Natalie Pinkham is British sports television presenter, who's currently hosting Channel 4's Adrenaline Rush and David Beckham's Soccer USA on FIVE.

Biography

Pinkham was born to barrister mother Joy, and millionaire estate agent and property developer John, who specialises in Croatia - her parents presently live in Northampton. Natalie and her older DJ brother Sam, who presents the breakfast show for Heart 106 in Nottingham, were raised at the family home in Northants. Pinkham was educated at Queenswood boarding school with now Sky Sports presenter and friend Georgie Thompson; and then as a day girl at Rugby School, before reading politics at the University of Nottingham.

After graduation, she joined Endemol as a researcher on BBC Two's Ready Steady Cook, and then as an assistant producer on International King of Sports. She then worked for IMG/TWI as an assistant producer on Superstars.


Career

Pinkham started out by hosting the Isle of Man TT races for Men and Motors, reported from the Tennis Masters Cup in the United States for Sky Sports, and fronted Chelsea F.C.'s Blues News. Pinkham co-hosted ITV4's World Cuppa with Virgin Radio's Christian O'Connell and BBC Radio Five Live's Steve Bunce during the 2006 FIFA World Cup; whilst also presenting an internet World Cup show for Nobok Sports site. In recent years Pinkham has also hosted the International Rugby Awards with Joel Stransky in 2004; the SALSA fashion show in 2004 with Craig Doyle; GOAL's Aura of Asia fundraising event with Liz Bonnin in 2005, and Extreme Sports Channel's coverage of the Euro Beach Soccer League and the Beach Soccer World Cup Draw with Eric Cantona in 2006.

Pinkham has become a specialist poker presenter, becoming the face of The Poker Channel for the past two years - hosting the British Poker Open, the World Cup of Poker, The Scandinavian Poker Awards with Mads Mikkleson in 2007; and a How to Play Poker DVD for Virgin Games. She also pens interviews with some of the world's top pros, and filmed the European Poker Tour for Challenge TV and Eurosport.

Scheduled to present Heart 106.2's Friday evening show from January 2008, on 7th January 2008 it was officially announced that she would be competing in ITV1's Dancing on Ice, partnered with Russian Andrei Lipanov and being taught to skate by ice legends Torvill and Dean. Pinkham was reported to earn £35,000 for taking part, but exited in Week2 on the 20 January 2008 after a skate-off with ex-Blue Peter presenter Tim Vincent.

Personal life

Pinkham met ex-England rugby team captain Matt Dawson, when he was 22 year old student sports teacher at a local school near Rugby. They shared a long term relationship through her University studies, and during the start of his professional rugby career from 1996. Dawson introduced Pinkham to Prince Harry, who she was scheduled to look after with Clive Woodward's wife Jane during the 1999 Rugby World Cup. Pinkham and Dawson later broke up, she suggests because they were too young when they originally met.

It was during this time that Pinkham and the Prince became good friends, and it is reported that the Prince reportedly became infatuated with her. In 2004, Pinkham joined the Prince on a safari holiday in Botswana. After the Prince started dating South African Chelsy Davy, old private pictures of the Prince fondling Pinkham's breasts emerged, and paparazzi photographs were taken of the Prince kissing Pinkham in London. Although repeatedly linked romantically to the Prince, Pinkham successfully sued for damages and retrevial of the earlier stolen private photographs, has always denied any romantic liaison and states the only woman in the Prince's life is Davy.

Having bought her first flat in Fulham in September 2004, Pinkham moved to a new development on the south side of Wandsworth Bridge in May 2006. After briefly dating England cricketer Kevin Pietersen after she and Dawson split, in January 2008 Pinkham ironically moved in to the apartment below Pietersen and his new wife, Liberty X singer Jessica Taylor, the week after Pietersen and Taylor had married.

Pinkham's friends include fellow television presenters Georgie Thompson, Liz Bonnin and Di Stewart.