I had three special teachers at my secondary school, Cardinal Heenan RC high school in Leeds, all of whom came to my wedding last year. I invited them because they were important influences in my life, all three were inspirational and encouraging.

Miss McMahon taught geography. It was a subject I loved anyway, but she had a very interesting, engaging way of teaching. She was an effervescent, glamorous woman with long, blonde, curly hair who took great pride in her appearance.

She also took pride in her work, and in everything we did. She was good at giving pastoral care alongside her teaching at that important age between 13 and 16, which is all about goals and aspirations and when awkward things are happening to your body. She would drop in suggestions about what we were going to get out of life and how we were going to get it, without ever using cliches.

Until I was taught by Miss McMahon, I’d thought of geography as being about different countries, but I hadn’t realised it included things like management of the Earth’s resources and the preservation of the planet, and that it crosses over into politics. She went on to become head of another school; I know the qualities I admired in her would have made her a great head.

Mr Flanagan, who taught me religious studies, was head of year in my fourth year and a PE teacher, so I came into contact with him through the extra sport I did at school. Like Miss McMahon, he was probably in his late twenties. He was a great disciplinarian, and didn’t suffer nonsense in his classes, but unlike the other male teachers, he did it with a smile. He took religious studies way beyond learning the catechism and reciting prayers. He taught us about other cultures and places in the world, and how religion affected them. We were a hard-working class and he got a lot out of us. He opened up our minds, our horizons and our imaginations.

He was sinewy, with red hair and a moustache. He used to run from home to school and back again every day, which was about 10 miles, with a rucksack on his back. I found his self-discipline inspirational. I was keen on gymnastics and aimed to compete internationally, but I ran because I was in training; he did it just to keep fit.

When my brother Daniel died in 1992 at the age of 15, from a rare heart condition, Mr Flanagan, who had also taught him, gave a reading at the funeral and was very supportive of my family.

The other teacher who inspired me was Miss Woolliter, who taught PE. She, too, was extremely dedicated. This was a time when teachers were striking all over the country, but we didn’t seem to suffer like other people of my generation I’ve talked to since. Miss Woolliter continued to take us to netball matches and cross-country events in the minibus, and stayed behind with me at lunchtimes when I was doing extra training for the high jump, an event at which I became city champion at 13. She was very supportive and always had a big smile on her face and made training fun. There was never any problem when I couldn’t go to school sports practice or play in netball matches because I was doing gymnastics, probably because academically everything was fine.

I enjoyed my school days and, although I was very involved in sport and drama, I was a high achiever. I still managed to do my homework and consistently got A grades. The more you do, the more you get done.

Television presenter Gabby Logan was talking to Pamela Coleman

THE STORY SO FAR

1973 Born in Leeds, daughter of footballer Terry Yorath

1984-89 Cardinal Heenan RC High, Leeds

1987-90 Member of British rhythmic gymnastics junior team

1990 Represents Britain at Commonwealth Games, Auckland

1995 Graduates in law from Durham University; breakfast show presenter on Metro FM radio, Newcastle

1996 Sky TV sports presenter

1997 onwards Switches to ITV. Becomes co-host of On the Ball football show

2001 Voted sports personality of the year at the Television and Radio Industries Clubawards

2002 Presents ITV coverage of World Cup