Keynote SpeakerNatalie Pirks

Natalie Pirks is a BBC Correspondent and presenter with a deep well of experience across sport, news and entertainment, and a knack for bringing big moments to life with clarity, warmth and a dash of steel.

A familiar face across the BBC’s flagship news programmes, Breakfast, One, Six, Ten and Radio 5 Live, Natalie has reported from four World Cups, four Olympic Games and four Commonwealth Games, often co‑anchoring live on location. Her engaging, versatile style has made her a go‑to presenter, including stints on BBC Breakfast sport and the Today programme on Radio 4.

She began her broadcasting career on Grandstand in 2003, before a decade at ITN and Setanta Sports News, returning to the BBC in 2013. Over the past 20 years she has covered more cup finals than she can count, England men’s Euros campaigns, the Lionesses’ historic Euro 2022 triumph, World Cups in South Africa, Brazil, Russia and Qatar, and some of the defining Olympic moments of our time, including London 2012’s unforgettable Super Saturday.

Natalie is also known for her reporting on the tougher side of sport, from athlete mistreatment in gymnastics to football’s link with dementia and the rise of online abuse. She has interviewed many of the world’s biggest sporting names, Sir David Beckham, Sir Lewis Hamilton, Cristiano Ronaldo, Simone Biles and countless others.

Away from the camera, she’s a committed mentor, working with the BBC and organisations such as Kick It Out to help create a better industry for young women. She has hosted events for brands including Mastercard and Women in Football. At home, she’s married with two daughters, and when she’s not juggling family life or watching sport, you’ll likely find her lifting weights or attempting to master a reformer Pilates machine.