BBC unveils Olympics plans

The BBC will broadcast over 250 hours of live coverage from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on its linear channels this summer.

From 26 July - 11 August, the broadcaster will also launch Olympics Extra, a second curated live stream on BBC iPlayer. Warner Bros. Discovery holds the main Olympics rights in the UK, with the BBC licencing its rights from the broadcaster. The BBC, as well as the rest of the EBU, will return to the holding the main rights, alongside Warner Bros. Discovery, from the 2026 Winter Games. 

Clare Balding, Gabby Logan, Hazel Irvine, Isa Guha, Jeanette Kwakye, JJ Chalmers and Mark Chapman will present the BBC’s coverage, with analysis for the first time from most decorated female Olympian Laura Kenny, TV personality Fred Sirieix, British long jumper Jazmin Sawyers, Olympic gold medalist Moe Sbihi, and Olympic bronze medalist Vicky Holland. 

There will also be reappearances from the likes of Beth Tweddle, Chris Hoy, Denise Lewis, Jessica Ennis-Hill, Kate Richardson-Walsh, Katherine Grainger, Mark Foster, Michael Johnson, Nicola Adams, Rebecca Adlington and Tonia Couch.

The BBC will begin the two-week event at 6:30pm on 26 July, with Balding presenting the opening ceremony while Irvine and Andrew Cotter commentate on BBC1. The sport begins at 8am on 27 July, with Kwakye and Chalmers hosting the morning action on BBC1, Irvine taking over on BBC2 from 1pm, returning to BBC1 at 2pm after the news, and evening events presented by Balding in the swimming arena and Logan at the athletics.

Highlights will be presented by Chapman and Guha on Today At The Games from 22:40-00:00 on BBC1 every evening.

The BBC Sport website will have highlights videos, using the new vertical video feature it recently launched, as well as on its social channels.

Alex Kay-Jelski, director of BBC Sport said: “For the first time since London 2012 we have an Olympic Games taking place in a European time zone, which is really exciting for UK audiences. People can tune in to live coverage morning, noon, and night, following all the biggest sporting moments as they happen. We are broadcasting hundreds of hours of coverage on free-to-air platforms and our two carefully curated live feeds and covering all the big stories online, across social media and radio, meaning audiences can keep up to date with all the best of British sporting stories by simply sitting back, relaxing and enjoying the sport.” 

BBC TV talent

Athletics
Studio Guests: Jessica Ennis-Hill, Michael Johnson, Denise Lewis
Commentators: Steve Cram, Andrew Cotter, Steve Backley, Colin Jackson, Paula Radcliffe, Jaz Sawyers
Reporter: Sarah Mulkerrins

Badminton (selected matches)
Commentators: Sam Smith, Simon Reed (plus world feed)

BMX
Commentators: Ed Leigh, Tim Warwood

Boxing
Studio Guest: Nicola Adams
Commentators: Ronald McIntosh, Richie Woodhall
Reporter: Andy Stevenson

Canoeing
Commentators: Patrick Winterton, Helen Reeves
Reporter: Matthew Pinsent

Climbing
Commentators: Ed Leigh, Mike Langley (plus world feed)
Reporter: Tim Warwood

Cycling (track & road)
Studio Guest: Chris Hoy, Laura Kenny
Commentators: Chris Boardman, Simon Brotherton
Reporter: Jill Douglas

Diving
Studio Guest: Tonia Couch, Fred Sirieix
Commentators: Kat Downes, Leon Taylor

Equestrian
Commentators: Nick Luck, Andy Austin, Tina Cook, Bobby Hayler
Reporter: Rishi Persad

Gymnastics
Studio Guest: Beth Tweddle
Commentators: Matt Baker, Craig Heap, Christine Still
Reporter: Betty Glover

Hockey
Commentators: Matt Chilton, Simon Mason, Kate Richardson-Walsh (plus world feed)

Mountain biking
Commentators: Matt Payne (for UK mountain bikes, plus world feed)

Rowing
Studio Guest: Katherine Grainger
Commentators: Katie Smith, Moe Sbihi
Reporter: Matthew Pinsent

Sailing
Commentators: Niall Myant, Shirley Robertson
Reporter: Shirley Robertson

Shooting
Reporter: Lewis Coombes

Skateboarding
Commentators: Ed Leigh, Marc Churchill
Reporter: Tim Warwood

Swimming
Studio Guests: Rebecca Adlington, Mark Foster
Commentators: Andy Jameson, Adrian Moorhouse
Reporter: Sharron Davies

Table Tennis (selected matches)
Commentators: Sam Smith, Simon Reed (plus world feed)

Taekwondo:
Studio Guest: Bianca Cook

Tennis (selected matches)
Commentators: Sam Smith, Simon Reed (plus world feed)

Triathlon
Studio Guest: Vicky Holland
Commentators: Matt Chilton, Annie Emmerson

Other reporters
Qasa Alom, Andy Stevenson

The world feed will be used for other events.