Hailing from the mean streets of Leigh, Greater Manchester, Ronnie ‘Chicken Biryani’ Irani is the original, and only, northern Essex boy. Leaving behind his hometown’s sleepy cobbled terraces he followed the yellow brick road to find a place where the streets were paved with gold - but ended up settling for the boy racers and white stilettos of Essex instead.

With more names around the office than friends ‘Vernon’, ‘Chilli Con Carne’ or even ‘Inspector Gadget’ – he tries to stick to his adopted ‘Essex root’s by flogging insoles and dodgy squash to all on the programming floor.

Ronnie started his glittering playing career with Lancashire before moving to Essex in 1994, spending 13 successful years even grafting his way to make captain and Essex Sportsman of the Year. He made his international debut in 1996 making 31 one-day international appearances and playing in three tests.

After injury forced him to retire from his first love he quickly swapped sledging sessions for drinking sessions and his booming voice is now recognisable all over talkSPORT as Big Al’s partner in crime on the Sports Breakfast.
 

You can hear Ronnie Irani on: