Kelli Underwood | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1977 (age 47–48) |
| Alma mater | University of South Australia |
| Occupation | sports commentator |
| Years active | 2001–present |
| Employer(s) | Foxtel andAustralian Broadcasting Corporation |
| Known for | being the first woman to commentate anAFL match on television and radio |
| Television | Offsiders,The Back Page |
Kelli Louise UnderwoodOAM (born 1977)[1] is an Australian radio and televisionsports journalist andsportscaster specialising inAustralian rules football,netball andtennis.She was the first woman to call anAustralian Football League match on television and radio.[2][3]
Underwood was a host ofABC'sOffsiders and a regular panellist on theFox Sports programThe Back Page. She also calls AFL andAFLW football onFox Footy andABC Grandstand.[4]
After studying journalism at theUniversity of South Australia, Underwood's work began with an internship at Adelaide radio stationFIVEaa before a two-year period working at 5MU inMurray Bridge, South Australia.[5] She then worked atGeelong stationK-Rock before moving to3AW inMelbourne as a sports reporter and AFL match-day reporter.[5][6]
Underwood is part of theABC Radio Grandstand team, calling AFL games mainly on Friday nights.[7][8]
Underwood's move into television began in 2006 when she joinedNetwork 10 as a sports reporter forTen News andSports Tonight.[5] She joined Network Ten'sAFL coverage in 2009, replacingChristi Malthouse as a boundary rider.[5]
Underwood made history by becoming the first woman to call an AFL match on television, joiningTim Lane in commentary of the2009 NAB Cup game betweenGeelong and theAdelaide Crows.[9] She called her first AFL premiership season match on 18 July 2009—the Round 16 match betweenGeelong andMelbourne atKardinia Park withAnthony Hudson.[6] Underwood commentated for matches for Network Ten throughout 2009–10, both in the commentary box and at ground level through until the end of 2011.[10]
Underwood was a host and commentator of ANZ Championship Netball from 2008 until 2016, calling for Network Ten and later Fox Sports.[11]
In 2013, Underwood joined the revampedFox Sports panel showThe Back Page, which she continues to appear alongside hostTony Squires. Her work onThe Back Page and her interview programBreaking Ground earned her twoAstra Awards, including the 2015 award for Most Outstanding Female Presenter.[12]
In 2017, she called the AFLW on Fox Footy; being the station head caller for the competition, her role expanded in2020 when she returned calling AFL men's football on television.[13][14]
In February 2018, Underwood replacedGerard Whateley as host ofOffsiders after he resigned from the ABC.[15] In November 2024, Underwood announced her resignation from the show with her last show on 1 December.
Throughout her career, especially early on, Underwood has been subject to a large amount of criticism from viewers, which has been described as "disproportionate" and "gendered".[16][17][6]
becoming the first woman to call AFL on radio and television
she faced a barrage of gendered criticism...
Underwood received a disproportionate amount of criticism