Luxe lowdown

THE LUXE LOWDOWN: DAVID JONES

David Jones is the face of Sky Sports Premier League. He features on our televisions most weekends from the studio or pitchside, and his hometown is a little closer to home than we thought. As a Non-Executive Director at Sunderland AFC and a fellow Stokesley School pupil, he jumps at the chance to talk all things North East. Elysia Fryer gets the lowdown…

GETTING TO KNOW YOU >> Name: David Jones Title: Premier League Presenter for Sky Sports - Super Sunday and Monday Night Football. Non-Executive Director of Sunderland AFC Where is home? I live in South West London with my partner Julie, son Oskar (9) and Beagle Rocco. Three reasons you love where you live? We are only 20 minutes from the centre of London and all it has to offer, but we are also surrounded by the green spaces of Clapham Common, Tooting Common and Wandsworth Common. Plus, Dulwich Park and Wimbledon Common are only a short drive away. Balham has a real village feel to it, so we’ve definitely got the best of both worlds.

THE DAY JOB >> What do you do for a living? I present Sky Sports Premier League coverage and this is my fifth season presenting the Super Sunday and Monday Night Football shows. A day in the life of you? The day always starts at around 7am with Oskar. Later on, I might be out walking the dog, meeting friends for coffee, a beer or a glass of wine, playing golf or heading into town for dinner. When I’m not working I try to see as much of my son as I can. We always try and eat together and find some time in the evening to relax with some TV or a good book. notes, prepping for my shows, or on a train to Manchester where I spend a lot of time on location, or to Sunderland when I get the chance. Any ongoing or upcoming projects we should know about? The lockdowns haven’t really affected me too much when it comes to work as football has continued. I realise how lucky I am in that sense. What does downtime mean to you? Getting outside and breathing in some fresh air. I exercise as much as possible, be it walking, jogging, golf or on the peloton. I find it all very good for my mental health as well as my physical health. I also get a lot of joy from reading, but in my normal working week, I find it hard to give myself that time to switch off completely.

LESSONS IN LIFE >> What did you want to be when you were growing up? I probably saw the job I’m doing now as my dream job. From a young age I was smart enough to work out that If I’m working, I am likely to be buried in

I wasn’t going to make it as a professional sportsman, which was my first plan, but I’ve managed to carve a career in sport, which has been really rewarding for me. What is the most important lesson life has taught you? You get out of life what you are prepared to put into it. I try to drill into my son that nothing in life will come to him on a plate, you have to work for your opportunities. What is your greatest fear? Death. Next question. Seriously though, we only get one crack at this, so I try not to waste a single minute. What is your most treasured possession? I couldn’t cope without my AirPods for phone calls, which make the many long journeys to Sunderland more bearable. I’m not one for fancy cars, but I do have some nice bottles of wine in hiding. What does the weekend mean to you? During the season, coaching my son’s U10 team, watching Sunderland, then often saying goodbye to the family and jumping on a train to Manchester. Out of season, papers, coffee, exercise and fresh air with the family. Oh, and big dinners with friends, and loads of wine! A memorable holiday? Too many to mention. I’m a huge believer in big holidays. Last January, we took advantage of a weekend off (for the FA Cup) to have 10 days in Sri Lanka. Amazing beaches, fantastic food, loads of interesting wildlife and incredible weather. Who would be your top three dinner guests? Barack Obama, Tony Blair and Prince Harry - and tell them all that whatever they said would stay in the room. That would be some seriously good gossip! The last place you ate? We took some friends to The Arts Club in Mayfair for a birthday dinner. The last book you read? I’ve just finished Such A Fun Age by Riley Reid, which I loved. It’s a whip-smart novel that tackles themes of race and privilege in the US. I also enjoyed American Dirt by Jeanine Cummings, which is a very readable but harrowing tale about escaping a Mexican cartel. The last thing you listened to? I listen to loads of football podcasts, but this morning I’m listening to the Hamilton soundtrack - it was also the last play I saw at the theatre. The last thing you watched? We are really enjoying The Undoing on Sky at the moment, but it’s still not quite on the same level as Succession, which I thought was just brilliant. Three luxe things in life? Family dog walks, steak on the BBQ and a bottle of Bordeaux.