Biographies

Hannah Wilkes: The Remarkable Rise from Sky Sports Runner to Leading British Broadcaster

Hannah Wilkes has built an impressive broadcasting career through patience, practical skill and years of work behind the camera. Best known as a Sky Sports presenter, she now covers football, cricket, American football and other major events for television audiences across Britain.

She entered Sky through university work experience, continued as a runner and learned how live programmes worked from the production floor.

Today, she hosts Sky Sports Breakfast, contributes to Transfer Deadline Day and presents leading coverage of the NFL and The Hundred.

Hannah Wilkes Quick Bio

DetailAnswer
Professional nameHannah Wilkes
Formal name in company recordsHannah Jane Sheppard
BirthJuly 1990
Age36 in August 2026
NationalityBritish
ResidenceLondon, England
BirthplaceNot disclosed
EthnicityNot disclosed
ProfessionSports presenter, journalist and event host
EmployerSky Sports
EducationCommunications and Media Studies, Loughborough University
Journalism trainingNCTJ professional sports journalism qualification
HusbandNot independently confirmed
ChildrenOne daughter, Lily
Parents and siblingsNot disclosed
Height and weightNot verified
ReligionNot disclosed
Net worth and salaryNot disclosed
Former companyTall Girl Media Ltd

Who Is Hannah Wilkes?

She is a British presenter with experience in television production, journalism, radio and live events. Her main work is with Sky Sports News, Sky Sports NFL and Sky Sports Cricket.

Her professional surname remains Wilkes, although Companies House records connected with her former business use the name Hannah Jane Sheppard. Earlier filings used Wilkes before the formal details changed in 2021.

Age, Birthplace, Nationality and Personal Background

Official company records give her birth month as July 1990 and confirm that she is British. She turned 36 in July 2026. Her exact day of birth and birthplace have not been released by the presenter, Sky Sports, her university or her representative.

She lives and works in London. Her ethnicity and religious beliefs remain private, and no firm evidence supports claims about either subject. Her on-air delivery uses clear British English with a polished broadcast style, although her precise regional accent has not been formally defined.

Details about her parents, siblings and childhood schools are also unavailable. Her early story becomes clearer during her university years, when she began turning a strong interest in media into practical broadcasting experience.

Hannah Wilkes Education and Early Broadcasting Experience

Wilkes studied Communications and Media Studies at Loughborough University, earning First-Class Honours according to her professional account. She chose the course because of its focus on media, culture and communication, as well as the university’s respected academic standing.

Student Media at Loughborough

She became active in Loughborough Students’ Media and LSUTV. Student television allowed her to practise presenting, editing, planning and production in a working media setting. She also served as an assistant station manager and spent part of her second year studying abroad.

She later completed an NCTJ professional sports journalism qualification while developing her career.

How Hannah Wilkes Started Her Career

Her professional journey began with two weeks of Sky Sports work experience in July 2010, between her second and third university years. The placement went well, and she continued working as a runner during weekends and university holidays.

After graduation, she joined Sky permanently. She became a production junior in June 2011 and remained in that role until May 2013. Her duties included research, preparing footage, checking statistics and assisting teams working in studios and production galleries.

London 2012 Experience

During the London 2012 Olympic Games, she worked as a sports presenter covering rhythmic gymnastics and badminton. The assignment gave her early experience within a huge international event while she was still learning the wider television business.

Hannah Wilkes Career at Sky Sports

From Assistant Producer to Reporter

In May 2013, she advanced to assistant producer. She helped plan programmes, prepare content and support live broadcasts. She also became involved with Game Changers, a children’s sports programme that introduced young audiences to activities ranging from football and rugby to dance and martial arts.

In September 2016, her position expanded into an assistant producer and reporter role. She covered the Netball Superleague, equestrian events and NFL programming while gaining more regular opportunities in front of the camera.

Radio Work with talkSPORT

Between 2018 and 2021, she also worked as a freelance talkSPORT presenter. Her programmes included Early Sports Breakfast, Sportsday and the talkSPORT 2 breakfast show. In 2021, she helped anchor the station’s coverage of the British and Irish Lions tour.

Radio required her to explain sporting stories without television pictures. It sharpened her interviewing, timing and ability to keep a live discussion moving during breaking developments.

Women’s Sport and Pandemic Programming

During the pandemic, she fronted Cancelled: Women’s Sport and the Impact of Covid-19 live from her living room. She also worked on The Check In, Women’s Sport Debate: The Reaction and Rise With Us.

These projects explored disrupted competitions, athlete wellbeing, fitness and equality. Guests included Hannah Cockroft, Alice Liveing, Hollie Doyle and Katy Daley-McLean. The programmes widened her role beyond scores and match results by focusing on the human experiences behind elite sport.

Becoming a Full-Time Presenter

She moved into a full-time Sky Sports presenting position in September 2021. She later became a familiar face on Sky Sports News, hosting Good Morning Sports Fans before it was relaunched as Sky Sports Breakfast in August 2025.

She now hosts Sky Sports Breakfast from Thursday to Saturday and contributes to Lunchtime Live and Transfer Deadline Day. The position demands fast reactions, accurate delivery and the ability to handle stories from many sports during one programme.

NFL, Her Huddle and Major Events

American football has become one of her strongest areas. She presents Sky’s flagship Sunday NFL coverage, conducts interviews and works at international games in London, Berlin and Dublin. She has covered at least three Super Bowls, combining studio presentation, pitch-side work and behind-the-scenes features.

At Super Bowl LVII in Arizona, she interviewed major figures including Travis Kelce, Dak Prescott, Aaron Jones and Tyler Lockett. She has also hosted NFL fan events, including a Battersea Power Station gathering attended by more than 20,000 people.

Why Her Huddle Matters

Wilkes created and presented the award-winning Her Huddle, a programme and podcast centred on women involved in American football. It featured coaches, players, executives, broadcasters and content creators.

Cricket, Netball, Equestrian Sport and Nineball

Since 2023, she has presented The Hundred for Sky Sports Cricket. Her work covers both the men’s and women’s tournaments at venues across England and Wales. She has also contributed to coverage of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.

Her wider sporting work includes netball, showjumping, tenpin bowling and the World Nineball Tour. This range demonstrates her ability to study unfamiliar subjects, interview specialists and serve audiences with different levels of sporting knowledge.

Husband, Daughter and Private Family Life

Secondary websites name Jonathon Sheppard as her husband, but no strong first-party source confirms his identity, profession or their wedding date. The use of Hannah Jane Sheppard in company documents supports a surname change, though it does not establish every detail of her marriage.

Her verified Instagram biography confirms that she has one daughter named Lily. Wilkes shares only selected parts of motherhood and protects her child’s wider identity. Lily’s complete name, birthday and father’s identity have not been confirmed through dependable material.

Height, Weight, Salary and Net Worth

Her height and weight have never been authenticated. The name of her former company, Tall Girl Media, is not evidence of a physical measurement.

Her Sky Sports salary is also private. Event agencies give a typical booking range of £2,000 to £5,000 for local appearances, but this is a guide for individual engagements rather than annual earnings.

Her income comes from Sky employment, event hosting, conference moderation, speaking work and earlier radio presenting. There is no credible calculation of her net worth, so precise figures found on entertainment websites should not be treated as facts.

Business Venture and Professional Representation

Wilkes incorporated Tall Girl Media Ltd in May 2018. The private company covered television programming and broadcasting activities, with Wilkes serving as director and controlling owner. It was voluntarily dissolved in December 2022. The closure does not indicate wrongdoing.

She signed with RIVA Media in 2025. The agency represents her for awards ceremonies, corporate events, keynote talks and moderation work, adding another professional strand to her television career.

Latest News and Hannah Wilkes’ Growing Legacy

In March 2026, she hosted the NCTJ Awards for Excellence at Brighton Dome, celebrating emerging journalists and stronger female participation in sports journalism training. During summer 2026, she continued presenting The Hundred before returning to Sky Sports News in August.

Her legacy is still developing because her broadcasting career remains active. Even so, she has already shown how production experience can lead to a trusted on-screen role. Her work across television, radio, podcasts and live events reflects unusual versatility.

More importantly, Her Huddle and her coverage of women’s sport have given athletes and media professionals a stronger voice. Hannah Wilkes has earned her position through steady progress, careful preparation and a clear commitment to making sports broadcasting welcoming for a wider audience.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who is Hannah Wilkes?

Hannah Wilkes is a British sports presenter and journalist. She works for Sky Sports, covering football, cricket, the NFL and other major sporting events.

2. How old is Hannah Wilkes?

She was born in July 1990. She turned 36 in July 2026, although her exact birthday has not been disclosed.

3. Who are Hannah Wilkes’ parents?

She has not shared the names, occupations or personal backgrounds of her parents.

4. Is Hannah Wilkes married?

Company records use the name Hannah Jane Sheppard, indicating a surname change. Some websites name Jonathon Sheppard as her husband, but this has not been independently confirmed.

5. Does Hannah Wilkes have any siblings?

She has not disclosed whether she has any brothers or sisters. No dependable source confirms details about her siblings.

Celebrityfigures.co.uk

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