There isn’t a traditional route into sports broadcasting anymore. Lauren Smith is proof of that.
For years, the industry followed a familiar path – production roles, broadcast ladders and long apprenticeships behind the scenes. But as new sports emerge and participation becomes part of the product, that model is changing.
Few careers reflect that shift more clearly than that 0f Lauren Smith.
Starting out as an Assistant Producer and Digital Producer with the BBC and BT Sport, she built her foundations behind the camera before making the leap into presenting full-time – a decision that would redefine her career.
Today, Lauren Smith is one of the leading voices in fitness sport, working across HYROX, CrossFit, Red Bull and the World Fitness Project. In a space where athletes and audiences are deeply connected through shared experience, her role goes beyond traditional broadcasting – blending storytelling, preparation and a genuine understanding of the sport from the inside.
As fitness continues its rapid global growth, her journey offers a window into what the future of sports media looks like.
Let’s dive in with the latest Industry Insider.
Where did your story in sport begin?
My story in sports broadcasting started when I was 16. I was working as a waitress in my local pub when a facilities crew from Race TV were staying with us. I got chatting to them and told them I wanted to work in television one day [actually I think it was that I was going to work in television]. They randomly said “We’re at Ludlow Races tomorrow, do you want to come and see what we do?”
So I bunked off school and went to the races.
What does your role involve that people don’t see?
There’s a huge amount of preparation that goes into my presenting roles and most of it happens long before the cameras go live. There are constant meetings about running orders, narrative, tone and how we want to tell the story and I’m very hands-on in that process across both broadcast and content.
My prep is quite old school. I keep journals and dedicate a full page to every athlete competing, making notes on form, background and personal details so I can speak about them with real context. I’m also regularly on the phone or WhatsApp trying to get the most up-to-date information possible.
In niche sport especially, I see my job as showcasing athletes in their best possible light, telling human stories and giving them a platform to shine, build fans and attract partnerships. That’s part of the job I take very seriously.
What has been the biggest turning point in your journey so far?
I spent the first seven years of my career working as an Assistant Producer, and later a Digital Producer, for the BBC and BT Sport. Making the decision to leave and pursue presenting full-time was honestly terrifying and at the time I wasn’t completely sure if I was doing the right thing.
Retrospectively, I’m not sure it could have worked out better. I stepped straight into one of the best roles I could ever have hoped for, field reporting for Red Bull TV, covering the Mountain Bike World Cup, while picking up jobs with the CrossFit Games and the UCI. When we sadly lost the rights, I made a conscious decision to double down on my passion, the sport of fitness, rather than drift elsewhere.
The past few years presenting for HYROX, the World Fitness Project, Red Bull and CrossFit have been the most stable and fulfilling of my career. Never in a million years did I think I would become the “face” of a sport, but I’ve found my home. Someone called me the Clare Balding of fitness the other day and it made me smile.
What’s something you’ve learned about working in sport that surprised you?
Having worked with so many different production teams, across varying budgets, languages and set-ups, especially with the rise of remote workflows and live streaming, I’ve learned that there are many ways to make great sports television.
Big budgets definitely help, but a passionate, creative team with an strong editorial vision, positive attitude and in-depth knowledge of their sport will always find a way to make something compelling.
What skill has helped you most in building your career?
Kindness. Whether that’s towards the camera team, the runners, your executive producer or the clients everyone is managing huge workloads in high-pressure environments. The last thing anyone needs is an added stress.
As I have grown into my role, I’ve always tried to be a bright moment in someone’s day rather than another problem to solve. If you’re fun, prepared and kind, people will want to work with you again. They’ll recommend you, trust you and enjoy having you around.
The team you’re in is everything and how you make people feel really matters. [I am going to take this moment to apologise to my HYROX producer Oli from InspoHub for when I am jet lagged and grumpy.]
What’s one challenge people don’t talk enough about in the sport industry?
The time away from home. This year alone I’ll have been to Australia twice, America more than five times, Brazil, the Middle East, across Europe and China. I leave the country at least once a month and I can be gone for weeks at a time. That’s the unseen toll of this job. Much like being a professional athlete, it can be inherently selfish. The schedule comes first, the event comes first and everything else has to fit around it.
Over the years I’ve found ways to manage that. My partners and I have built a business in a way that allows my husband to travel with me and I don’t have dependants which gives me flexibility. But I can very clearly see the impact it has on my friends and family.
I talk a lot about finding balance on my Instagram, but if I’m honest, I’m not sure I’ve completely mastered that yet.
What excites you most about the future of sport?
In the sport of fitness in particular, it’s the fact that we’re on such a clear upward trajectory.
HYROX is now officially recognised by World Triathlon. Participation has grown from 600,000 to a projected 1.3 million by the end of the season with 80+ events worldwide. CrossFit has seen record-breaking viewership around the launch of its annual mass-participation event, The Open and with Xenom, the ‘decathlon of fitness’, has secured $15 million in seed funding ahead of its debut later this year, there’s serious investment flowing into the space.
You can see a genuine cultural shift happening. Communities are prioritising health and wellness over going out drinking. Social circles are being built in gyms and run clubs rather than bars and nightclubs. People are training together at 6am on a Saturday instead of recovering from Friday night.
There’s something incredibly powerful about that because fitness is participatory, inclusive and aspirational all at once. You’re not just watching it, you’re also taking part in it and that creates a completely different kind of fan, one who understands the effort, the discipline and the mindset because they’re living it too.
What advice would you give to your younger self – and to someone starting a career in sport today?
If I was speaking to someone starting out now, I’d want them to know that it is possible, but you won’t do it alone. You need help from the right people and you have to keep searching for those people. Mentors, producers, crews, athletes, the relationships matter more than you think.
Finding a role on camera is a lesson in perseverance and humility. You’ll hear no more than yes but in many ways it’s also more accessible than ever in the digital age.
Take sideways moves, practice your craft constantly, know your sport, get comfortable talking to people, learn how to listen and say yes to opportunities, even if they don’t look perfect on paper because you never really know where they might lead.
Most importantly, be kind.
Quickfire
Three words that describes the sport industry?
Evolving, Global, Transformative.
One word that describes your role?
Storyteller.
A book, podcast, or person that influenced you?
I’ve always been influenced by strong women who break the more traditional mould in sports broadcasting, like Laura Woods and Sarra Elgan. They’re personality-led and conversational, but completely authoritative, representing the move to the digital age.
They’ve shown that you don’t have to fit into rigid version of what a sports presenter looks or sounds like to command respect. You can lead with knowledge, warmth and authenticity and still own the room. […not so quick fire]
As fitness sport continues to scale, the role of the broadcaster is evolving with it.
It’s no longer just about delivering coverage. It’s about building connection – between athlete and audience, participation and performance, sport and culture.
Lauren Smith’s career sits at the centre of that shift.
From production to presenting, from traditional broadcast to global participation sport, her path highlights what it now takes to build a career in modern sports media – adaptability, curiosity and a willingness to back yourself when there’s no clear blueprint.
For those looking to follow a similar path, the lesson is clear.
There is no single route in. But there is a constant.
Be prepared. Be persistent. And above all, be someone people want to work with.
You can connect with Lauren Smith on LinkedIn and Instagram.
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