doncaster Rovers' Celebrations

I've been to see Doncaster Rovers celebrate winning the League Two title. There was a big event at the Eco-Power stadium and it was an absolute pleasure to be there. The story was also covered on the BBC News website.

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Snooker live

I had a brilliant time reporting at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield on the World Snooker Championship...

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Dot Kesterton

It's been an absolute pleasure to film/photograph/edit and write this story about the incredible Sheffield runner, Dot Kesterton. Dot is a retired teacher who was put-off running for more than 40 years is now winning gold medals as a Masters athlete. Dot Kesterton is one of the fastest older runners in the world - in 2022 she became the quickest female 10 kilometre runner in her age category. I've written a BBC News Online article about Dot and made this TV story...

Click here for the audio of my story on BBC Sheffield.

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Lizzie Deignan Retiring

One of Britain's most successful road cyclists, Lizzie Deignan, will retire at the end of next season. It was really good to have the opportunity to interview Lizzie about her incredible career.

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Joe Root

I reported from Joe Root's home city of Sheffield when he became England's leading Test run-scorer earlier this week...

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MMA Homeless

I really enjoyed filming a mixed martial arts training session which is transforming the lives of homeless people in Sheffield. The MMA sessions take place at 'Mind Body Connect' near the city centre. A researcher from Sheffield Hallam University, who helps organise the sessions, says it's dramatically improving vulnerable people's lives. The story was on BBC Look North and the BBC News Channel...

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Paralympics Preview

We've been filming with the para table tennis and para badminton squads who train at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield. They'll be hoping to win several medals at the Paris Paralympics.

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Tour de France 10 year anniversary

I've had a thoroughly enjoyable time reminiscing about the Tour de France coming to Yorkshire. Incredibly it's 10 years since the Grand Départ took place here. We filmed with a Tour Maker who volunteered at the race, a cafe owner who capitalised on it being staged in Yorkshire and two cyclists who are about to race at the highest level after being inspired by the Tour.

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Parkrun for Rob Burrow

Parkrun events across West Yorkshire paid tribute to Rob Burrow last weekend. The former Leeds Rhinos star died aged 41. The 5 kilometre run in Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield encouraged participants to wear Rhinos colours in memory of Rob. I combined my love of running and filming by joining them at the start line at Rothwell Parkrun in Leeds!

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Rob Burrow Francis Cummins Tribute

I interviewed Rob Burrow's former team-mate and coach Francis Cummins to do a story on the sporting achievements of the Leeds Rhinos legend who died last Sunday.

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British Gymnastics Apology

I've been working on this story for the last couple of months as a follow-up to a report of mine in April. It's about a former gymnast from York who first complained of being sexually abused by her coach sixteen years ago and has finally been given an apology and damages by British Gymnastics. Nikki O'Donnell says she was sexually abused by her coach who was expelled from the sport. In the letter to Nikki, British Gymnastics' Chief Executive Sarah Powell, says she is 'deeply sorry'. This is the online story I wrote and here's the TV report...

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Powerlifters

It was really inspiring filming with three teenage boys from Rotherham who are doing great things in the sport of Powerlifting. Greg, Oli and Sam say lifting weights has made them more disciplined, better people. I went along to film one of their training sessions, in a packed gym in Swinton.

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Chris Kamara

“Unbelievable Jeff!” I had a thoroughly enjoyable time filming, photographing and interviewing Chris Kamara this week who's been awarded Freedom of the City of Wakefield. It's in recognition of his services to charity and the city ⚽️😀 

This is the article on the BBC News website and here's my interview for BBC Radio in Yorkshire...

markansell · Chris Kamara

Wrestling live

I had a lot of fun reporting on a really successful professional wrestling club in Sheffield which has moved to a bigger venue because it's become so popular. Pursuit Pro Wrestling offers local amateur wrestlers the opportunity to hone their skills with training sessions. Even though the live dropped out, they came back to us and we enjoyed ourselves there...

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Gymnastics Failings

An independent investigation into the way a family was dealt with after they reported alleged sexual abuse by a former coach in York has concluded that they were ‘treated terribly by the club’ and that British Gymnastics ‘could and should have done more to support’ the family. The Independent Complaints Process Decision found British Gymnastics failed to properly investigate the report of sexual abuse. 

I've spent weeks working on this story and it's good to finally be able to report it for radio, on the BBC News website here and on TV.

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James Ogden

I've been to film with Sheffield Thai Boxing world champion, James Ogden. He's heading to Australia in the hope of becoming a double world champion. James has used the deep heartache of the still birth of his daughter as motivation to succeed. It was an absolute pleasure to film with James and his coach Trix March, who is also his aunty!

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Ice Hockey First Aid

I've been filming with ice hockey teams in Sheffield and Leeds as first aid kits have been given to teams across Yorkshire. It follows the death of Nottingham Panthers player Adam Johnson last October. Johnson was fatally hit in the neck by a skate during a match at Sheffield Arena against the Steelers.

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As well as filming and editing this story, I also wrote and took the photos for this article on the BBC News website. It was the first time I'd written a story on my own for the website so felt like quite an achievement. We are now, truly, multi-media journalists.