IT'S a tough job - but a Huddersfield lad's got to do it.

Matthew Roberts, a former All Saints High School student, hits our TV screens tomorrow.

Sports journalist Matthew, 28, makes his TV debut when the MotoGP World Championship gets under way in the sun of Jerez, Spain.

And he will be this season's pit-lane report, working alongside bikers' favourite Suzi Perry, who fronts the show.

Matthew, a former All Saints High, Greenhead College and University of Huddersfield student, is currently living and working in Barcelona as a freelance journalist.

He lives in the splendour of the Spanish city with his girlfriend, Jane Wilson, also of Huddersfield, who is a teacher.

Matthew said: "This season I will be the pit-lane reporter on the BBC's coverage of MotoGP alongside presenter Suzi Perry and commentators Steve Parrish and Charlie Cox.

"The first race is tomorrow in Jerez, Spain, and I'll be appearing for the first time on BBC2 on Sunday Grandstand at 12.40.

"It's a far cry from my first public foray - on stage at St Patrick's School, Birkby, starring alongside Ann Marie Bradley [Now the Examiner's health reporter] in the St Pats school Christmas production of Cinderella.

"I took the job as a MotoGP journalist with Dorna, who hold the rights to the series, back in 2000 after travelling around South America filming a travel programme for Rapture TV on satellite.

"I did some voice tests and they asked me to commentate on the races for their world feed, which is screened in Australia, USA, Africa and Asia, with DVD versions in Japan.

"Last February I went freelance and since then I've also written some football stuff for The Times and I'm a

correspondent for Reuters in Barcelona.

"But this year will be my first as a pit-lane reporter for the BBC, so obviously I'm really looking forward to it.

"Now I'm on camera, so this is a bit more nerve-wracking for me - especially with it going out back at home, knowing my family and friends will be watching!"

MotoGP is the Formula 1 of bike racing.

It features prototype machines which are worth not too far short of £1m each.

The top rider is Valentino Rossi, who's won the title for the past five seasons.

Jerez on Sunday is the first race of 17, which are roughly every two weeks and travel to countries such as Australia, Japan, Malaysia, USA, China and Qatar - as well as all over Europe.

* The motorbike racing series, now known as the MotoGP World Championship, began in 1949 when the series was established with four classes of racing.

* Until recent years, the premier class was known as the 500cc World championship however, in 2002, 990cc 4-strokes were re-introduced to the series.

* The rules were also changed to remove the advantage the 500cc bikes held over the 990cc bikes.

* In January 2007, new rules are being introduced, currently the bikes can run at a maximum capacity of 990cc with 22 litres of fuel on board. From 2007 onwards the bikes will be restricted to 4 strokes, 800cc maximum with 21 litres of fuel.

* The legendary Italian rider, Giacomo Agostini, is still on top of the records with 22 consecutive podiums in the premier class, with 15 World Titles.

* Current champion, another Italian Valentino Rossi (pictured), is currently heading towards Mike Hailwood's record of 76 wins, 112 podiums and 9 world championships.

* This season's race calendar: March 26 - Spanish GP Jerez; April 8 - Qatar GP (Saturday race); April 30 - Turkish GP Istanbul; May 14 - Chinese GP Shanghai ; May 21 - French GP Le Mans; June 4 - Italian GP Mugello; June 18 - Catalunya GP; June 24 - Dutch TT Assen (Saturday race); July 2 - British GP Dinnington Par; July 16 - German GP Sachsenring; July 23 - USA GP Laguna Seca; Aug 20 - Czech GP Brno; Sept 10 - Malaysian GP Sepang; Sept 17 - Australian GP Phillip Island; Sept 24 - Japanese GP Motegi; Oct 15 - Portuguese GP Estoril; Oct 29 - Valencia GP