John-James Chalmers (born 20 December 1986) is a Scottish television presenter and Invictus Games medallist. He was injured in a bomb blast in Afghanistan in 2011, while serving as a Royal Marine.
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Early life
Chalmers was born on 20 December 1986 in Edinburgh, Scotland, the son of John Chalmers, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland from 2014 to 2015. He attended Strathallan School and studied at the University of Edinburgh, graduating as a Bachelor of Education. He worked as a craft, design and technology teacher at Balerno Community High School in Edinburgh.
He joined the Royal Marines Reserves whilst working as a teacher. As a Royal Marine, he served in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, attached to 42 Commando. In May 2011, he sustained severe injuries in an IED blast; he suffered facial injuries and lost two fingers, and his right elbow disintegrated. He remained in the Royal Marines during his rehabilitation until 2016.
Invictus Games
In September 2014, Chalmers was a medal winner in non-amputee cycling for Britain at the Invictus Games. Captaining the trike team, he received a gold medal for the Men's IRecB1 Recumbent Circuit Race, as part of a British trio who crossed the finishing line together. Earlier that day Chalmers had already won a bronze in the 1-mile time trial. He also won a bronze medal in the 4 × 100m mixed relay race.
Media career
Chalmers subsequently presented National Paralympic Day for Channel 4, as well as an online show for the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha. In July 2016, he returned to the 2016 Invictus Games as an ambassador, telling his story at the opening ceremony as well as working with the BBC in their coverage of the games.
Chalmers featured on The Superhumans Show before travelling to Rio de Janeiro as a presenter for Channel 4's coverage of the 2016 Summer Paralympics, as well as appearing as a guest on The Last Leg series Live from Rio. After returning from Rio he hosted the Team GB Olympics and Paralympics Homecoming Parade in Manchester, alongside Mark Chapman and Helen Skelton.
Owing to his background as a Royal Marine, Chalmers presented The People Remember, with Sophie Raworth, a series shown throughout the week of remembrance, before appearing on the BBC's coverage of Remembrance at the Cenotaph.
Also in 2016 Chalmers was co-commentator of the Lord Mayor's Show on BBC One.
On 21 February 2017, Chalmers began presenting some of the sports segments on the BBC News channel and BBC Breakfast. He joined the BBC Sport Team, working as a presenter and reporter on events like the Great North, Great Manchester Run and The London Marathon. He also joined The One Show as a features reporter.
In 2017 Chalmers began working in radio, as part of BBC Radio 5 Live's, World Para Athletics coverage of London 2017, as well as presenting the Sports Journalists Award nominated radio documentary, To Helmand and Back. He ended the year presenting the 2017 Invictus Games, held in Toronto.
In 2018 he worked as a trackside reporter for BBC Sport at the World Athletics Indoor Championships, then as 5 Live's main reporter of the 2018 Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang, before presenting for BBC Sport's coverage of the Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast and the 2018 Invictus Games in Sydney.
At the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, Chalmers was one of two presenters anchoring coverage live from Australia for the BBC. For the Birmingham 2022 Games, Chalmers presented a nightly highlights show alongside Isa Guha.
Personal life
Chalmers lives in Edinburgh where he co-parents his two children, Hayley and James, with his former wife, Kornelia; the couple "separated very happily" in 2024. His daughter Hayley's middle name is "Olivia", in honour of Ollie Augustin, a friend who was killed in the same IED blast that injured Chalmers.