3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Belfast Telegraph
Carrickfergus reporter leaves Sky Sports News after 16 years: ‘My highlight was when Kyle Lafferty soaked me in beer'
Gilmour is the latest high-profile figure to leave the station following the departures of Melissa Reddy, Rob Wotton, Teddy Draper and Jasper Taylor.
The 39 year-old cut his teeth commentating on Irish League games on BBC Radio Ulster's flagship Sports Sound show. During that time he served as Sky Sports News' Northern Ireland correspondent, where one of his first assignments was reporting on the Steel and Sons Cup Final on Christmas Day.
He joined the staff of the popular station in 2012, where he soon became a familiar face, interviewing the likes of Antonie Conte and Jose Mourinho. He also commentated on Premier League, international and Irish League football for Sky Sports.
The Carrick Rangers supporter now intends to work as a freelance sports reporter and commentator. One of his career highlights was an infamous interview with Kyle Lafferty, after Northern Ireland qualified for Euro 2016.
He said: 'After 16 unforgettable years at Sky Sports News, it's time to say goodbye and look ahead to a new challenge.
'I've been fortunate to cover major tournaments, Champions League finals, and Premier League heavyweight clashes as well as interview some of the biggest names in world football.
'A personal highlight was following Northern Ireland, reaching a peak when Kyle Lafferty soaked me in beer and mocked my shoes on air after they qualified for Euro 2016.
'In that same interview, he (jokingly) said he wanted Northern Ireland to be drawn against either Argentina or Brazil…in the European Championships. Never a dull moment. A special group of players and staff, and the current side is shaping up nicely too.'
Other highlights for Gilmour including interviewing England captain Harry Kane and a parrot that sang football songs.
'There were plenty of other standouts: sitting down with England captain Harry Kane multiple times over the course of his career, a quickfire 1 minute 37 second interview with Erling Haaland, and stepping into the world of Premier League commentary, something I'm keen to continue.
'And then there were the lighter moments… a feature about a dog that went viral for balancing things on its head, and a parrot that sang football songs. We waited three hours in the owner's house before it finally delivered.
'Growing up watching Sky Sports News, I'm incredibly proud to have played a small part in our history. I'll be forever grateful to my SSN colleagues and friends for their guidance, passion and humour over the years.
'Now, I'm stepping into the freelance world to see what's next. I'm open to opportunities'
