BT Sport announces new programmes, presenters and studio details

BT Sport has added new programmes and presenters to its network of channels and revealed more details about its state of the art studios. 

New programmes include BT Sport Live, a nightly sports news, information and debate show, with outspoken former football manager Neil Warnock as a contributor. Tuesday and Sunday nights will feature BT Sport Films, which sets out to become the home for the stories behind the sports, personalities and issues that fascinate sports fans. Sunday night will be European football night with the top expert on European football, James Richardson. Rugby fans should tune in on Wednesday nights for Rugby Tonight, hosted by Matt Dawson, Craig Doyle, Martin Bayfield and Sarra Elgan.
 
Additionally, BTSP (BT Sports Panel) is confirmed as the name of Tim Lovejoy’s new Saturday morning show of 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. 

BT Sport’s live sport coverage will also 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 EMMY award winning, 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.” 

BT Sport will show 38 exclusively live football matches from the Barclays English Premier League, including 18 of the “top picks” from August 2013 for three seasons. The channels will also show live FA Cup, UEFA Europa League, top tier live football from Germany, Italy, France, Brazil, Australia and the USA, plus action from the FA Women’s Super League and 30 live matches from the Football Conference. BT Sport is free with BT broadband and is available via the Sky Digital Satellite Platform, BT TV with Infinity and online at btsport.com or via the BT Sport app. 

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. A fantastic addition to the BT Sport family, he will also be a regular contributor to other BT Sport football coverage. Warnock brings with him a wealth of insight and perspective from an impressive managerial career spanning thirteen clubs over more than 30 years. Other presenters and contributors for BT Sport Live will include Darren Fletcher, Vassos Alexander, Lynsey Hipgrave and Caroline de Moraes. 

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. In Clare Balding’s One Horse Race – The Supporters Club, Clare is challenged to use her equestrian skills and expert knowledge to find a horse for a group of young disabled riders. 

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 LIVE SPORTS COVERAGE 

In addition to previously announced details about its live football and rugby coverage, BT Sport will bring live TV coverage of the top tier of the Scottish Professional Football League, including Rangers games from the third tier. Featuring in its coverage will be newly-signed Gary McAllister, the former Scotland captain, Motherwell, Leeds United and Liverpool midfielder. Gary will feature as BT Sport co-commentator on its Scottish football coverage, bringing insight and analysis from a storied career during which he won honours including the old English First Division, UEFA Cup and the FA Cup, plus captaining Scotland at UEFA Euro 96. Darrell Currie, the popular Scottish football journalist and former ESPN football reporter will present coverage, while respected former ESPN commentator Derek Rae is lead commentator. Stephen Craigan and Emma Dodds complete the line-up. Coverage will take a 360 degree focus on the Scottish game with viewers given access to a range of areas of each club, with all games to be presented on-site from special set positions. 

Additionally, BT Sport will give fans a different lens into the world of sport with a specially-built, first-of-its-kind facility within its new London studios that converts to a rugby or football pitch, allowing its analysts and experts to demonstrate to fans the key plays and tactics. 

BT SPORT FILMS: HOME OF GREAT SPORTS STORIES 

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. The many exciting BT Sport Films in the coming months include: 

Silver Lining: A study in the dynamics of sporting relationships and the contrast in emotions between Great Britain’s London 2012 Olympians Gemma Gibbons and Euan Burton. The film contrasts the elation of Gibbons following her Olympic silver medal in the judo with the devastation of her fellow judoka – and now husband – Burton, whose dreams were crushed within two minutes of his opening contest at London 2012. 

Football Outposts: Arsenal fan, author and ex-EastEnders star Tom Watt embarks on a journey to various British football outposts. From Arbroath to Accrington Stanley to Dagenham & Redbridge, Tom witnesses what it takes to be a football fan at levels of 
the game. 

Arise, All You Sons: Papua New Guinea Cricket: The tale of how cricket united one of the most dangerous, disparate and poverty stricken countries on earth and gave the people of Papua New Guinea purpose and identity. 

Winning Ugly: A look back to the hard playing, hard drinking, win-at-all-costs mentality of sport in the 70’s and 80’s and comparing it to what some would term the slick, professional sporting culture we have today. Former England rugby union hooker Brian Moore interviews former footballers Tony Adams and current Barclays Premier League managers Roberto Martinez and Sam Allardyce. 

UFC: the story so far: To complement BT Sport’s exclusively live TV coverage of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, this special documentary will tell the story of the sport’s creation and how it went from an experiment that caused outcry to the global sporting enterprise it is today. This features great fights and archive material including all the key moments in the evolution of UFC plus interviews with the President of UFC, Dana White. 

Keeping up with the Brownlees: A special film looking into the unique dynamics of sporting rivals who are also brothers. London 2012 Olympic gold and bronze medal winners Alistair and Johnny Brownlee, siblings who dominate what is generally recognised as one of the toughest and demanding of Olympic sports. The film gains unprecedented access to all areas of their life to understand what makes them tick. 

Cornered: A hard living 90 fight veteran, he accepts fights at short notice and for little money to provide for his young family in a tough part of east London. Facing self-doubt and depression his brutal career has also been a search for acceptance and love.