Olympic rower Matt Brittin CBE to become new BBC Director General
Before leading the BBC, Matt Brittin rowed for Hampton School, Cambridge University, and Great Britain
Credit: AllMarkOne
The former Great Britain rower Matt Brittin CBE has been announced as the Director General of the BBC. Matt Brittin, who was part of the 1988 Olympic team in Seoul will become the 18th boss of the corporation.
Before winning a bronze medal at the the 1989 World Championships, Brittin learned to row at Hampton School. During his time on the Thames in South West London, Brittin was part of a formidable couple of crews that won the Triple on two occasions, in 1985 and 1986. His victories at the Schools’ Head, The National Schools’ Regatta and triumph in the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta are amongst his proudest achievements in the sport.
After success as as schoolboy, Brittin studied at Robinson College, Cambridge where he raced in the Boat Race on three occasions. Brittin was in Cambridge University BC’s Blue Boat in 1987, ’88, and ’89.
After being selected in the Spare Pair for the 1988 Olympics, one of Brittin’s standout moments came one year later at the World Championships. After reaching the A Final in the Men’s Eight, Brittin and his team rowed through the United States of America to win a sensational bronze medal, beating their opposition by 0.04s as they crossed the finish line on Lake Bled. This bronze medal is in addition to the two silver medals he won in the Coxless Four at the 1985 and 1986 World Rowing Junior Championships.
Bled, Slovenia, YUGOSLAVIA. GBR M8+, move away at the the start of a heat of the men’s eight. General view of the start area at the 1989 World Rowing Championships, Lake Bled. [Credit. Peter Spurrier/Intersport Images] crew, Bow, Tim FOSTER, Matthew BRITTIN, Jim WALKER, Rupert OBHOLZER, Jonny SINGFIELD, Richard PHELPS, Jonathan SEARLE, Jonathan HULLS and cox Adrian ELLISON.
The 1989 crews was a star-studded one. Amongst the crew was future Olympic Champions Tim Foster and Jonny Searle, Olympians Jonny Singfield, Anton Obholzer, Adrian Ellison, and Jim Walker. Also in the crew was Richard Phelps, Chair of the Committee at Henley Royal Regatta who works with Brittin in his role as a Steward of the Regatta.
Since stepping down from international racing, Brittin still gets out on the water at Molesey BC and Crabtree BC. Part of the Molesey BC Leg-ends, he’s raced domestically and internationally at events such as the Head of the Charles where he won a silver medal in the Men’s Grand Master Fours in 2024.
