Desmond Michael "Des" Lynam, OBE (17 September 1942) is an Irish-born British television and radio presenter based in the UK. In a broadcasting career spanning more than 40 years, he has hosted television coverage of many of the world's major sporting events, presenting Grandstand, Match of the Day, Wimbledon, The Grand National, Sportsnight, the Football World Cup and the Olympic Games, as well as presenting other non-sporting programmes such as Holiday, How Do They Do That? and Countdown. He also presented programmes on BBC Radio. Desmond Michael Lynam moved with his family to Brighton at the age of six. He recalled having a strong Irish accent at the time, but eventually lost it. He passed the eleven-plus in 1954, to attend Varndean Grammar School. After sitting his A-levels, he went into the insurance business, working as a salesman, where he remained for most of the 1960s. Lynam started his career in broadcasting as a freelance radio journalist, on BBC Radio Brighton (1968–1969).. …