User:Solentboy/Joe Michalczuk

Joseph 'Joe' Patrick Michalczuk (born May 1983 in Portsmouth) is an English radio football commentator and showbusiness reporter best known for his work for Sky News Radio.

Michalczuk began his radio career with the now defunct local Portsmouth station 107.4 The Quay as a schoolboy, first making tea before before working his way up to become a pitch side reporter. After Michalczuk graduated from Manchester university with a diploma in English, he joined Birmingham based station BRMB as a newsreader.

Michalczuk became good friends with breakfast show host Rick Vaughn, someone who Michalczuk has often credited as being a defining influence on his career. Michalczuk became a popular figure on the Birmingham nightlife circuit, culminating in acting as a co-presenter of Miss Limo 2007, a popular Local limosene themed beauty pageant.

Michalczuk acclaimed work during the Thames whale crisis of 2006 led to interest from larger radio stations, and he went on to work to work for ITN as a newsreader, before transferring to Sky News radio to become overnight news reporter. He gained a reputation as a heavyweight reporter on a time slot (11pm - 5am) previously poorly served by radio news. Michalczuk was credited with achieving a 300% increase in listener figures (hitting a peak of 4,500 listeners) during his final six months working overnights.

In 2011 Michalczuk returned to his spiritual home of local south coast radio, and became commentator in chief of Express FM working alongside ex-footballer Ray Crawford and local fan Mark Mudie during Portsmouth FC games. Whilst on the pitch the 2011/2012 season was a failure, off ghe pitch Michalczuk basked in mild acclaim from the local Portsmouth area population despite criticism in some circles over his tendancy to over use the technique of dipping intonation.

Criticism

Michalczuk has sometimes encountered critiscm in his career which he has appeared to embrace. Katie Price once walked out of interview with Michalczuk after he repeatedly questioned her on her relationship with Peter Andre. Michalczuk had appeared to be employing a technique of Jeremy Paxman in the interview, something he has not been seen to repeat.

In 2012 Michalczuk attracted significant animosity from a section of Portsmouth fans after refusing to give support to the Portsmouth Supporters Trust.