‘The only rider I’d heard of was Lance Armstrong’: Ned Boulting on learning the craft, confronting Big Tex, and that ‘yellow jumper’ gaffe

Reporter, presenter, commentator, podcaster, writer, editor, columnist, pundit, performer – Ned Boulting wears more hats than Hedda Hopper. Born in Bedford in 1969, Boulting studied languages at Cambridge and ended up working on Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday after years trying to make it as an actor in Germany. After joining ITV in 2001 as a football reporter, Boulting’s big break came two years later when he was despatched to cover the 100th Tour de France.

Knowing very little about cycling – he famously called the maillot jaune ‘the yellow jumper’ – Boulting emerged unscathed from Lance Armstrong’s fifth reign in yellow. Boulting covered 22 more Tours for ITV – latterly alongside David Millar – before ITV lost the broadcasting rights. This July he returned to the Tour with his podcast ‘For the Love of Cycling’. He is a passionate Londoner, darts aficionado and self-confessed “terrible tourist”.