British television presenter Natalie Pinkham is a well-known individual among Formula One fans. She has been the F1 pit lane reporter for several years and is a constant face during the racing season. Moreover, due to her work, Natalie has found friendships with several F1 racing drivers.
As a result of these close friendships and memorable interviews with the drivers, many are also interested in learning about the reporter. So, today, let's look at Natalie Pinkham's biography and get to know her better.
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Natalie Pinkham Grew Up In A Loving Household
The popular F1 reporter was born Natalie Jane Pinkham, on September 20, 1977, to John Pinkham and Joy Pinkham. While she was born in Buckinghamshire, Natalie and her brother, Sam Pinkham were raised at their family home in Northants.
With a barrister for a mother and a property developer father, Natalie had a great time growing up. She was supported by her parents and had an elder sibling to look up to. Natalie Pinkham's brother, Sam, is a DJ who presents a morning show for Virgin Radio.
Natalie Pinkham grew up alongside her older brother, Sam Pinkham, who is a DJ. Image Source: Natalie Pinkham Instagram.
Pinkham attended the boarding school, Queenswood School, and later Rugby School. She then studied politics at the University of Nottingham despite her childhood dream of becoming a TV presenter. Nevertheless, she did fulfill her dream and is now one of the most recognized sports reporters in the world.
Natalie Pinkham Net Worth And Career
The Northants native has been an F1 fan for years but did not think it was a viable career choice. But today, Natalie Pinkham's net worth is substantial thanks to her work as a Formula One reporter and presenter.
Additionally, Natalie has taken up various roles throughout her career. Let's look at some of Pinkham's earlier works and see how she managed to land her dream job.
Natalie's Earnings From Producing
After graduating from the University of Nottingham, Natalie Pinkham joined Endemol and worked as a researcher for Ready Steady Cook, a BBC Two show. She then donned the hat of assistant producer on sports competitions, International King of Sports and Superstars.
Before finding success as a television presenter, Natalie Pinkham used to produce television shows. Image Source: Natalie Pinkham Instagram.
Natalie then moved in front of the camera but worked as assistant producer and production runner for Grand Theft Parsons and The World's Greatest Sporting Legend respectively. Since she found success as a presenter, Pinkham has halted her producing career. Nevertheless, during her earlier days, she must have been paid handsomely for her works.
Earnings As A Television Presenter And Reporter
Aforementioned, Pinkham moved in front of the camera after working as a producer in some of the television shows. She co-hosted World Cuppa for ITV4 and hosted the Isle of Man TT races for Men and Motors.
Natalie also reported from Masters Cup in the US, Euro Beach Soccer League, and Beach Soccer World Cup. She was also a poker presenter and became the face of The Poker Channel for two years. For this role, Pinkham might have earned a hefty sum.
The British TV presenter continued to cover various sports events worldwide and even hosted several sports award shows. Her charismatic personality and thoughtful questions made her a fan favorite presenter.
Moreover, Natalie Pinkham even took part in the popular British show, Dancing on Ice, partnering with professional skater Andrei Lipanov. While she could not move past Week 2, Pinkham was reportedly paid $46K (£35,000) for participating in the show.
Income As A F1 Reporter
Natalie found success hosting and reporting various sports events around the world, but it wasn't until she joined BBC Radio 5's Formula 1 commentary team she gained fame. Pinkham was hired as a pit lane reporter for the 2011 season, and she first covered the 2011 Australian Grand Prix.
The reporter then started working for Sky Sports and covered the 2012 F1 season for the channel. She was a pit reporter during practice sessions, qualifying and racing for her first season. Then the following year, she replaced Georgie Thompson as The F1 Show's host. This might have bumped up Natalie Pinkham's salary significantly.
Since then, Natalie has become an integral part of the Sky Sports F1 team alongside commentator, David Croft. She has even established a great rapport with F1 racing drivers like Lewis Hamilton, Daniel Ricciardo, Kimi Räikkönen, and many others. Her interviews with these stars have been fan favorite.
Here is a video of Natalie Pinkham's conversation with Charles Leclerc.
Furthermore, Natalie Pinkham became the first woman to commentate on an F1 session in 2021. This opportunity came after she spent a decade as a Formula One reporter. Natalie Pinkham's net worth has increased thanks to her F1 career.
Moreover, she has spoken up about her experiences at various events. As per Raising the Bar, she charges between $6.7K to $13.4K (£5,000 - £9,999) for an in-person event. Thus, her fortune must also benefit from the virtual and in-person seminars she conducts.
Natalie Pinkham Is Married To Owain Walbyoff
As stated above, Natalie Pinkham found fame as an F1 reporter, and many have been interested in knowing more about her life. Well, talking about her romantic life, Natalie is a married woman.
The British reporter has been married to Owain Walbyoff since 2012. The couple was engaged in November 2010 and tied the knot in Portugal about two years after their engagement.
Natalie Pinkham has been married to Owain Walbyoff since July 2012. Image Source: Natalie Pinkham Instagram.
Natalie Pinkham's husband, Owain, is the managing director at Endemol Games. He is a very private person, and as a result, the pair have not talked much about their relationship. However, Walbyoff is a constant face on Natalie's social media pages.
Pinkham Is A Mother Of Two
Apart from being a successful reporter and a loving wife to Owain, Natalie Pinkham is also a mother of two. She welcomed her first child with her husband, Wilfred Otto Walbyoff, on January 17, 2015.
The difficult birth put both Natalie and her son's life in danger, but she was back to work only six months later. Wilfred, nicknamed Wilf or Wilfie, was his mother's companion and at nine months old, he had already traveled to eight different countries.
Furthermore, in January 2016, the TV presenter announced that she was expecting for the second time. However, the announcement came with a tinge of sadness, as Natalie revealed that she had been expecting twins but sadly lost one of the babies in the early stage of her pregnancy.
Natalie Pinkham gave birth to her daughter, Willow Mirela Walbyoff, on June 20, 2016. While Willow was healthy at the time of the delivery, Natalie herself developed a high temperature and had to be monitored before the C-section.
While giving birth to both of her kids, Natalie Pinkham suffered from complications. Image Source: Natalie Pinkham Instagram.
Thankfully, both mom and child were okay, but these difficult experiences have led Natalie and her husband to reconsider their dreams of having a bigger family.
Nevertheless, Natalie Pinkham's children are growing up jetpacking around the world with their mother. The little ones even have F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo as their godfather. And we hope that in the near future, we will see them following in their mom's footsteps.
Trivia And Facts
- Natalie Pinkham has been vocal about the lack of diversity in Formula One.
- She was once rumored to be dating Prince Harry.
