Philip Douglas Gifford ONZM (born 1947) is a New Zealand sportswriter and broadcaster.[1] He had his own rugby radio show Front Row on Radio Sport from 8 to 10am on Saturdays. He writes a weekly column in the country's highest circulation weekend paper, The Sunday Star-Times, and is a contributing editor to North & South magazine. He created the satirical rugby character Loosehead Len in 1973, and has seven books under that name.[2]
Phil Gifford | |
|---|---|
 Gifford in 2024 | |
| Born | Philip Douglas Gifford 1947 (age 76–77) New Zealand |
| Career | |
| Station | Newstalk ZB |
| Time slot | Weekday Afternoons |
| Country | New Zealand |
Gifford has written rugby best-sellers including his book on Alex Wyllie, Grizz, The Legend (1991, ISBN 0908630360), which has sold 30,000 copies, making it the biggest-selling New Zealand sports book of the 1990s.[3] He co-hosted a top rating breakfast show with Simon Barnett. Barnett and Gifford hosted the breakfast show on 91ZM Christchurch between 1992 and 1997 before being enticed to work on opposition station 92 More FM for a large sum of money. Gifford continued to co-host breakfast on More FM, Christchurch until 2003 when he moved to Radio Sport. 91ZM Christchurch was a top rating station in Christchurch when he and Barnett hosted breakfast and More FM Christchurch enjoyed the top rating spot in the years following this. In 2019, Gifford rejoined Simon Barnett on Newstalk ZB Weekday Afternoons until mid 2021.
In 2002, he won a celebrity special of The Weakest Link raising $9600 for a nominated charity.
Gifford writes a music column for Auckland magazine North & South.
In the 2024 New Year Honours, Gifford was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to broadcasting and sports journalism.[4]
References
edit- ^ "Loosehead Len's sale kicks property prices into touch". New Zealand Herald. 3 May 2006. Retrieved 2 August 2009.
- ^ "Phil Gifford at Orewa Library". Rodney District Council. Archived from the original on 2 June 2010. Retrieved 2 August 2009.
- ^ "Phil Gifford". Talent On Line Entertainment Network. 2013. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
- ^ "New Year Honours 2024: the full list". The New Zealand Herald. 30 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
External links
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