EVE MUIRHEAD grew up wanting to be like Rhona Martin. Now it’s Clare Balding, Hazel Irvine and Andrew Cotter that the 32 year-old is eager to emulate.
Retirement in August has opened up a raft of new opportunities for the Olympic curling champion and she has not been slow to seize upon them. She looks remarkably fresh and energised despite revealing she only got home at 4.30am having been away filming the Christmas edition of A League of Their Own.
She’s been on Countdown and A Question of Sport, met King Charles at a reception at Buckingham Palace, and been asked to attend numerous other award ceremonies. Her mission “not to just sit around watching daytime TV” after hanging up the broom was never in any danger.
It is not difficult to imagine this all-round sports fanatic eventually moving away from curling but, as she continues to craft a second career in broadcasting, she will continue to lean on the sport that made her a household name. To that end the reigning world champion will take a seat this week in the commentary box to lend her expert analysis to Eurosport and discovery+’s coverage of the European championships in Sweden.
Muirhead knows the sport inside-out but is aware that viewers will also expect her to bring snippets of personal insight about her former team-mates to illuminate the coverage. Perhaps criticism, too, if the situation calls for it. Unsurprisingly she does not intend to do any of it half-heartedly.
“To get the opportunity to be in the commentary box for Eurosport and discovery+ for the Europeans is fantastic and something I’m really passionate about,” she said. “I want to share my knowledge of the sport to a wider audience. People sometimes forget curling carries on away from the Winter Olympics.
“It’s going to be weird being on the other side but I’m looking forward to it. I’ve probably watched more curling since retiring than I did when I was playing. So I know exactly what’s going on. You just have to be honest with your comments, don’t you? Just say it as it is. I know people certainly did that when I was competing.”
The best broadcasters are said to be the ones who make the whole stressful business of live television look as traumatic as brushing their teeth. On that front Muirhead is not short of role models.
“I’ve always really admired Claire Balding,” said the Perth athlete. “Claire’s amazing. And you’ve got the likes of Andrew Cotter and Hazel Irvine too. I remember watching Hazel covering golf and curling back in the day. She was always on the ball all the time. Very, very professional.
“These guys always go over and beyond, they’re so prepared. They just seem to know everything about whatever they’re talking about at that time. You look at them, you admire them and you want to be like them. But I realise it’s not easy to look accomplished. So I’ll have to do my homework.
“I know the sport of curling and what’s happening but it’s more knowing the players as well. That’s what the viewers want. They want to know a bit about the team, the players, some insight into training methods. Hopefully I can bring that into my commentary.”
Muirhead is shrewd enough to appreciate that she has to strike now while her achievements in winning gold in Beijing in February is still fresh in people’s minds.
“It’s my choice to keep busy and it’s good busy,” she adds. “It wasn’t my plan to retire, sit at home and watch daytime TV. I’m awful at sitting still. I couldn’t tell you the last film I watched. That’s just not me.
“I’ve had lots of opportunities that would be silly to say no to right now as you’ll never get them again. I love hard work and I’m the kind of person who if I want to do something I do it to the best of my ability.”
The 2014 Olympic bronze medallist is also still adjusting to a life freed from the constraints of the demands of professional sport. It is daunting in many ways to be no longer led by a timetable drawn up for you but she is embracing her new-found freedom.
“It’s been hard adapting to not having a set routine,” she admits. “I don’t have to be at the gym at 6am, on the ice at 8am, or see the physio at 3pm. It’s more adapting to doing what I want to do when I can fit it in. That’s probably been the hardest thing so far.
“But if I’ve learned one lesson it’s to make sure I always have time for myself. I sit down at night to watch TV and I’m still replying to emails at 11 o’clock. I just can’t switch off as that’s what I’m used to doing. Before I used to curl all day then catch up with my admin at night. But I need to find an hour every day to do all that and then at night I can properly switch off. It’s just adapting to the change.
“Now that I’ve retired I can spend more time seeing my friends and family. For me, even just going out and having brunch and a catch-up is a chance to switch off and be in a different place and not worry about what I’m doing the next day.”
She hasn’t had time yet to miss curling but hasn’t ruled out joining her family on the ice at some point.
“The competing side of it I don’t really miss right now if I’m honest. That’s because I’m keeping busy away from the sport but also staying involved a bit with the commentary. It’s a good mix.
“I’d love to go back playing with my family again as that’s how I started curling. I remember turning up to play a club game just two weeks after the Olympics and everyone was saying, ‘why is Eve here?’. But I’ve not changed as a person. I’m still just Eve and will always be that person who still just plays for fun.”
Watch Britain's Winter Olympians compete in the European Curling Championships live and exclusive on Eurosport and discovery+ from 21st November. Eve is also nominated for Action Woman of the Year 2022 at tonight's BT Sport's Action Women Awards, which is live at 7pm on BT Sport 1.
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