Channel 4 To Provide Nearly 10 Hours Dedicated To The Grand National

30 March 2016

• Later start time of the Grand National – 5:15pm
• Clare Balding and Nick Luck to present the Crabbie’s Grand National alongside Sir Anthony McCoy
• Channel 4’s big race build-up includes Alan Carr Chatty Man and Weekend Brunch Specials
• Channel 4’s 2015 Grand National Day coverage shortlisted for BAFTA

Channel 4 today unveiled its coverage plans for the 2016 Crabbie’s Grand National incorporating some 19-hours of programming across the three-day festival from April 7th to 9th.

Clare Balding will present on Grand National day alongside Nick Luck and, for the first time, Sir Anthony McCoy. Nick will be the host on Thursday and Friday, all complemented by an expert team of reporters and pundits that includes Mick Fitzgerald, Alice Plunkett, Emma Spencer, Jim McGrath and Graham Cunningham.

The build up to the Grand National Festival on 4 begins next week with The Morning Line on daily at 8am Thursday and Friday, and moving to a two-hour window from 9 – 11am on Grand National Day.  Additional Channel 4 shows include Alan Carr’s Chatty Man on the evening of Thursday 7th April (9pm) and a three-hour Weekend Brunch special on the morning of the big race (11am – 2pm).

 With the later race time of the Crabbie’s Grand National, now run at 5:15pm, Channel 4 will provide jump racing with its longest ever broadcast on Saturday, April 9th - dedicating nearly 10 hours to the world’s greatest horse race.

Stephen Lyle, Channel 4’s Commissioning Editor for Sport, adds: “Once again, the great race and festival is getting the full treatment on 4.  Clare and Nick will bring viewers all the great stories, supporting races and build up with an unrivalled insight from two National winning jockeys. 

 “Three wonderful days will climax with our award winning and innovative multi camera coverage of the 169th Grand National.”

Channel 4 Racing: Crabbie’s Grand National presenting team and features

Channel 4’s racing coverage across the three-day festival will incorporate over 18 hours of live on-course action with five daily races.

The Morning Line will preview racing action from Thursday to Friday in its usual 8am slot, with Saturday’s show once again extended to 9 - 11am – beginning Channel 4’s full day programming based around the Grand National. Alice Plunkett will host The Morning Line joined daily by Tom Segal and Ted Walsh plus an array of special guests.

Afternoon coverage starts at 1:45pm (April 7th & 8th) and at 2:00pm on Grand National Day (April 9th) presented by Clare Balding and Nick Luck. They will be joined by the 20 times Champion Jockey, Sir Anthony McCoy, Mick Fitzgerald and Alice Plunkett; with Emma Spencer, Jim McGrath and Graham Cunningham providing unrivalled analysis from the track-side studio.

Channel 4’s principal commentator, Simon Holt, will be supported by two additional commentators - Richard Hoiles and Ian Barlett - for the feature four miles, three and a half furlongs contest that incorporates 30 fences that includes landmarks such as Becher’s Brook, the Canal Turn, Valentines and the Chair. Tanya Stevenson will be on-hand to relay the betting markets with Brian Gleeson offering an Irish perspective.

Coverage from the Crabbie’s Grand National Festival will also include a broad range of features to complement the live racing action.  Sir Anthony McCoy wears the Jockeycam and a mic to talk us through a ride round the famous Aintree course and over the Grand National fences. AP also looks back at his numerous Grand National moments with Clare Balding and hosts an Aintree dinner party with Oliver Sherwood, Martin Pipe, Paul Nicholls, Katie Walsh and Davy Russell.  Jockey, Leighton Aspell, takes centre stage in his bid for a Grand National hat-trick, plus a volume of additional features with many jump racing greats.

Channel 4’s Horse Tracker app will run across all three days of the Grand National Festival with its enhanced map facility that provides visual representation as to where your selected horse(s) is within the 40-runner field; and an audience tracking data that can highlight the most tracked horse in the app.

Online services will provide a comprehensive service across the Festival to support viewers’ experience. Multi-media live text commentary, daily reviews, on-course reporting and specific Grand National features will be available at channel4.com/racing plus proactive social media to engage all audiences.

BAFTA nomination for 2015 Grand National

Channel 4’s coverage of the 2015 Crabbie’s Grand National has been shortlisted by BAFTA in the Sports category. Other contenders include The Ashes (Sky) MOTD Live: FA Cup Final (BBC) and the Six Nations: Final Day (BBC).

The event takes place on Sunday, 8th May at the Royal Festival Hall.

Channel 4’s coverage of the 2015 Crabbie’s Grand National was produced by IMG and attracted 9 million viewers.

Channel 4 Racing is sponsored by Dubai.