Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has announced Helen Trappelides as the winner of the 2025 Young Female Broadcaster of the Year competition, ahead of the Women’s England v India Metro Bank ODI at Lord’s.
The initiative, supported by Sky Sports and the cricket charity Take Her Lead, is aimed at increasing opportunities for young women in sports broadcasting and identifying the next generation of female voices in cricket media.
Helen Trappelides, a 20-year-old English Literature student at the University of Warwick, impressed the judging panel with her passion, storytelling skills, and growing experience in sports journalism. She writes for student newspaper The Boar, serves as Publicity and Campaigns Officer for the university cricket club, and represents the club in BUCS Midlands Tier 1 matches.
“I’m incredibly grateful and honoured to be named the 2025 MCC Young Female Broadcaster of the Year,” said Trappelides. “I want to inform, excite, and inspire audiences with stories and analysis, while showing that your voice matters regardless of background.”
Sky Sports to host Trappelides at The Hundred Final
As part of her award, Helen will join the Sky Sports broadcast team for live coverage of The Hundred Final at Lord’s on Sunday, 31 August 2025. She also participated in live interviews with Sky Sports Cricket and BBC Test Match Special alongside 2024 winner Regina Suddahazai and MCC CMO Katie Maier.
The judging panel featured top figures from across cricket broadcasting: Bryan Henderson (Sky Sports), Isa Guha (Take Her Lead), Georgie Heath, Alison Mitchell, Mark Nicholas (MCC Chair), and Katie Maier (MCC).
Runners-up gain behind-the-scenes access at Lord’s
MCC also celebrated five talented runners-up: Lara Davies, Sharon Akrofi, Syeda Rizvi, Polly Starkie, and Catherine Johnson. All were invited to Lord’s for an exclusive behind-the-scenes experience including:
- A tour of the iconic Barclays Media Centre
- Access to the Sky Sports commentary box with Mel Jones
- Sessions with Take Her Lead, founder Isa Guha, and 2024 winner Regina Suddahazai
- A broadcasting workshop with Georgie Heath and a future virtual session with Alison Mitchell
“This initiative isn’t just about creating opportunities — it’s about breaking down barriers so the next generation of female broadcasters can lead with confidence,” said Mel Jones, Take Her Lead Patron.
Women’s cricket sees continued momentum at Lord’s
The announcement comes during a time of rapid growth for women’s and girls’ cricket. In 2024, Lord’s hosted 15 women’s match days, and in 2026, it will host its first-ever women’s Test between England and India—followed by the ICC Women’s World Cup final.
While representation in sports journalism is improving, recent NCTJ data shows that only 20% of registrants in sports journalism courses in 2023/24 were female—still short of the 25% target. The competition aims to help close that gap.
“There’s strong interest from young women in sports media. This competition highlights just how much talent is out there,” said MCC’s Katie Maier.
Bryan Henderson of Sky Sports added: “We’re delighted to welcome Helen to our team at The Hundred Final. Thank you to MCC and Take Her Lead for such an inspiring competition.”
