Melissa Reddy has built an impressive career in football journalism, moving from South African sports media to becoming a highly recognised Premier League reporter, broadcaster and author in the United Kingdom. Known particularly for her detailed coverage of Liverpool, Manchester United and major Premier League developments, Reddy has developed a reputation for combining breaking news with deeper reporting and strong storytelling. Her journey is also notable because she has succeeded in a traditionally male-dominated industry while becoming an influential voice in modern football media.
Quick Bio of Melissa Reddy
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Melissa Reddy |
| Date of Birth | 24 August 1986 |
| Birthplace | South Africa |
| Nationality | South African |
| Profession | Football Journalist, Author and Broadcaster |
| Speciality | Premier League and European Football |
| Known For | Liverpool and Premier League reporting |
| Former Role | Sky Sports Senior Reporter |
| Notable Book | Believe Us: How Jürgen Klopp Transformed Liverpool Into Title Winners |
| Latest Book | Only Mo Salah: An Intimate Portrait of the Egyptian King |
Early Life and Start in Journalism
Melissa Reddy was born in South Africa and developed her professional career through the country’s competitive sports-media industry. While studying at university, she gained early experience through an internship at Summit TV, a South African business television channel. That opportunity helped establish the foundations of what would become a long career in journalism.
In 2007, Reddy joined TEAMtalk Media in South Africa, initially working across different sports. Her progression was rapid. By 2011, she had become Head of Football, taking on significant editorial responsibility at a relatively young age.
She subsequently became Deputy Editor of Kick Off magazine, one of Africa’s leading football publications. Her appointments were significant because she became the first woman to hold both of those senior positions. She also developed an on-screen career, becoming one of the early prominent female football analysts to appear on SuperSport’s major football programmes.
Her achievements in South African media were recognised when she received the 2011 gsport Woman in Media award. Her early career therefore established a pattern that would continue after she moved into the international football-media environment.
Moving to the United Kingdom
Reddy moved to the United Kingdom in the mid-2010s, beginning an important new chapter in her career. Rather than simply continuing the role she had established in South Africa, she had to build a new professional reputation in one of the world’s most competitive football-media markets.
Her experience and knowledge of the game quickly helped her stand out. She became Liverpool correspondent for Goal’s international network in 2015, covering the club for its global editions. This position strengthened her association with Liverpool and allowed her to develop extensive knowledge of the club, its players, management and wider football structure.
She subsequently worked with organisations including ESPN and The Athletic and became a senior football correspondent at The Independent. Her work increasingly focused on the Premier League, with reporting that went beyond match results to explore recruitment, tactics, club strategy and the personalities influencing English football.
Melissa Reddy and Liverpool
Liverpool has been one of the defining subjects of Reddy’s journalism. Her reporting has frequently examined the club from behind the headlines, particularly during the transformative period under Jürgen Klopp.
Her relationship with Liverpool journalism also developed into her first major book, Believe Us: How Jürgen Klopp Transformed Liverpool Into Title Winners. Published in 2020, the book examined how Klopp helped rebuild Liverpool and ultimately guided the club to its first English league title in 30 years.
The book drew on access to players, management, club personnel and other people connected with Liverpool. It focused not only on Klopp himself but also on the recruitment, culture, leadership and collective mentality that helped transform the club.
The work demonstrated another side of Reddy’s abilities. She was no longer simply reporting individual football stories; she was able to place major events into a broader narrative and explain why a successful football organisation worked.
Career at Sky Sports
In 2022, Reddy joined Sky Sports and Sky Sports News as a senior reporter, specialising in the Premier League. Her arrival represented another major step in a career that had already included influential positions in print, digital journalism, broadcasting and football analysis.
During her Sky Sports years, she became a familiar presence for supporters following major Premier League developments. She reported extensively on Liverpool and Manchester United and regularly covered transfer negotiations, managerial decisions and contract situations.
Her reporting on Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool future was among the stories that demonstrated her access and expertise. She provided updates on contract negotiations and the player’s position during periods of intense speculation surrounding his future.
Reddy’s role also showed how modern football journalism has changed. A major reporter is no longer restricted to newspaper articles. Television, digital platforms, live reporting and analysis all overlap, requiring journalists to communicate information in several different formats.
Leaving Sky Sports
In 2025, Reddy was among a group of Sky Sports journalists and presenters who left the broadcaster during changes to its newsroom. Her departure ended a three-year period with Sky Sports, but it did not represent the end of her football-media career.
Reddy indicated after her departure that she had completed her eleventh season covering the Premier League and was excited about projects that would allow her to concentrate more closely on her strengths and interests.
That next stage has included continued journalism, broadcasting and book writing. Her career therefore illustrates an important transition from traditional football reporting toward a broader role combining journalism, analysis and long-form storytelling.
Her Work as an Author
Reddy’s second major book, Only Mo Salah: An Intimate Portrait of the Egyptian King, was released in August 2026. The book focuses on Mohamed Salah’s extraordinary journey from his childhood in Egypt to becoming one of the most important footballers of his generation.
The book examines Salah’s development through different stages of his career, including his time in Egypt, Basel, Chelsea, Fiorentina and Roma before his remarkable rise at Liverpool. Reddy also explores the people and experiences that influenced him, using interviews and accounts from teammates, coaches, sporting directors, friends and others connected to his career.
The project is particularly significant because Reddy has spent years reporting on Salah and Liverpool. Her experience provides context for a book that attempts to look beyond statistics and trophies and examine the personality and journey behind one of football’s most recognisable figures.
Breaking Barriers in Football Journalism
Reddy’s career has significance beyond her individual achievements. She entered football journalism at a time when women were still heavily underrepresented in prominent football-media positions.
Her progression from an intern to Head of Football, Deputy Editor, international Liverpool correspondent, senior correspondent and television reporter demonstrates the scale of her professional development.
She has also spoken publicly about some of the challenges involved in working in football media, including the pressures faced by women and people from diverse backgrounds. Her career has consequently become an example for aspiring journalists who want to enter an industry that can be highly competitive and demanding.
Melissa Reddy Today
As of 2026, Melissa Reddy remains active as a football journalist, author and broadcaster. Although her professional path has moved beyond her previous Sky Sports position, football remains at the centre of her work.
Her latest book about Mohamed Salah and her continuing reporting demonstrate that she has successfully expanded her career from traditional journalism into long-form football storytelling.
What makes Reddy particularly interesting is the breadth of her journey. She began in South African media, established herself in British football journalism, became closely associated with Liverpool coverage, worked for major broadcasters and publications, and developed into an author capable of telling the stories behind some of football’s biggest personalities.
For readers of The Pure Magazine, Melissa Reddy’s story is ultimately about more than football reporting. It is a story of ambition, persistence and professional evolution. From her early work in South Africa to her international reputation as a Premier League journalist and author, she has created a distinctive place for herself in modern sports media.
FAQs About Melissa Reddy
Who is Melissa Reddy?
Melissa Reddy is a South African football journalist, author and broadcaster known particularly for her Premier League and Liverpool coverage.
Where is Melissa Reddy from?
Melissa Reddy is from South Africa. She began her journalism career there before moving to the United Kingdom and establishing herself in international football media.
What is Melissa Reddy known for?
She is best known for her detailed Premier League reporting, particularly her coverage of Liverpool, Manchester United, transfers, club strategy and major football personalities.
Did Melissa Reddy work for Sky Sports?
Yes. Reddy joined Sky Sports and Sky Sports News in 2022 as a senior reporter specialising in the Premier League. She left the broadcaster in 2025 during newsroom changes.
What books has Melissa Reddy written?
Her notable books include Believe Us: How Jürgen Klopp Transformed Liverpool Into Title Winners and Only Mo Salah: An Intimate Portrait of the Egyptian King.
What is Melissa Reddy’s latest book?
Her latest book is Only Mo Salah: An Intimate Portrait of the Egyptian King, released in August 2026. It explores Mohamed Salah’s career, background and development into a global football star.
Melissa Reddy’s career continues to show how football journalism can evolve from traditional reporting into broadcasting, analysis and long-form storytelling. From her beginnings in South Africa to her years covering the Premier League and her work as an author, she has built a career defined by persistence, access and a deep understanding of the game. Her journey remains a compelling example of how a journalist can create an international profile while staying closely connected to the stories that first shaped her career. For readers looking for engaging stories beyond the ordinary, The Pure Magazine continues to explore the people and careers behind today’s most interesting stories.
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