Dave Clark (television presenter)
{{short description|British television presenter}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2016}}
{{BLP sources|date=August 2011}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Dave Clark
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = David Clark
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Ilkley, West Yorkshire, England
| television = PDC World Darts Championship
Sky Sports News
| education = Jordanhill College of Education
| children =
| spouse =
| occupation = television presenter
| years_active = 1998-2020
}}
Dave Clark is a former television presenter from Ilkley, West Yorkshire, England{{Cite web|url=https://www.strayfm.com/news/local-news/2678808/ilkley-born-sky-sports-presenter-to-walk-for-parkinsons-uk/|title=Ilkley born Sky Sports presenter to walk for Parkinson's UK|date=2018-09-07|website=Stray FM|language=en|access-date=2020-04-04}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.wharfedaleobserver.co.uk/news/11144193.ilkley-sports-presenter-dave-clark-praises-airedales-parkinsons-specialists/|title=Sports presenter Dave is proud of Airedale's Parkinson's specialists|website=Wharfedale Observer|date=13 April 2014 |language=en|access-date=2020-04-04}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/otleynews/16686879.sky-sports-presenter-dave-clark-to-walk-the-dalesway-in-six-days-to-raise-money-for-parkinsons-uk/|title=Sky Sports presenter Dave Clark to walk the Dalesway in six days to raise money for Parkinson's UK|website=Bradford Telegraph and Argus|date=4 September 2018 |language=en|access-date=2020-04-04}} who worked for British television station Sky Sports from 1998 until 2020, where he was the anchorman for boxing and darts coverage.
Career
Clark was a presenter on Capital Gold radio's football, Olympics and Wimbledon tennis coverage from 1990. He also presented a nightly football phone-in "Capital Gold Sportstime" and "The Dave Clark Show". He left Capital in 1998 to join Sky Sports News upon its launch.
Alongside his presentation on the rolling sports news channel, Sky Sports News, Clark also spent a year hosting the football phone-in You're On Sky Sports. Dave has fronted snooker and pool coverage as well as Soccer Saturday and Soccer AM.
Clark began presenting Sky's boxing coverage on a shared basis with Paul Dempsey, until Dempsey left for Setanta Sports. He's been the frontman for several big fights for the likes of David Haye, Amir Khan and Ricky Hatton. Clark replaced Jeff Stelling as darts presenter and covers all of the PDC's major televised tournaments, as well as the Premier League.
On 12 July 2020, Dave announced his retirement from Sky Sports live commentating.{{cite tweet|number=1282374305825861632|user=DaveClarkTV|title=It's been an AMAZING journey, but now it's time to bow out of @SkySportsDarts22 years on Sky, nearly 10 years with… |date=12 July 2020}}
Fight with Parkinson's
Clark was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2011 and has been public about his fight with the disease. His father also suffered from the disease and severe depression connected to the disease.{{Cite news|url=http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/sky-sports-dave-clark-battle-7016395|title=Thirty years after Dad died I was told I had Parkinson's too. The difference is I am not hiding away|last=Gibson|first=John|date=2014-04-22|work=nechronicle|access-date=2017-12-30}} During the 2018 PDC World Darts Championship, in a tweet Ladbrokes Coral uploaded a photo of him and wrote: "Dave Clark looks like he's caught the whiff of something nasty & wants to murder the person who's caused it ... #LoveTheDarts." Clark responded with a screen grab of Ladbrokes' post alongside the message: "That'll be the chronic degenerative neurological condition that will eventually rob me of the ability to walk, talk and smile @Ladbrokes #parkinsons".{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/dec/22/ladbrokes-tweet-parkinsons-dave-clark-pdc-world-darts|title=Ladbrokes condemned for tweet about darts presenter who has Parkinson's|agency=Press Association|date=2017-12-22|work=The Guardian|access-date=2017-12-30|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}Alan Shearer along with others expressed support for Clark tweeting "Wow! Two people tweeting. One is a gentleman, who inspires us all. The other a little prat on a keyboard hoping for a cheap laugh. I know who I stand with. You're an inspiration Dave. F**k them. Keep doing yourself and everyone else proud. #parkinsons #hero". Ladbrokes later deleted the tweet and apologised to Clark.{{Cite web|date=2017-12-22|title=Ladbrokes apologise for tweet mocking Parkinson's sufferer Dave Clark|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/dave-clark-parkinsons-disease-ladbrokes-tweet-twitter-apologise-donation-sky-sports-darts-world-championship-a8124096.html|access-date=2020-09-15|website=The Independent|language=en}}
Clark is a Leeds United fan.[http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/united_pains_that_bring_sky_man_dave_down_to_earth_1_2256544 United pains that bring Sky man Dave down to earth]
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://msn.skysports.com/skysports/article/0,,15410-1027269,00.html Dave Clark profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070309065838/http://msn.skysports.com/skysports/article/0,,15410-1027269,00.html |date=9 March 2007 }} Sky Sports web site.
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clark, Dave}}
Category:Sky Sports presenters and reporters
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Olympic Games broadcasters
Category:Television personalities from West Yorkshire