Ally Begg
Encyclopedia
Ally Begg is a Scottish
former model, boy band
member and is currently a presenter on ESPN STAR Sports
' based in Singapore. He has presented for MUTV, Setanta Sports, Sky Sports News, Sky News, Thomas Cook TV and a host of other Channels throughout the UK.
, a coastal village north of Aberdeen
after spending his early days in Holland. He was educated at Ellon Academy
. As a teenager Begg had trials with Blackpool and Burnley and trained with his local team Aberdeen
. Begg also captained the north of Scotland under 15 and 16 teams and played for a host of semi-pro sides well into his late teens.
Unable to cement a career in the game, Begg moved to London
at the age of 18 to sign a contract with Lorraine Ashton IMG, after a short time with Ashton Begg moved to Models 1 where for 18 months he worked for a variety of magazines and catalogs. He appeared in an Athena poster campaign for the Autum Winter Campaign 1993.
Ian Levine
. Despite being a success in Europe and Japan and having a top ten album which garnered six top-twenty hits, the band split up quickly in 1995. Begg has expressed his disappointment at their lack of opportunities in terms of working with multiple producers and sounds, which he believes would have furthered the popularity of the band. However, at the same time, he also looks back with a great deal of fondness and a hint of pride at what they achieved.
Coach and fitness instructor. It was during this time that he focused his attention on a career in Broadcasting. After a short spell with Granada Television
, Ally made the move to Manchester United's TV station MUTV. During his five year stint as one of the faces of the channel, Begg interviewed the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson
, David Beckham
and Roy Keane
. In addition, Ally quickly expanded his repertoire and worked as a freelance presenter for channels such as Sky News
, Sky Sports
, Talksport Radio
, Thomas Cook TV and ITV Digital
.
Begg then moved back north of the border in the summer of 2004, accepting a full-time position with Setanta Sports
to become the lead presenter of new club channel, Celtic TV
. As well as hosting the channel's flagship programme "The Daily Huddle", Begg was involved in a host of projects including documentary and feature material.
After three years at Celtic, the opportunity to live and work in Asia
arose and Ally made the move to ESPN Star Sports
in Singapore
. He hosted the 2007 Rugby World Cup
and the network's Premiership football coverage, the FA Cup
, full England
internationals, England U21
, FIFA Club World Cup
and the Champions League
. Ally also hosted Golf Focus and the sports round up show, Score Tonight. He is currently working on ESPN's new 24 Hour Sports News Channel.
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
former model, boy band
Boy band
A boy band is loosely defined as a popular music act consisting of only male singers. The members are expected to dance as well as sing, usually giving highly choreographed performances. More often than not, boy band members do not play musical instruments, either in recording sessions or on...
member and is currently a presenter on ESPN STAR Sports
ESPN Star Sports
ESPN Star Sports is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and News Corporation...
' based in Singapore. He has presented for MUTV, Setanta Sports, Sky Sports News, Sky News, Thomas Cook TV and a host of other Channels throughout the UK.
Football and modelling career
Begg moved to NewburghNewburgh, Aberdeenshire
Newburgh is a coastal village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The village dates to 1261 AD, when Lord Sinclair wanted to establish a chapel in the area. Originally built as a school, somewhat later the chapel of Holy Rood was established.-Geography:...
, a coastal village north of Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
after spending his early days in Holland. He was educated at Ellon Academy
Ellon Academy
Ellon Academy is a secondary comprehensive school in the Aberdeenshire town of Ellon.-History:Founded as Ellon Public School, the building was opened at 10:00AM, on 22 May 1876. It was responsible for the education of both primary and secondary students, and it wasn't until 1962 that the two were...
. As a teenager Begg had trials with Blackpool and Burnley and trained with his local team Aberdeen
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
. Begg also captained the north of Scotland under 15 and 16 teams and played for a host of semi-pro sides well into his late teens.
Unable to cement a career in the game, Begg moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
at the age of 18 to sign a contract with Lorraine Ashton IMG, after a short time with Ashton Begg moved to Models 1 where for 18 months he worked for a variety of magazines and catalogs. He appeared in an Athena poster campaign for the Autum Winter Campaign 1993.
Bad Boys Inc
Bad Boys Inc was formed in 1992 by famous impresarioImpresario
An impresario is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays or operas; analogous to a film producer in filmmaking, television production and an angel investor in business...
Ian Levine
Ian Levine
Ian Levine is an English songwriter, producer, and DJ. He is also a well-known fan of the long-running television show Doctor Who.Levine attended Arnold School in Blackpool from 1963 to 1970...
. Despite being a success in Europe and Japan and having a top ten album which garnered six top-twenty hits, the band split up quickly in 1995. Begg has expressed his disappointment at their lack of opportunities in terms of working with multiple producers and sounds, which he believes would have furthered the popularity of the band. However, at the same time, he also looks back with a great deal of fondness and a hint of pride at what they achieved.
Career in media
Begg took time away from the spotlight after the split of the band and became a qualified Scottish Football AssociationScottish Football Association
The Scottish Football Association is the governing body of football in Scotland and has the ultimate responsibility for the control and development of football in Scotland. Members of the SFA include clubs in Scotland, affiliated national associations as well as local associations...
Coach and fitness instructor. It was during this time that he focused his attention on a career in Broadcasting. After a short spell with Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
, Ally made the move to Manchester United's TV station MUTV. During his five year stint as one of the faces of the channel, Begg interviewed the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
, David Beckham
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
and Roy Keane
Roy Keane
Roy Maurice Keane is an Irish former footballer and manager. In his 18-year playing career, he played for Cobh Ramblers in the League of Ireland, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United, before ending his career at Celtic in Scotland....
. In addition, Ally quickly expanded his repertoire and worked as a freelance presenter for channels such as Sky News
Sky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
, Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
, Talksport Radio
TalkSPORT
Talksport , owned by UTV radio, is one of the United Kingdom's three terrestrial analogue Independent National Radio broadcasters, offering a sports and talk radio service broadcast from London to the United Kingdom....
, Thomas Cook TV and ITV Digital
ITV Digital
ITV Digital was a British digital terrestrial television broadcaster, which launched a pay-TV service on the world's first digital terrestrial television network as ONdigital in 1998 and briefly re-branded as ITV Digital in July 2001, before the service ceased in May 2002. Its main shareholders...
.
Begg then moved back north of the border in the summer of 2004, accepting a full-time position with Setanta Sports
Setanta Sports
Setanta Sports is an international sports broadcaster based in Dublin, Ireland. Setanta Sports was formed in 1990 to facilitate the broadcasting of Irish sporting events...
to become the lead presenter of new club channel, Celtic TV
Celtic TV
Celtic TV was the official television channel of Celtic Football Club.It has since relaunched online, replacing Channel 67.-History:Launched in 2004, Celtic TV was operated by Setanta Sports, and was available on satellite and cable platforms in the UK and Ireland until the demise of the Pay TV...
. As well as hosting the channel's flagship programme "The Daily Huddle", Begg was involved in a host of projects including documentary and feature material.
After three years at Celtic, the opportunity to live and work in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
arose and Ally made the move to ESPN Star Sports
ESPN Star Sports
ESPN Star Sports is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and News Corporation...
in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. He hosted the 2007 Rugby World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
and the network's Premiership football coverage, the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
, full England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
internationals, England U21
England national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
, FIFA Club World Cup
FIFA Club World Cup
The FIFA Club World Cup is a football competition between the champion clubs from all six continental confederations.The first FIFA Club World Championship took place in Brazil in January 2000...
and the Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
. Ally also hosted Golf Focus and the sports round up show, Score Tonight. He is currently working on ESPN's new 24 Hour Sports News Channel.