Paralympics gold medallist joins ahead of Paris 2024 coverage

Liz Johnson Whisper

Whisper has appointed Liz Johnson as an executive producer.

The Paralympics gold medallist and former world champion swimmer will work on the production company’s 2024 Paralympics coverage for Channel 4, aiming to feed into the tone and creative direction of the Games. This will include plans to enhance representation and better inform audiences on the huge range of disabilities and experiences that exist.

Johnson’s first steps will be assisting with additional recruitment of the production team, drawing on her role as co-founder and MD of The Ability People, the UK’s first and only disability-led recruitment business. For the 2020 Tokyo Games, 16% of Whisper’s production team identified as disabled, which increased to 18% for the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics. The team for 2024 will aim to continue to progress this.

Johnson will work alongside Matt Roberts and Kay Satterley - who delivered the 2020 Paralympics and 2022 Winter Paralympics for Whisper.

Johnson said: “I’m so pleased to be involved with Whisper’s coverage of the Paralympic Games on Channel 4. I worked with many members of the 2020 Tokyo team as presenter and commentator and have seen the impressive work Whisper’s doing to improve diversity and inclusion, both in front of and behind the camera. To have this opportunity to bring together all my interests and talents is beyond exciting.

“We want our coverage to present the sport in the best and most creative way possible, but also to normalise disability and raise awareness of what disability means in 2024. We want to ensure our coverage is relatable to all.”

Whisper MD Mark Cole added: “It’s great to have Liz as executive producer for the 2024 Paris Paralympics, helping us to ensure the coverage is as entertaining and authentic as possible.

“With the incredible growth of Paralympic sport, the 2024 Games are set to be the biggest yet, offering us a huge opportunity to make an impact with our coverage.

“We’re currently building our Paralympics team, drawing on our exceptional in-house talent along with new hires. I know that Liz already has lots of ideas and plans and I’m looking forward to working with her on them.”