GRADUATE IS BBC NI’S FIRST EXECUTIVE EDITOR OF SPORT  

24 May 2019

BBC Northern Ireland has appointed Queen’s BA English Language and Literature (2001) graduate Neil Brittain, as Executive Editor of BBC Sport NI.

A new role, Neil Brittain will join BBC Northern Ireland’s in-house Content Production team to provide editorial leadership and vision for all BBC Sport NI’s productions across television, radio and digital.

As Executive Editor of BBC Sport NI, he will report to BBC NI’s Head of Content Production Eddie Doyle to deliver value for money and ensure that audiences in Northern Ireland get the best sporting coverage and high standard journalism.

He joins BBC Sport NI from the Irish Football Association (IFA), where he is currently Director of Communications and Strategy.

Speaking about his appointment, Mr Brittain said: "The BBC is unmatched in the coverage it provides sport in Northern Ireland.

“I am therefore delighted to be joining the team and I look forward to helping to develop new and innovative content that reflects the changing demands of audiences across TV, radio and online."

Mr Doyle commented: "Neil brings a wealth of experience to this role. He has creative energy, a strategic mind and a genuine passion for sport.

“He will bring enthusiasm and vision to BBC Sport NI teams and will lead the way in bringing the best sporting coverage to our audience.”

From Bangor, County Down where he attended Bangor Grammar School, Mr Brittain graduated from Queen’s in 2001 with a BA in English Language and Literature. In 2000, while at University he undertook the Business Education Initiative (now named Study USA), the study-abroad programme exclusively for students from Northern Ireland, at Wesley College in the US.

He holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Communication and Journalism from the University of Ulster (2003) and returned to his alma mater last year to the William J Clinton Leadership Institute to study for Queen’s Mini MBA.

Prior to his communications and strategy role in the Irish FA, Mr Brittain managed communications at Ulster Rugby from 2012-2015. Before that he spent two years as a Senior Accounts Manager at Smarts Communicate, a PR company in Holywood, County Down.

He started his career as a Sports Correspondent at UTV (2003-2010), he has reported on major sporting events such as the Ulster Senior Football Championship, the Rugby World Cup, the Cricket World Cup, the Rugby Six Nations and FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Away from the worlds of broadcasting and sports communications, Mr Brittain cycled from Bexleyheath in England to Paris with 81 other cyclists to raise money and awareness for the Christian Aid charity in July 2010.

He will start his new position with BBC Northern Ireland in August 2019.

A BBC story announcing Mr Brittain’s appointment can be found here.

To submit graduate news items, or for general enquiries about this story, please contact Gerry Power, Communications Officer, Development and Alumni Relations Office, Queen's University Belfast or telephone: +44 (0)28 9097 5321.

Photo credit: BBC Sport NI/Neil Brittain (Twitter)

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