Ian Dennis is a commentator for BBC Radio 5 Live

BBC Radio 5 Live

BBC Radio 5 Live is the BBC's national radio service that specialises in live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries...

 and the station's Chief Football Reporter.

Dennis grew up in West Yorkshire

West Yorkshire

West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....

 where he attended Ilkley Grammar School

Ilkley Grammar School

Ilkley Grammar School is a co-educational comprehensive school in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, England, that specialises in humanities and sciences.-History:-Early years:...

. He began working in radio with an unpaid Saturday job at BBC Radio York

BBC Radio York

BBC York is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of North Yorkshire.- Early history :The station was launched at 6:30am on 4 July 1983 - a launch featured on the cover of the Radio Times...

. In 1989 he began his professional career in local independent radio, and returned to the BBC in 1995 to work for BBC Radio Cleveland

BBC Radio Cleveland

BBC Tees is the BBC Local Radio service for the English areas of Teesside, County Durham and some of North Yorkshire. It broadcasts from its studios in Middlesbrough on 95.0 and 95.8 FM.-BBC Radio Teeside :...

, BBC Radio Leeds

BBC Radio Leeds

BBC Radio Leeds is the BBC Local Radio service for the English metropolitan county of West Yorkshire.- Frequencies :It broadcasts from its studios at St...

 and BBC Radio Newcastle

BBC Radio Newcastle

BBC Newcastle is the BBC Local Radio service English metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear, broadcasting from studios on Barrack Road in Newcastle upon Tyne.- Technical :...

.

In 1998 he began commentating on Leeds United games for BBC Radio Leeds

BBC Radio Leeds

BBC Radio Leeds is the BBC Local Radio service for the English metropolitan county of West Yorkshire.- Frequencies :It broadcasts from its studios at St...

 alongside Norman Hunter. In 2002 he left Radio Leeds to work as a football commentator for Radio 5 Live, for which he has covered four major international tournaments.