Photo credit: British Esports
Conor ‘Conny’ Albery is an up-and-coming esports broadcast host, interviewer and caster from the UK who is fast making a name for himself.
Having recently graduated from the University of Chichester’s esports course, led by former pro gamer Rams ‘R2K’ Singh, Conny was encouraged to give hosting a shot by football esports personality Brandon Smith. The headstrong talent now has a range of experience in Valorant, CoD and other broadcasts, and says he’s ready to host arenas. Conny tells Dom Sacco at the British Esports Student Champs 24 finals in Nottingham’s Confetti X how and why.
It goes without saying there’s a surplus of esports hosts and commentators, with new talent constantly emerging, all vying for a chance in the spotlight at the top level.
While this makes it harder for individuals to stand out, there are some personalities who are just impossible to ignore.
In our opinion, Conny is one of them.
Growing up in Sevenoaks, Kent, he ended up going to university in Greenwich to study Finance and Investment Banking, but soon left that to chase his passion instead. He joined the University of Chichester’s esports course on a whim, because he loved Call of Duty esports and wanted to get into it.
While studying esports at the University of Chichester’, he wasted no time in making industry contacts, building up his experience and getting his name out there. He really puts himself forward, and this has forced tournament operators and viewers to take note.
During his first year at the uni, he hosted the The Challenger Cup, the University of Chichester’s first student-run CSGO esports event, and caught our eye. We described him as ‘the new James Banks’ at the time.
But Conny wasn’t initially supposed to be involved with this event, as he was focused on another area in esports: coaching.
“The storyline behind that event was quite pre-emptive,” Conny tells us at the British Esports Student Champs finals, an event he hosted (and also cast the Valorant finals), wearing a custom British Esports lion tie he ordered.
“During the process of that first Chichester event, I was in my first year, I wasn’t really sure which avenue in esports was the right one for me. At the time I was really into coaching, I was a part of Team Singularity and their coaching staff in Call of Duty. We won a few events, we lost a few events, but the process was good.
“Then came the [inaugural show by third years] in 2022 [when I was a first-year student], and it’s basically a massive dissertation. I wasn’t originally part of a plan for that show. Brandon Smith [esports lecturer at the time], Fred ‘Zola’ Schwefel and Charlie ‘Cmd64’ Drudge – both Insomnia casters for Counter-Strike this year – had lots of input in terms of talent.
“I got a message from Brandon saying: ‘They need a host, and I think you’d be the right fit for it, given what I’ve seen from you this year. I know you’ve not been on camera before, but I’d like to put you in front of it and test your wit about it.’
“So I thought, sure, why not, it was a straightforward decision. It was something new and something challenging, so go and do it.”
It wasn’t all plain sailing. Being forward and confident can have its challenges. In year two, Conny worked on one of the broadcast days, but was actually banned from the other.
As a news site invited to attend the day, the word around the studio was they didn’t want Conny putting his stamp on their event, as he was already assigned to the other one.
He comes across as forthright as headstrong. But is he untameable?
Conny holds up a British Esports lion plushie to camera, and jokes: “Just like this lion, the answer is yes. I’m the pride of the jungle, the king of the jungle, when it comes to esports. Especially in Chichester – I own that place! I am their ruler!
“I’m joking. It all comes down to the general feel for it. At that event [the 2023 Chi Invitational], it was more of a contained assessment. I understand why they would not want me there, to network, because I already had a foot in the door. But I was well-behaved to be honest, I was sitting there quietly, eating my crisps and watching some Valorant.”
“I’ve always been a person that’s extroverted, talkative, very snappy and quick, and punchy with my words. I love to be the person that can help out people in front of a camera, and someone that’ll make you feel like you’re having the best day of your life on that stage.”
Conny
There is a lesson beneath Conny’s humour and honesty. He’s not afraid to put himself out there and make industry connections. Would he say this has set himself apart from other graduates?
“I think it was the realisation of that,” he answers. “When I started networking, it was in the second year of university, the first year was sort of figuring it out. To students going into their first year at university, I’d say to just have fun, let loose and relax. Because the experience of going to university is a treasured one. It’s about how you want to make your friends and what you want to do with your life. These are daunting questions for people to answer.
“I just knew that in my second year, coaching had failed, I’m not going to be a coach and that’s okay. I accepted that. I wasn’t truly there with it, and that’s something that you’ve got to take on the chin.
“But with commentary, getting an opportunity from Brandon and Fred to do that show invoked a fire in me – I loved commentary, hosting and being in front of a camera – because I’ve always been a person that’s extroverted, talkative, very snappy and quick, and punchy with my words. I love to be the person that can help out people in front of a camera, and someone that’ll make you feel like you’re having the best day of your life on that stage.”
Conny gives thanks to his esports lecturers.
“I have to shout out lecturers Rams Singh, Brandon Smith [who has now left the uni] and Lee Cumbers,” Conny says. “I remember lessons from Brandon in the first year, before he left (and he still kept the door open for students in our class). I chat with him every now and then. He laid the foundations of what commentary looks like, and does good hosting too. He’s worked with Frankie Ward this year on FC and OJ Borg from time to time. Brandon showed me the fundamentals to get down.
“Rams is a good person to have around, I’d say throughout those three years, he’s one of the best coaches I’ve ever seen in my life. He’s quite raw in his assessments as a lecturer too, which I loved – the honesty and transparency. Rams was a pro gamer and his experience is invaluable to students.
“For me, it was getting to know another experienced person that I could take good life advice from. Rams is that kind of guy who can help you out if you need helping out.
“He’s also someone to talk to when you’re going through a rough patch in the industry, he’s good at setting you on the straight and narrow to get you to that next destination.”
This guidance, combined with Conny’s ambition, has seen work on a variety of esports broadcasts already, in Call of Duty (including the Mobile Snapdragon Pro Series), Valorant (Eclipse/Challengers North Polaris), Epic.LAN, British Esports and more. For CoD Mobile, he was flown out to ESL’s Katowice studio to film the NA and EU qualifiers to the major.
Now he’s adding Counter-Strike to the list, with the TradeIt League FE Masters.
This variety shows Conny is not putting all his eggs in one esports basket.
“I don’t have a favourite game,” he admits. “I like to know what I’m doing, learn the game inside out and spend time. I had a nice chat with [well-known esports host] Frankie Ward about it quite a while ago. I asked the same question to her, and she said it’s about what you’re gonna learn from these guys and really immerse yourself in the experience, especially when you’re hosting and on stage.
“In commentary I’ve done all the games, I love all the games, I still commentate games to a high level and that will always be a priority of mine – same with desk analyst. But hosting, any game you want me [to be involved with], I’ll be there.”
It’s clear his connections are helping him to grow his work and experiences.
“I want to be in the arenas, I feel like I’m more than ready for the arenas now, at this point. Although, it’s a tall ask, there are lots of great tournament organisers and providers out there. I know I bring that skillset, I’m good in all the roles that I do and I work really hard. I want to be that person in the next class of promoted esports talent.”
Conny
Conny got his break on the Valorant UK and Nordics league broadcast after being asked to join as a desk analyst by [casters] Kairo and HazzaJC and [observer] DSHZY.
He says the team took a collaborative approach to put their own stamp on it.
“I’d done Eclipse before that, the promotion/relegation tournament for Polaris, and at the time we realised there was only going to be one broadcast day for a 96-team tournament, so me and my partner Jreal were quite adamant that if we had permission, we’d co-stream the whole damn thing,” Conny states.
“We streamed ten matches, all of them went to the final map – we were knackered! But it was wonderful.
“We also collaborated with VeggieHotDug and Snow, who are also community casters, and Jam aka Jasmine, who was also producing and observing for us, and Miki got involved.
“We got together and thought, right, why don’t we create a mock show, with some assets, a three-box desk, two casters, usual stuff, how we’d like to run a show. We put Veggie in a hosting seat, Jreal and I were casting and we had a laugh with it. It was pretty impressive overall to have that experience.”
‘Esports is my breakfast’ – Conny on motivation and his future
When asked what his future goals and ambitions in esports are, Conny responds, instantly: “I want to be in the arenas, I feel like I’m more than ready for the arenas now, at this point. Although, it’s a tall ask, there are lots of great tournament organisers and providers out there, ESL, Blast, PGL, Riot Games, Activision, Esports Engine…
“I know I bring that skillset, I’m good in all the roles that I do and I work really hard. I’m an asset to a team in terms of prep, conversing ideas and execution.
“The last three years I’ve worked as on-air talent, and I want to be that person in the next class of promoted esports talent, to be in those positions. That’s all I really care about Dom, making everyone happy in the process.”
Conny continues: “I’ve been in esports on stage as a player, to now being on-air talent. It just is the best thing in life. It wakes you up in the morning and [esports is] my breakfast.
“This is the industry I want to be in for a long time, albeit if time allows it.
“I know what the circuit and the scene is like, it’s very competitive, and sometimes you don’t really work at all. I’ve been there myself this year, it’s a really hard thing to digest. But it’s okay, you keep yourself busy and occupied, and then the next time will come around. That’s what I’ve learnt from this year in esports.
“And continuing that, I’m ready for the next step.”
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
