Channel 4 is boosting the coverage of the dog show…
The world’s most famous dog show, Crufts, returns to Channel 4 next month when presenter Clare Balding will lead nearly twenty hours of coverage from the four-day event in Birmingham.
Clare Balding:
“I’m thrilled to be a part of the Channel 4 Crufts team once again. It’s one of the highlights of my year as I love being surrounded by dogs and always enjoy the chaos that can ensue when we have them in the studio. I love finding out more about the different breeds and putting the spotlight on the good that dogs do and the joy they bring to our lives. For me, the mixture of events on show for dogs to be a part of beats anything in the world but the climax is always Best in Show. I enjoy the drama of the best six dogs going head to head and the pride of all those involved. It’s a magical four days for dog lovers.”
Clare will be joined by regular Crufts reporter Radzi Chinyanganya and two new faces, Paralympic Champion Ellie Simmonds and former professional rugby player Ed Jackson. Ellie and Ed will take to the halls of the Birmingham National Exhibition Centre presenting features, interviews and all the latest news from the biggest dog show in the world.
Clare Balding leads live coverage of the event, which celebrates its 75th year of being broadcast, while Radzi will capture all the excitement and emotion from the arena. And resident vet Dr Paul Manktelow will also be offering viewers advice on best practices for looking after dogs throughout the coverage.
More than 200 pedigree breeds from 51 different countries will compete for the prestigious Best in Show title, which will be awarded live on Channel 4 on the final evening of the event on 9th March.
Pete Andrews, Head of Sport at Channel 4:
“Each year, Crufts draws in dog lovers across the country, who can enjoy watching a wide range of events, as well as hearing advice from the experts. We’re delighted this year will mark our largest coverage offering to date, with nearly 20 hours available across the four-day event. Viewers can watch live coverage on Channel 4 and More 4, or catch up at their leisure through Channel 4 streaming.”
Viewers will be able to watch Crufts on Channel 4, More 4 and on Channel 4 Streaming across the four days. Coverage will include all the most popular events including Flyball, Agility, Heelwork to Music, The Kennel Club Hero Dog award and the prestigious Best in Show. Scruffts, which gives crossbred dogs a moment in the spotlight, will also be featured in the line up.
Around 24,000 dogs will be in attendance over the four days of the show. Organised and hosted by The Kennel Club, the largest organisation in the UK devoted to dog health, welfare, and training, Crufts is the largest show of its kind in the world and has been broadcast by Channel 4 and produced by Sunset+Vine since 2010.
Crufts returns on 6th March to Channel 4.
