Sky Sports Presenter's Surprise Stadium Appearance
Sky Sports F1 presenter Natalie Pinkham made a surprise public appearance at the Gtech Community Stadium on Sunday, watching Brentford's Premier League clash with Newcastle United alongside Formula 1 icon Daniel Ricciardo. This outing came just days after Pinkham confirmed she had to pull out of her presenting duties at the Brazilian Grand Prix as she continues her recovery from recent neck surgery.
Recovery and Revised F1 Schedules
Pinkham had been scheduled to travel to São Paulo for the weekend's Formula 1 event but informed her social media followers that her recovery had been more challenging than anticipated. "I had hoped to be on a flight to Brazil yesterday, but the last couple of months have been trickier than I expected following neck surgery; and I am not there just yet," she explained. This necessitated last-minute changes for the Sky Sports F1 team, with Craig Slater and Ted Kravitz handling Friday's coverage and Simon Lazenby flying out to take over from Saturday.
A Bee-liever's Delightful Victory
As a well-known Brentford supporter, Pinkham's trip to her home ground was rewarded with an entertaining comeback victory. Newcastle took a first-half lead through Harvey Barnes, but Brentford turned the game around after the break. Kevin Schade equalised with a header from a long throw-in. The match saw a controversial moment when Dango Ouattara was booked for an alleged dive, a decision upheld by VAR despite visible contact from Dan Burn. Burn was later sent off for a second foul on Ouattara, and Igor Thiago scored the resulting penalty. Rico Henry then made a crucial goal-line block to secure a 3-1 win for the Bees, much to the delight of Pinkham and her guests.
Also in the company was Pinkham's husband, Owain Walbyoff, and the recently retired Daniel Ricciardo. The Australian driver, who stepped away from the F1 grid in 2024, has since taken on a new role as a brand ambassador for Ford Racing, signalling an exciting new chapter in his career outside the cockpit.
