MPCE - Key Persons
Born in Rochester, Kent on March 29 th 1955 into a Naval Family, Charles was educated at Westminster School and joined the BBC as a finance clerk in January 1975. The following year came his "lucky break" when he applied for a job as clerk to Radio 4's World at One and PM programmes and ended up presenting a sports round up on the Saturday edition of PM. His first broadcast was April 24 th 1976 and he was, in his own words, appalling! The following year Charles went on a training attachment to BBC Radio Oxford where he spent a blissful summer in the Parks commentating on University Cricket. It didn't last, as the BBC HR department said if Radio Oxford couldn't give him a full time job he had to go back to Central Directorate Accounts as he was "being exploited"! His protestations that he didn't mind being exploited fell on deaf ears and he was hauled back to London kicking and screaming. By January 1978 though his days as a "don't wannabe accountant" were over as he secured another attachment, this time to Radio 4 as an announcer. Within six weeks the attachment had become a fulltime position. He was still just 22 and the youngest ever staff announcer. Continuity announcing and eventually news reading soon made him a familiar voice to radio listeners but, not one to let the grass grow underneath his feet, in the summer of 1980 he had his first look at the world of television with an attachment to TV presentation; joining the team of voices behind the iconic spinning "BBC globe". He also had his first taste of in vision work when he was sent to BBC East in Norwich for six weeks which required him to read the close of day news bulletin. By 1983 he had moved to Radio Sport; presenting the 1983 Cricket World Cup and going onto carve out a niche for himself by becoming the first regular sports correspondent of BBC Radio 4's "Today" programme (1984-1988). He also expanded his television experience with a stint at BBC TV's "Breakfast Time", which led in 1986, to his first ever documentary - about the M25 - which was broadcast on BBC 2. In 1988 he left the BBC for LWT ; taking up a job as a presenter on the prime time weekly current affair shows - "Friday Now" (1988) and "Six O'clock Live" (1989). It wasn't completely the end of his association with the BBC as he was hired to present two seasons of "Charles Colvile's Sunday Sport" - a live five hour summer sports show on BBC Radio 2. With the new decade came new opportunities as the fledging world of satellite television came calling. To start with Charles joined BSB - catch phrase "its smart to be square" - but when after six months they merged with their rivals Sky, he had had found his home for the next 27 years of his career as key member of the Sky Sports on air cricket team. Amongst his many highlights have been presenting live coverage of England's winter tours to India (1993), The West Indies (1994), Australia (1994/5) and South Africa (1995/6), six cricket World Cups, numerous award nominated cricketing documentaries (Out of the Wilderness, England's Foreign Legion, Pace Like Fire, The Jackman Affair, Cricket and The Rainbow Nation) of course the much loved "The Verdict" with Bob Willis. He has also broadcast on ESPN Star and Australian Channels 7 and 9. Away from broadcasting Charles is a sought after MC of sporting dinners, has served on the General Committee of Surrey CCC and continues to play for his village (Holmbury St Mary CC) whenever possible. He quite likes gardening, especially if it involves lawn mowing and severe pruning. He is married with four grown up children, two dogs, who he walks twice a day, and three guinea pigs who he doesn't.
Jeremy Thompson is a newsreader on Sky News, regularly presenting Live at Five weeknights at 5pm.
One of Britain's most experienced television newsmen, Jeremy has been a correspondent for the BBC, ITN and Sky News, covering many of the major news events of our time, reporting from nearly 100 countries around the globe and running foreign bureaux in Asia, Africa and the USA.
Jeremy is frequently Sky News' leading anchor on major stories, often presenting on location. Recent assignments have included reporting from Rome and Vatican City on the death and funeral of Pope John Paul II in April 2005, as well as the London bombings of July 2005, Hurricane Rita and the Asian Tsunami where he was the first British presenter on the scene, reporting live from Phuket on the immediate aftermath of the disaster. He reported live from Israeli city of Haifa during the 2006 Lebanon War.
As a foreign correspondent, Jeremy has covered over a dozen wars and civil conflicts. In 1999, he was the first TV newsman to broadcast live as British peacekeeping forces rolled into Kosovo.
In 2003, Jeremy anchored Sky News' coverage of the second Gulf War from Iraq, and was the first anchor to present from inside Baghdad. He travelled as a roving reporter and as well as presenting Live at Five each evening, secured a number of exclusives, including reporting from the villa of so-called ‘Chemical Ali'.
Since moving back to London as a presenter in 1998, Jeremy has been involved in many of Sky News' biggest live news events, anchoring both from the studio and out in the field. They include : the Liberation of Kosovo in 1999, 9/11, the Soham murders and the Madrid Train Bombing. In 2007 Jeremy anchored live coverage from Praia de Luz in the days following the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. He also reported from Kingston, Jamaica on the death of Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer, a man he knew personally for more than 25 years. And in 2008 Jeremy covered the 2008 Beijing Olympics as well as following the Obama v McCain election.
Following Sky News' relaunch in October 2005, Jeremy continued to have a big role at the channel. In January 2006 he headed the channel's coverage of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's deteriorating health. This included anchoring from Jerusalem and the West Bank, appearing on his usual 5pm slot and other Sky News shows in which he usually has no involvement. For instance, he co-presented World News Tonight on two occasions, with James Rubin in the London studio.
Previously Jeremy was a foreign correspondent based in Washington and Hong Kong from where he covered some of the major world events of the last 20 years.
Among the awards received for his work are an Emmy from the US Academy of TV Arts and Sciences, three Gold Medals for Best News Reporter from the New York TV Festival, and the Royal Television Society award for Sky's coverage of the Kosovo conflict. He was named RTS Presenter of the Year in 2006. The citation from the judges said that Jeremy "has a unique ability to capture the moment, to know which tiny little things really matter and - crucially - he knows when to shut up and let the pictures do the talking."
Until his retirement at the end of 2016, Jeremy Thompson was one of the longest-serving journalists and news anchors in the UK. In 2017 Jeremy Thompson released 'Breaking News' an Autobiography.
Jim Proudfoot is one of the most recognisable and prolific sports commentators on Television and Radio.
In a career that has spanned more than twenty years Jim has covered more than two-thousand football matches, including commentating on four World Cup Finals, and three European Championships.
Having started his career as a news journalist with TFM Radio on Teesside, Jim became the youngest member of the award-winning Capital Gold Sports team in the mid-nineties. His break into national radio came with talkSPORT, for whom he was the number one commentator for eight years, during which time he broadcast from countless internationals as well as Champions League Finals.
Jim started his television career in the late nineties as a regular freelancer for Sky Sports, commentating on Premier League matches for highlights, Under 21 internationals and Masters football, as well as reporting for the acclaimed Soccer Saturday. A move to Setanta Sports followed, with live commentary on both the Premier League and the SPL, as well as being the chief commentator on the station's extensive European football output. He was then asked by ESPN to fulfil a similar role, and broadcast more matches on the station's British channel than anybody else, again including EPL, SPL and internationals. He also worked for ESPN's American operation at the 2010 World Cup.
In 2010 he moved to Absolute Radio for the launch of Rock N Roll Football, as an integral member of the team alongside Russ Williams and Ian Wright, where his passionate calling of the games and no-nonsense punditry helped build the station's huge football following. He oversaw the logistical organisation of the Euro 2012 coverage, as well as commentating on the event in Poland and Ukraine.
In 2016, Jim signed a new long-term contract with talkSPORT. He was the station's number one commentator at the World Cup in Brazil, broadcasting from sixteen matches including both semi-finals and the Final. Jim also commentates across the station's roster of matches including Barclays Premier League, FA Cup and England internationals, and is also a presenter on the station.
Jim's wide range of work commitments also includes weekly appearances on worldwide television, as a regular part of PLTV's team broadcasting matches from the Premier League, as well as commentary for Sky Sports, and for News UK's Goals App for the Sun and the Times.
Jim has also turned his hand to other sports, covering the Rugby World Cup, Wimbledon and Cricket; but has recently become associated with Darts. He was an integral part of the coverage of the 2013,2014 and 2015 Lakeside Darts World Championships on the BBC and 2016-17 for BT and Channel 4 as well as other events on the PDC and BDO circuits for both ITV and ESPN.
Away from work, Jim is married and spending an increasing amount of time as taxi driver to his three children. He has a keen interest in music and genealogy.
Jonathan joined MPC in May 2004 having spent six years working with the world's top footballers including Ashley Cole, at the Stellar Group of Companies. Whilst at Stellar, Jonathan signed 60 young footballers many of whom have now been signed to major league clubs.
Karthi has presented and reported for the Premier League coverage on Amazon in 2021 and 2022
In October 1974, he formed MPC Entertainment, now one of Britain's foremost entertainment businesses. MPC specialises in artist management looking after many of the top personalities in the United Kingdom.
Michael Cohen, was also the forerunner of the private telephone industry in Great Britain. Empecey Telephones, the company he started, destroyed the single market that existed in Britain at the time. The company grew quickly - profits tripled every year for three years and Michael sold out at the tender age of 28. The experience gained from owning and supplying over 400 shops was invaluable and was put to good use marketing MPC Entertainment.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee
Sir Clive Lloyd was a middle-order batsman and currently is the chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee.
Clive Lloyd was a middle-order batsman who hit the ball with tremendous power. He was one of West Indies most successful captains, winning 36 and losing just 12 of his record 74 Tests in charge. He also led them in 81 ODIs and to two World Cup titles in 1975 and 1979.
In the 1975 final Clive struck a match-winning 102 off 85 balls. He made his highest Test score of 242* against India at Bombay in 1975 and was the first West Indian to appear in 100 Tests. Clive was a useful right-arm medium-pacer too, taking 114 first-class wickets in all (including a best of 4-48, Lancashire v Leicestershire at Old Trafford, 1970) with 10 in Tests. He was awarded a testimonial by Lancashire in 1977 (that raised £27,199) made captain of the club in 1981 and brought his children up in the county.
As a fielder he was one of the finest cover fielders around until knee injuries got the better of him and he moved into the slips. However, Clive stayed involved in the game as West Indies coach and as an ICC Match Referee until he resigned at the end of the 1999 tour of New Zealand after a three-year period that coincided with a decline in the fortunes of West Indies cricket.
With that experience behind him, he resumed his duties as an ICC Match Referee - a position he occupied with great presence and no little humour to earn the respect and confidence of the players. They knew he understood the game as well as anyone and that he holds the good of the game in the highest regard at all times.
In 2008 Lloyd was appointed the chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee after Sunil Gavaskar stepped down to pursue his role as a media columnist and commentator.