BBC SPORT NI PRESENTER STEPHEN WATSON APPOINTED MBE

Stephen Watson, a BBC Sport NI presenter, has been appointed an MBE in the King's Birthday Honours list. The honour recognises his services to broadcasting and kidney transplant awareness and fundraising in Northern Ireland. Watson said the appointment "has come as a great surprise" to him and described himself as "truly honoured and humbled" by the recognition.

Watson graduated from Queen's University with a politics degree before beginning his broadcasting career at UTV and joining BBC Northern Ireland in 1999. He has presented coverage of FIFA World Cups, Olympic Games, Rugby World Cups and Ryder Cups, and reported extensively on golfer Rory McIlroy's career, including his back-to-back Masters wins at Augusta National over the past two years. For nearly three decades, Watson has covered sporting events across Northern Ireland, including the North West 200 motorcycle road race, senior men's international football matches, Ulster rugby matches and the Irish Cup final.

Beyond broadcasting, Watson has undergone two kidney transplants and dedicated significant time to fundraising for charities including Northern Ireland Kidney Research, Kidney Care UK and the Children's Kidney Fund NI. He hosts annual events highlighting the work of the Regional Nephrology and Transplant Service at Belfast City Hospital and volunteers with Age NI, sharing sports stories with older people across the region. Watson stated that the recognition provides an opportunity to continue raising awareness of kidney disease and transplantation.