TV presenter and pundit Dion Dublin has been a regular face on our TV screens for many years. During football’s heyday, the former Aston Villa and Manchester United striker was a prolific goalscorer and even managed to play for England.
Dion Dublin has carved out a successful media career, appearing regularly on BBC Sport programs such as Football Focus, Final Score, Match of the Day. His move to daytime property show Homes Under The Hammer in 2015 was met with some surprise, but he has become a fan favorite in the presenting line-up alongside Martin Roberts and Martel Maxwell.
When he’s not playing his Dube, the former Celtic striker is living a peaceful life on Merseyside, enjoying a slow life. So what else do we know about her life away from television?
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Dion Dublin’s youth and career
Born in Leicester, Dion is the youngest of five siblings in Dublin, whose parents came to England from the West Indies as part of the Windrush generation. While his late mother Rose worked as a district nurse, his father Eddie had the option of becoming a professional football player.
Dion said: “At one point my dad had a choice between signing pro-forms for Fulham or going on tour. That was the choice. Go pro or tour as a bassist with Rod Stewart. It was quite surprising. The choice he had was which was closer to his heart.” He chose to tour with Rod Stewart.
“We all play music. I play percussion, my mother played mandolin when she was alive, and Clem played guitar. Eddie plays drums, Ash, my oldest brother, is a bass guitarist, and Carmen played keyboards.
“I think if I had started percussion earlier I might have gone into it… Percussion is my passion when it comes to music and it is something that comes directly from my parents.”
Dion ultimately chose a career in football and joined Cambridge United, where he later signed for Manchester United and established himself as one of the Premier League’s best strikers at Coventry City and Aston Villa.
He also had spells at Millwall, Leicester City and Celtic before ending his career at Norwich City. He was also called up to the England national team four times and was not included in the 1998 World Cup squad against Les Ferdinand.
TV career after retirement from football
Dion Dublin went on to become a specialist, appearing on Sky Sports and BBC programmes, keeping up with many of his former team-mates and fellow footballers. He covered domestic football as well as Champions League fixtures and later presented 606.
Dublin consistently covers Football Focus, Final Score, Match of the Day and provides syndicated commentary for many live FA Cup matches. Apart from football experts, he reached the final of Celebrity MasterChef in 2021.
After appearing as a football commentator on television and radio, Dion shocked many by appearing on BBC’s Homes Under the Hammer. He joined the flagship show in 2015 and at the time it was seen as a very strange move for the former Premier League striker.
However, he earned a place in the presenting lineup and became a fan favorite. One user’s compilation of clips of her pointing at the stairs, often leading to the property’s bedrooms, has gone viral on social media.
Dublin’s quiet home life with family
Dion married his wife Cheryl in 2017 and they have a daughter named Ruby Roseanne. The trio have been enjoying holidays together, and Dion has been sharing posts on Instagram showing them eating out, taking planes and enjoying wholesome days out, like visiting an alpaca farm and watching the Women’s World Cup.
Dion is enjoying life on Merseyside after moving there with his wife, Cheryl, from Wirral. They moved to be closer to family.
He told the Liverpool ECHO how much he loved living on Merseyside: “We left here about a year ago. It’s such a beautiful place, the people are wonderful, normal and kind. Nobody wants anything from you.”
“Obviously there’s the odd picture or signature, but that’s normal and no one can be rude. I’ve got plenty of time for that here and the city is great. I have no reservations about it and I absolutely love it.”
Dublin spent two years playing for Manchester United and admitted things could get awkward when the team played against Liverpool FC, a favorite of Cheryl’s family. He joked: “They’re all Reds, so we’re watching Liverpool v Manchester United in separate rooms.”
As well as football, Dublin has also tasted local food on Merseyside. Commenting on his favorite dining spot, he said: “One place I go to a lot is the Seafood Shack. It’s a phenomenal place. The fish there is crazy.”
Heartbreak over loss of “wonderful” sister
Dion is incredibly close to her loved ones and suffered the devastating loss of the ‘heartbeat and backbone’ of her family in July 2022.
She shared the news that her “wonderful sister Carmen” had sadly passed away by sharing a photo of herself with her late sister and her three brothers Eddie, Clem and Ash, with the following message: “Yesterday we lost our amazing sister Carmen, the heartbeat and backbone of our family . Our hearts are truly broken, we would be lost without you.”
Dion previously told the Mirror about the close bond she shares with her family, recalling precious memories of the time they spent together.
Dion Dublin’s musical invention and love of music
The former Coventry City and Aston Villa striker showed off his creative side by unveiling his own musical instrument, The Dube. The instrument has four playable sides, each producing its own unique sound, and is available in four different sizes, as well as acoustic and electro-acoustic models.
The percussion instrument can be described as a mixture of Djembe and Cajon. He previously told Vice: “Dube is a proper thing. A lot of people don’t think it’s because it looks like a wooden box – which it is – but it’s been turned into a very intimate, well-made percussion drum. It’s a very intimate, well-made percussion drum. It’s a serious sound and a serious addition to percussion and drumming.” .
“People need to try this and learn. When people understand this, the doors of distribution companies will start to be broken down. I will put my hand on my heart, I will continue until I make this a successful venture.”
Dube now has his own website, and Dion regularly performs demonstrations and markets the instrument.