Eddie Hemmings (rugby league)

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Eddie Hemmings presents Sky Sports rugby league coverage, and is also the channel's main commentator for the sport. Hailing from Cheshire, United Kingdom, Hemmings is usually partnered by the idiosyncratic co-commentator Mike Stephenson.

Hemmings was a sports reporter/commentator on BBC Radio 2 in the 1980s. Hemmings and Stephenson actually first met up for commentary duties at the station; Stephenson was invited to be Hemmings' summariser during Great Britain's tour of Australia in 1988.

Hemmings joined now defunct UK satellite broadcaster BSB as the anchorman/commentator for its rugby league coverage at the network's launch in 1990. Stephenson was brought in to be Hemmings' regular sidekick. The pairing were kept together when BSB and Sky Television merged to form BSkyB; the combined satellite TV network inherited BSB's rugby league TV contract.

Hemmings is still the main caller for nearly all live Super League matches broadcast on Sky Sports; he commentates on the two matches broadcast live each week, plus all the play-offs and Grand Final matches. He also commentates on all the international matches involving the Great Britain national team.

Hemmings has been accused through the years of being biased towards Super League teams from the Cheshire/Lancashire area (St Helens, Warrington and Widnes) in his commentaries on matches involving one of those teams, due to his links to the region. However, most sports commentators around the world are accused of showing commentary bias towards a particular team.