ANNOUNCER John McDonald is the voice of darts, building up the excitement and tension before the players step up to the oche.
Here we take a look at the fan favourite‘s life, career and family.
GettyJohn McDonald has spent 30 years behind the microphone[/caption]
Who is John McDonald?
John McDonald was born in London on August 7, 1960.
The prominent sports announcer is best known for his work with the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC).
He has been the master of ceremonies for the PDC since February 2007, taking over the role from the legendary Phil Jones.
John’s distinctive voice and boxing-style announcements have become a hallmark of major darts tournaments.
Paratrooper
Before his career as an announcer, John served as a paratrooper in the British army.
However, an accident led him to change his career path, initially working as a freelance photographer between 1982 and 1994.
But wishing to work in the world of sports, John decided to put his vocal prowess to work and become a master of ceremonies.
During his glittering announcing career, he has worked in boxing, snooker, pool and bowling — he even reportedly introduced the anglers at the Fishing World Championships.
Darts
His debut in darts came during an event called The Showdown in November 2004 — a one-off special match between Andy Fordham and Phil Taylor at the Circus Tavern, Purfleet, Essex.
He subsequently worked on the 2005 World Matchplay and the 2006 Premier League before becoming the PDC’s full-time announcer.
John works for Sky Sports and ITV, covering competitions all over the UK, while his roles with Matchroom and the PDC have taken him to massive sporting events all over the world
John’s first World Darts Championship as the PDC announcer was in 2008.
Is John McDonald Married?
Regarding his personal life, John is indeed married.
He and his wife have four sons together.
But he prefers to keep his family out of the public spotlight, so little other information is currently available.
GettyJohn is married and with four sons[/caption]
Charity
Beyond his announcing career, John has been engaged in various charitable activities.
He has been particularly involved with thos supporting British paratroopers.
John is also a co-founder of a non-profit, as indicated by his social X/Twitter profile, which reads: “Husband and father and grandad, former paratrooper and PDC Mc .co founder of http://futurepathway.co.uk.”
Future Pathway provides fully-funded educational course for veterans and their families, as well as sports men and women both active and retired.
Engagement with fans
John’s popularity extends beyond his live announcing work.
He offers personalised video messages through platforms like Memmo.
This means fans can request custom greetings, birthday wishes or shoutouts featuring John’s unique vocal delivery.