Barry Davies was educated at Cranbrook School, Kent, which has also produced two other noted sports commentators, Brian Moore and Peter West.
He then attended London University before entering the Royal Army Service Corps, and got his first broadcasting experience with British Forces Network in Cologne.
He left the Army and joined BBC Radio in 1963, before moving to ITV where he was part of the commentary team for the 1966 World Cup.
He also reported on the 1968 Olympic Games for the independent channel.
"Try moving at that speed for four-and-a-half minutes with all those jumps and turns and tell me it's not sport"
Barry Davies on ice skating
In 1969, Barry rejoined the BBC and has been one of its leading commentators on football as well as many other sports including tennis, hockey, gymnastics, badminton and the University Boat Race.
He has been involved in many major sporting occasions including the World Cup, Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and Wimbledon.
Barry first got involved in the BBC's winter sports coverage when he interviewed Torvill and Dean at the 1984 Games in Sarajevo at the beginning of their Olympic careers.
He then went on to assist Alan Weekes in presenting the skating, before becoming its commentator.
Since then Barry has commentated on a host of ice skating competitions as well as the Olympics.
"Ice hockey is so skilful, this will be a cracking tournament"
He said: "People often wonder whether skating is a sport because it's performed to music and the athletes wear costumes.
"But you try moving at that speed for four-and-a-half minutes with all those jumps and turns and tell me it's not sport!"
Ice hockey is Barry's other passion when it comes to the Winter Olympics. He's covered it for a long time, even writing for Ice Hockey World magazine as a student.
He follows the national hockey league and sees games whenever he can.
"Ice hockey isn't just football on skates!", he says.
"The game is so skilful and the standards have risen since European players - Finns, Swedes, Czechs - have got involved. This will be a cracking tournament."