Last year Kirsty Gallacher, one of this country's most recognisable and beloved sports broadcasters, branched out to the lucrative world of podcasts. Now, Stripped Back Sport is returning for a second season from Monday January 25th. 'At a time when conversation and connectivity with others feels like such a luxury I am so thrilled to return with season 2,' Kirsty says. 'I feel incredibly lucky to interview people I have worked with and admired for so long and can’t wait for everyone to join us as we unpick the careers and personal journeys of some of our country's most amazing athletes.'
Last year, Kirsty picked up the phone to Grazia to talk through her 2020, her evening routine and the reason behind her Sky Sports move...
I had a moderate bout of Covid-19 that lasted a week, badly, and a month of feeling a bit rough. They say you can have all sorts of lasting effects, but I’ve been pretty lucky, and I’m grateful to have got better at home, isolating. My voice still isn’t great though.
The first thing I do when I get through the door depends on whether the kids are with me. If I’ve got them – Oscar, 13, and Jude, 10 – then our dogs will be waiting at the door, so we’ll cuddle them as if we haven’t seen them in weeks. We recently moved to the Berkshire countryside, which is heaven, like a big sigh of relief. Here, there’s peace and quiet and animals. It’s a haven for the children and all very new: we’ve only been here for nine months. I love London, but for visiting only.
I’m one of those people who can’t sit still. Relaxation is an unusual word for me: I’m always thinking about things, or working on things with my team. Being freelance and a working mum means I’m used to doing it all: juggling, making sure that everything and everybody is all right. So I don't switch off.
I’ve been doing my new podcast from home, which has been great, as I can properly be at home with the kids then pop to work. I shut myself in another room, as the kids are self-sufficient enough to go out into the garden or walk the dogs.
One of the reasons I wanted to do this project, and why I left Sky Sports two years ago, was because I’d been there a long time and I felt like I wasn’t learning anything new. I was going through the motions, not seeing my children enough because I was divorced and I just thought, ‘You know what, you’ve done all you can do here.’ I wanted to interview more and, as a trained journalist, I want to find out about people. I love the research bit: I’ll read articles and pull together the bits and pieces into a picture of that person. I think that you always have to make sure you leave no stone unturned.
Evenings are all about live sport for me, or programmes about houses, like Grand Designs, Escape To The Chateau or Location, Location, Location – I love Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer. And I’m obsessed by Springwatch, Summerwatch, all of those. If Chris Packham’s in it, I’m there.
A few months into lockdown I was just so over cooking and loading the dishwasher. We are very healthy eaters and I’m not a ready-meal person, but I don’t love cooking. I don’t have the patience. But if I’ve got more time and one of the boys wants to help, then I enjoy that process. We eat simple things. I’ve got one child who’s willing to try anything, like me, and the other who always wants the same things, done in the same way.
I love weight training and my Wattbike. I do fitness sessions three times a week and a short run occasionally. I also want to get into Pilates. I’ve always naturally meditated: I’m good at getting into that zone.
Just before bed, I’ll cuddle the kids – Jude likes having his hair played with and a head massage. Then I put on moisturiser, climb into bed and maybe read a book. I may put the Calm app on to listen to a story or the music, which helps me to drift off.
Kirsty’s podcast, Stripped Back Sport, returns on January 25th
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