Durban — Melissa Reddy has turned "imaginary sports shows" in her grandparents lounge into a reputable career in journalism and has recently landed a Senior Reporter position in the United Kingdom's Sky Sports channel.
Reddy shared the news on her Instagram on Sunday as she expressed her delight in taking a huge step up in her career.
"Granny did always say ‘reach for the sky…’ I took it literally in a work sense and will be starting as a Senior Reporter for Sky Sports tomorrow," she said.
A little how it started versus how it’s going transition 😊
— Melissa Reddy (@MelissaReddy_) March 21, 2022
Begin a new role as Senior Reporter for @SkySports, @SkySportsNews today.
With breaking news, exclusive interviews, special reports, investigations, long-form, and match analysis both to read and on your TV screens pic.twitter.com/GeHEBRssMf
“Properly excited for what lies ahead, and grateful for everything that came before – even the setbacks and shut doors (of which there have been plenty!)."
“Huge thanks for sticking with me and supporting my work.”
The Johannesburg born football journalist's reputation speaks volumes having previously been the Deputy Editor of Kickoff Magazine in an industry that was previously associated with male dominance.
“Trying to enter that realm as a young, foreign, female of colour was challenging for a variety of reasons, not least because it is not what people are used to. I had to work so much harder, take so many more losses, show the most persistence and focus possible. I had to prove myself over every day, but every day also felt like a new opportunity," she previously told Gsport.com.
Reddy seems to enjoy breaking boundaries as she was the first to feature as a football analyst on SuperSport’s shows titled ‘Backpages’ and ‘Monday Night Football’.
Melissa also has TV appearances in Sky Sports News and the BBC’s Premier League Show under her belt.
One of Reddy's biggest highlights of her career is her book, named Believe Us. The book is a detailed analysis of how Jurgen Klopp was able to turn her beloved Liverpool into a title winning machine.
Her relationship with Liverpool FC provides her with the perfect platform to jot down never heard before stories from within the club.
The 35 year old has immersed herself in the world of English Premier League football over the last ten years.
She has been working in elite football across platforms for over a decade. She has interviewed leading managers and players.
She prides herself on investigations and holding power to account. She is actively involved in off-pitch advancements and issues in football.
The former Senior Correspondent for the Independent possesses excellent tactical analysis on the modern game and has a knack for the exclusive.
IOL Sport