Murray Walker was born in Birmingham in October 1923. His father, Graham, was a motorcycle racing champion and Walker jnr saw his first race when he was two. After active service in the Second World War, he forged a successful career as an advertising executive. His debut as a sports commentator came in 1949, when he covered the British GP at Silverstone for BBC Radio. He has since spent more than 50 years commentating on motor sport and in particular FI, initially for the BBC before moving over to ITV in 1997.