Isle of Man TT bosses have unveiled details of the streaming channel and presenting team that will kick off this year's race coverage.
Launching this spring, the TT’s very own digital channel (TT+) will gift fans year-round access to the TT and its competitors. A full grid of brand-new free-to-access content will be delivered across the year, including an annual feature-length documentary (Autumn 2022) and a multi-episode docuseries (Spring 2023).
But it doesn’t stop there. Free-to-access original content will come thick and fast to TT+, with features, interviews and exclusive on-board action unlike anything seen previously. TT+ will also gift fans immediate access to 24 hours of archive race highlights from the recent history of the TT. Subscribers to TT+ will also gain free access to live events such as the TT Preview Show (April 2022) as well as coverage of the TT’s first Esports competition, coming in the near future.
In June TT+ will deliver uninterrupted live visual coverage for the first time in the TT’s 115-year history, bringing all the action, reaction, and insight straight to thousands of TT fans worldwide via the TT+ Live Pass. Available for a one-off payment of £14.99*, the TT+ Live Pass will reward fans with up to 40 hours of live qualifying and race coverage at TT 2022, including all the pre-race build up and post-race analysis that goes with it.
Isle of Man production company, Greenlight Television, is behind the live broadcast and have assembled a 200-strong production team to capture the TT like never before. With a significant uplift in the number of live-action cameras found around the course, the edge-of-your-seat experience of watching the TT in real time can now be enjoyed by anyone with an internet connection – no matter where they are in the world.
Covering the TT races live also means working from the air with the time trial format dictating the use of not one, but two, live cam helicopters. Operating each side of the Mountain Course, the two heli-cams are set to capture live the true-essence of TT racing: the lone rider slicing through the Manx countryside at speeds approaching 200mph.
Helping decipher the race as it unfolds will be a new on-screen graphics package, allowing fans to keep track of those all-important leader boards – as well as providing real-time updates on competitors circulating further down the running order.
Presenting the TT live broadcast is an experienced team, including TT regulars, Matt Roberts and Amy Williams, both hugely respected presenters thanks to their work in motorcycling and the Winter Olympics respectively. A new face to the TT, however, is Jennie Gow. The highly acclaimed journalist and broadcaster makes her debut covering the TT after a career spent working on the world’s biggest motorsport events such as Formula 1, MotoGP and Formula E.
“This isn’t the first time I’ve been part of the broadcasting team for the TT; however, thanks to the introduction of TT+, I would say it’s the most exciting year, with by far the most potential," said Roberts.
"The important thing for me is that we can come together as a broadcasting team and really immerse the viewers in the action and convey the raw energy and emotion that’s synonymous with the spectacular Isle of Man TT Races.
"I’m confident there’ll be some real edge of your seat moments that will really grip the viewers. The use of heli-cam and curb-side cameras alone are going to drive the experience to a new level, and for motorsport fans around the world that haven’t yet experienced the TT. It’s going to blow their minds. It’s a huge prospect and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Also joining the presenting team is regular BBC sport correspondent, Rick Faragher, who will be delving deep into the race awnings to bring you all the breaking news and behind-the-scenes developments.
The commentary team features TT regular, Dave Moore, who will be sharing the role of lead commentator with Andrew Coley, whose credits include FIA World Rally Cross, MotoGP and the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Joining Dave and Andrew as pundits are double TT winners Cameron Donald and Steve Plater.
Informing and entertaining fans since 1964, Radio TT will also make its return in 2022 with full live coverage of every qualifying session and race. The new-look radio team will have near-complete and continuous oversight of the whole course for the first time, thanks to the introduction of the live television broadcast.
Following in the footsteps of motorsport broadcasting icons such as Murray Walker, Peter Kneale and Geoff Cannell, the TT’s radio coverage will be anchored by the highly respected Steve Day, whose voice will already be known to fans of MotoGP and World Superbike. Joining Steve in the control tower as chief-analyst is Chris Boyde, who has been commentating on Manx motorsport for years and has an unrivalled knowledge of the facts and figures behind TT racing.
Reporting from pit lane will be Isle of Man radio personalities, Chris Kinley and Beth Espey. Chris will need no introduction to TT fans, having covered the event since 2003, while Beth is likely to be a new voice to race fans. An expert interviewer, she brings an instinctive understanding of how proud the Isle of Man is of its greatest event.
The TV and Radio broadcasts will also benefit from an expanded team of pundits who will be working across both platforms. Former TT competitors, Mark Miller, Horst Saiger, Jenny Tinmouth and Patrick Farrance, will be joined by leading journalist, John Hogan, and current TT competitor, Maria Costello MBE, with each providing some respective expert analysis and unique insight.
