Jenny-May Clarkson

Jenny-May Clarkson

Personal information
Born	(1974-04-09) 9 April 1974 (age 50) Te Kūiti, New Zealand
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)^[citation needed]
Spouse	Dean Clarkson
Netball career
Playing position(s): WA, C
Years	Club team(s)	Apps
1997	Waikato Wildcats
1998–2004	Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic
2007	Auckland Diamonds
2008	Southern Steel
2010	Northern Mystics
Years	National team(s)	Caps
1997–2002	New Zealand	26
Medal record Representing  New Zealand Commonwealth Games 2002 Manchester Team
Last updated: 18 October 2009

Jenny-May Clarkson (born Jenny-May Coffin; 9 April 1974) is a television presenter who formerly played New Zealand netball international and commentated sports.

Clarkson previously played for the New Zealand, for which she was the vice-captain in 2001. She also played for the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic in the National Bank Cup between 1998–2004 and the Auckland Diamonds in 2007; she also played one season in the ANZ Championship in 2008 for the Southern Steel, and was signed to play with the Northern Mystics in 2010.

Since 2005, Clarkson has been a sports commentator and news presenter for TVNZ and Māori Television. She currently co-hosts Breakfast with Daniel Faitaua, Chris Chang and Anna Burns-Francis.

Early life

Jenny-May Coffin was born in Te Kūiti, New Zealand. She was the youngest of six children raised by Waka and Paddy Coffin in Piopio,^[1] close to Mokaukohunui marae. Her father's parents were Charlie Coffin, a Pākehā, and Harata, a Māori.^[2]

International netball

Jenny-May Coffin played for the Silver Ferns from 1997–2002. She was vice-captain in 2001, and represented the Silver Ferns at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. She made 26 caps for the Ferns before retiring from international netball at the end of 2002.^[3][4]

Domestic netball

Jenny-May Coffin has been playing in New Zealand domestic netball leagues since 1995 and the National Bank Cup since 1998. She started playing for the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic in 1998 and in 2000 was appointed captain. She left the Magic in 2004, going into retirement and worked as a sports presenter on TVNZ. She returned to netball in 2006 and played in the National Championships before playing in the Auckland Diamonds as captain in 2007. With the National Bank Cup replaced by the ANZ Championship in 2008, Coffin was signed with the Southern Steel on a two-year contract. However, she pulled out of the team after the first season to focus on her television career.^[5] Coffin announced her return to competitive netball in October 2009, signing with the Northern Mystics for the 2010 ANZ Championship season.^[6]

Broadcasting

Clarkson first joined TVNZ in 2005 as the netball commentator for the National Bank Cup on ONE Sport. In March of that year she was announced as the weekend sports presenter and sports producer during the weekdays. In 2006, she regained her role on ONE Sport and she rejoined the netball commentating team. In 2007, she played for the Auckland Diamonds netball team. She presented sport on TV One on Mondays and Tuesdays, and commentated some National Bank Cup games. She was a news presenter on TVNZ 7 before TVNZ dropped the station.^[7]

Clarkson replaced Daniel Faitaua as the news presenter on Breakfast on TVNZ 1 in September 2019.^[8] In August 2020 she succeeded Hayley Holt as co-presenter, alongside John Campbell.^[8]

Controversy

In April 2018 after the Silver Ferns failed to qualify for a medal at the Commonwealth Games, the broadcasters remarks about having pride in the black dress to the current captain Katrina Rore were commented as being too harsh ^[9]

Personal life

Clarkson married Dean Clarkson in 2015;^[10] the couple had twin sons in 2016.^[11]

See also

• List of New Zealand television personalities

References

1. Jones, Nicholas (23 November 2019). "Jenny-May Clarkson's heartbreak over brother's bowel cancer death: 'It has a ripple effect'". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
2. Coffin, Jenny-May (17 October 2014). "Jenny-May Coffin: Special Moments". E-Tangata. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
3. Tiriana, Ingrid (17 December 2004). "Coffin calls time on court career". Rotorua Daily Post. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2009.
4. "You've got mail: Jenny-May Coffin". New Idea New Zealand (online). Retrieved 16 April 2009. ^{[dead link‍]}
5. "Jenny-May Coffin quits Steel for TV". Stuff.co.nz. 18 May 2009. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
6. Johannsen, Dana (15 October 2009). "Coffin to make comeback at top level". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
7. "TVNZ profile: Jenny-May Coffin". Retrieved 22 January 2019.
8. "TVNZ Breakfast shakeup: Hayley Holt leaves Breakfast, Jenny-May Clarkson moves into presenting role". NZ Herald. 11 August 2020. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
9. "Was Jenny-May Clarkson too tough on Silver Ferns captain Katrina Grant?". 11 April 2018.
10. "Jenny-May Clarkson". NSPR. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
11. O'Connell, Alice. "Jenny-May Clarkson's fears for her boys". Now To Love. Retrieved 17 August 2020.

External links

• 2010 Northern Mystics profile
• 2010 ANZ Championship profile