OLI BELL is familiar to horse racing fans as the fresh-faced presenter of The Opening Show – and will be again be covering the Cheltenham Festival for ITV.
An expert on all things racing and a natural in front of the camera, Bell also hosted a popular podcast with footballer Charlie Austin.
Oli Bell will be on presenting duties at the Grand National Festival for ITV Racing
Bell used to date glam ITV Racing presenter Francesca Cuman
But it was for another reason the well-spoken presenter made headlines not so long ago, after it was revealed he had split from fellow ITV host Francesca Cumani.
It was then reported that he was dating jockey, Hayley Turner, before she went public with a romance with fellow rider Nick Scholfied.
Bell, whose uncle owns racehorses, was also once jokingly called ‘a lunatic’ by the late Queen when the pair crossed paths at Royal Ascot in 2017.
And least we mention the £30,000 he won playing poker…
A great all-rounder popular with punters all over the world, we take a look at the rise and rise of Oli Bell.
Ahead of the 2020 Cheltenham Festival, Oli and Francesca called it quits on their romance.
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It must have had TV bosses sweating – but the pair remained professional and never missed a beat sharing hosting duties on channel three.
They began dating in 2018 after Cumani – the daughter of Italian-born trainer Luca Cumani – separated from Australian polo player Rob Archibald.
After Oli and Francesca broke up, he was rumoured to have got close to renowned jockey Turner.
The pair were friends before, and never confirmed whether they were in a relationship or not.
Turner regularly rides for Oli’s uncle, Derby-winning trainer Michael Bell, and is a trailblazer of her own right on the Flat racing scene.
After a two year romance, Bell and Cumani called it quits
The pair remained cordial to work alongside each other at last year’s Cheltenham Festival
In 2017, Oli, whose dad Rupert is also a sports broadcaster, was overcome with joy when his uncle scored a winner at Royal Ascot with Big Orange.
Completely forgetting his reporting duties, he sprinted after the horse once it passed the finishing line, dropping his mic in the process to celebrate victory.
The next day, Oli was in the paddock interviewing the trainers before each race, when he got a tap on the shoulder from John Warren, the Queen’s racing adviser, who told him there was someone he’d like him to meet.
Minutes later, Oli saw Queen Elizabeth II walking towards his direction and they were introduced.
“You’re the lunatic that ran on the track yesterday?,” she said him to which Oli replied, “Yes I am!”
“It was like having a dream,” Oli later said. “It was just completely bonkers.”
SCHOOL DROPOUT
Broadcasting was always going to be Oli’s calling.
From the age of 15, he showed he had a flair for presenting – hosting the breakfast show on his high school’s radio station.
A year later, aged just 16, he worked as a live radio reporter at the Burghley Horse Trials, then covered the British Touring Car Championships, as well as the Land Rover G4 Challenge.
At 18, Oli left school and soon scored a job as an editorial assistant with Racing UK, covering major events including the Grand National.
Three years overseas working for Sky Australia broadened Oli’s sporting experience, before he returned to the UK with Racing UK and then a job with ITV in 2019.
RICH PICKINGS
A keen sportsman, Oli loves football and cricket – and plays the latter for the Newmarket Racing XI team.
He also played semi-professional football in Australia, while he worked there.
But it’s poker that is another of Oli’s passions.
For a year of his life, he joined a semi-professional poker circuit and competed in a number of events – one winning very big.
“Poker was my vice in my younger days,” he once revealed. “I used to play in some big tournaments, once winning £30,000.”
How he’d love another winner like that at this week’s Cheltenham Festival…
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Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Celeb Report. 18+. T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chases their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Celeb Report. 18+. T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chase their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org
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