BT Sport announces new programme details

Austin Healey & Ben Kay will present BT's rugby coverage.
Austin Healey & Ben Kay will present BT’s rugby coverage.
BT has announced details of some of the programmes airing on its new sport channels which launch next month.

Broadcast from the Olympic Park in East London, the channels launch on August 1st and will offer football fans 38 Barclays Premier League matches per season.

They’ll also carry exclusive Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) coverage and 800 hours of live tennis, including the TEB BNP Paribas WTA Championships.

The channel has already announced sport-related entertainment shows including Danny Baker and Danny Kelly’s phone-in show and a chat show hosted by Clare Balding will also feature.

The new shows include BT Sport Live, a nightly sports news, information and debate show, with former football manager Neil Warnock.

BT Sport Films, which looks at the sports, personalities and issues that fascinate fans.

James Richardson will host European football coverage on Sunday nights while Wednesday nights will offer Rugby Tonight, hosted by Matt Dawson, Craig Doyle, Martin Bayfield and Sarra Elgan.

Tim Lovejoy will present BTSP (BT Sports Panel), a Saturday morning show offeing predictions, previews, reviews and laughs.

As well as Neil Warnock, BT Sport has confirmed Gary McAllister, the former Scotland captain, Motherwell, Leeds United and Liverpool midfielder will join the team as co-commentator on its Scottish football coverage and other top flight football.
 
Neil Warnock said: “I’m used to starting a new season in the dugout so this is going to be a very different year for me. I’m proud to be joining the BT Sport team and excited by their vision for Football. I think everyone knows that I won’t sit on the fence when it comes to opinions so it should be an interesting season and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”
 
The broadcaster says its live sport coverage will showcase “a specially-built studio facility allowing football, rugby and other sports to be demonstrated on a first-of-its-kind interactive playing surface.”
 
Grant Best, BT Sport’s senior executive channel producer, said: “BT Sport is absolutely dedicated to giving fans a fresh, authoritative and innovative approach to the sports they love. Our exciting line-up of expert presenters and programmes from BT Sport’s state of the art studios will re-imagine the way fans watch, discuss, debate and absorb sport.”
 

NEW BT SPORT TV SHOWS
 
BT Sport Live (Nightly, 6.30pm, BT Sport 1)
BT Sport Live will be the new nightly news, debate and information show from BT Sport bringing viewers the latest news and debate from the world of sport. Broadcast live from the new BT Sport studio, the show reviews the best action and sporting news of the past 24 hours and looks ahead to the upcoming line-up on BT Sport. The show features news reports and reaction from around the UK and beyond. Among those joining the show will be Neil Warnock, the popular former Queens Park Rangers, Leeds United and Sheffield United manager.
 
The Supporters Club (through the season)
BT Sport will showcase The Supporters Club as it bids to support disadvantaged people in the UK and abroad to achieve their sporting goals. In the first episode of the new documentary series highlighting the work of The Supporters Club, Clare Balding enlists the help of Paralympic gold medallist Lee Pearson and footballing legend and race horse owner Michael Owen, as she sets out to secure a new horse for the Riding for the Disabled Association.
 
Sunday Night Football (Sunday nights, BT Sport 1)
Sunday night will be European football night on BT Sport when European football expert James Richardson will be joined by a panel of experts to discuss the game across the continent. The show will feature live coverage of numerous games from around Europe.
 
BTSP (BT Sports Panel) (Saturdays, 9.30am, BT Sport 1)
BTSP is today confirmed as the name of the new show broadcast live every Saturday morning by Tim Lovejoy with ex-England rugby international Matt Dawson, and special guests. A show of opinions, prediction, preview, review and laughs, BTSP is an interactive production which involves viewers at home through social media.
 
Rugby Tonight (Wednesday nights, BT Sport 1)
BT Sport brings fans a mid-week evening offering of rugby analysis, debate and lively entertainment. Rugby Tonight will be hosted by Matt Dawson, Craig Doyle, Martin Bayfield and Sarra Elgan.
 
UFC: Beyond the Octagon (Tuesdays, 9pm, BT Sport 1)
This weekly one hour show rounds up the week’s action and the latest UFC news from around the world.
 
BT Sport Films
BT Sport sets out to tell the stories behind sport with its BT Sport Films programming strand. BT Films will feature one-hour documentaries which will look at the back stories behind some of the sports we love to watch and the human challenges and achievements involved. The documentaries will feature in a Tuesday night slot. Launching BT Sport Films will be the premiere of Silver Lining on Tuesday August 6.

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