'Honoured and humbled' BBC presenter Watson appointed MBE

'Honoured and humbled' BBC presenter Watson appointed MBEImage caption, Stephen Watson has been recognised for his services to broadcasting and charityPublished1 minute agoBBC Sport NI presenter Stephen Watson says he is "truly honoured and humbled" after being appointed an MBE in the King's Birthday Honours list.The 55-year-old was recognised for services to broadcasting and kidney transplant awareness and fundraising in Northern Ireland.After graduating from Queen's University with a politics degree, Watson started his broadcasting career at UTV before joining BBC Northern Ireland in 1999.He has presented at Fifa World Cups, Olympic Games, Rugby World Cups and Ryder Cups, and has reported extensively on Rory McIlroy's career, covering every one of the Holywood golfer's major wins including the back-to-back Masters wins at Augusta National over the past two years.Watson said the news "has come as a great surprise to me", adding: "Through my work in sports broadcasting, I have had the privilege of sharing moments of joy, hope and inspiration with people across the country."Sport has an incredible ability to bring communities together and, often, to provide good news and a sense of connection."To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.This video can not be playedFigure caption, Watch Stephen Watson's interview with 2025 Masters champion Rory McIlroyFor almost three decades, Watson has told sport stories from across Northern Ireland, fronting coverage of the North West 200 motorcycle road race, senior men's international football matches, Ulster rugby matches and the Irish Cup final. He has interviewed the biggest names in sport while also showcasing sporting achievements at grassroots and youth level. The recipient of two kidney transplants, he has dedicated his spare time to fundraising for a range of charities, including Northern Ireland Kidney Research, Kidney Care UK...