MICHELLE LEE draws people into the world of football with her charming personality. Each time she appears on television, her fun-loving and infectious attitude shines through. Lee has a talent for making you stop and listen, even if you are not a football fan.
Lee also has what many would consider a dream job – as a Premier League football presenter, where she interviews international football players.
Apart from presenting and hosting, Lee is also an ardent football fan herself and speaks five languages, including Spanish.
“I started to pick up Spanish two years ago as I fell in love with the language. I feel Spanish is beautiful in terms of sound, melody and the way it rolls off the tongue. It’s one of the most spoken languages in the world, along with the fact that it’s the language that many footballers speak,” said Lee.
Apart from football, Lee said: “I have a passion for animals and mental health awareness, which I am hoping to be more involved in.”
The 29-year-old lives by a simple maxim: “To be better than I was yesterday”.
“I am not in competition with anyone but myself. I want to make a difference and make a change for the good and to live to my fullest potential,” said Lee.
What inspired you to get into this, especially when there are very few female presenters for sports shows?
I love football, so, why not? It wasn’t that I had set out to do this initially, but I love a good challenge and if there is a glass ceiling, trust me to break it.
I am glad that the landscape of football and sports has really started changing globally and more women are getting involved in what was previously seen as ‘a man’s world’. I am glad more women are falling in love with the sport, whether playing or working in the industry. Sports, football, arts, fashion shouldn’t just be reserved for a particular gender.
What are the challenges faced by female sports TV presenters?
Prejudice and stereotype. When you go against the grain, it’s only natural that you will encounter resistance in industry and society. This is systemic patriarchy that has manifested throughout history, and it will be a challenge.
Most women in football have faced some kind of gender discrimination and it’s something that not only happens in football. Gender discrimination happens in many other industries and workplaces, too. But like I said, things are changing and I am incredibly lucky to have men (and women) around me, who believe that there’s space for women in sports.
It was my producers, my team and my loved ones who gave me the support I needed and gave me that extra push to take on this role. They have been advocating for women in sports and football and are also my biggest supporters.
Be brave to challenge the norm! As they say, well-behaved women seldom make history.
Do you feel that you broke the glass ceiling for female sports presenters in Malaysia?
Yes and no. Yes, because it was something new, being a female Premier League presenter and from the outside looking in, it may seem that way. It wasn’t until it was mentioned to me by my colleagues.
No, because it wasn’t something I had set out to do on purpose because I didn’t even know it was an issue! It was something that happened along the way of my journey that made it happen. I never saw myself as any different from my colleagues. Gender was never really made a ‘thing’ among the circle I am in. We all loved the same thing - football So, no one really made a big fuss about it in that sense. Growing up, I never thought that my gender would be a factor to stop me from doing anything. Perhaps, from the outside looking in, it appeared that way.
Are you working on any future projects?
At this point with the pandemic, it’s difficult to see too far ahead, other than my football TV commitments. We have a couple of things up our sleeves that is currently confidential. In terms of a personal project, I am hoping to get my YouTube channel going soon!
