STARTING his career as a stand-up comedian, finishing as a runner-up at the BBC Comedy Awards and starring in a short film with Judi Dench, Nat Coombs decided to follow his heart and make the switch to broadcast. 

A career that has spanned over 15 years, covering mainly US sports and football, Coombs is one of the most recognisable faces across the industry. But his mindset is still very much the same as it was when he first started. 

His secret to success comes from being resilient, a willingness to learn, and loving what he does. I spoke with Nat about his career and the advice he would give to anyone that is looking to pursue a career in media.

How did your career start?
It’s no secret that I started out as a stand-up comedian. I was very much involved in the pub circuit, doing one-man shows to a handful of people in a back room. When I actually think back to those moments, it was really important for my career going forward as it enabled me to think on my feet more, gain confidence doing sketches in front of a live audience. 

I did end up doing it professionally, I was in my early 20s and in the right time at the right place and an agent spotted me. Ended up doing a few things on radio and TV but truth be told, my heart was always in the media. 

I loved US sports from a really young age. We didn’t have satellite or cable then so you watched what was in front of you. I loved the pop culture of the US, the sitcoms, Eddie Murphy Raw and just fell in love with sports such as baseball and basketball. One day I just turned the NFL on and that was it, I just knew.

You have experience in writing and broadcast, which do you prefer?
I feel blessed to have access to both worlds. Obviously as mentioned my time doing stand-up really helped prepare me for live broadcast. Thinking on my feet, acting quickly, etc. I now work with the broadcast team for the British Basketball League on Sky Sports, which is such an amazing experience. 

I have a show on talkSPORT 2 called Going Global, covering more global sports and interesting topics. I still cover the NFL and I also used to write for a few newspapers and also provided video content for Goal.com.

In my early days I presented for ESPN with Kelly Cates and did a World Cup show for The Guardian, so I cover a host of things.

I’m a big football fan and support West Ham, so the passion for football will always be there as it is for sports such as the NFL and basketball.

What difficulties have you faced and what advice would you give others?
With anything in life, you will face hardships and difficult times. I would say that I have been quite blessed in terms of my career. It’s normal to face setbacks and sometimes when looking back, if those particular opportunities didn’t work out then they just weren’t meant for you. 

My advice to anyone thinking about taking up a career in media? Keep learning. There is always something to learn. Be eager, show willingness. Be professional and polite at all times. You need a thick skin for this industry.

Ask for help.

What’s your take on the current state of the BBL and the WBBL?
Basketball — generationally it is a significant sport. It’s no secret that the sport itself needs more money to come into the game and then spread across grassroots, BBL, and WBBL teams.

There needs to be more of a spotlight on the great work that is done within the community. A lot of this work goes unnoticed and needs to be enhanced. It will attract more eyes to the sport, more players and will benefit commercial partners. 

Collaborations between content creators and bloggers, so many doing their bit to enhance the sport. They are so important for the game. We need to get people to tune into the BBL player and other streaming services plus Sky Sports.

Not just your hardcore fan but we need to attract fans outside of the sport. It is such an enthralling and exciting game, we need people from all generations to fall in love with it.

Favorite BBL team?
Hmm, no comment.

Stand-out BBL Player?
Drew Lasker!