BBC Radio 1 presenter Greg James will join Freddie Flintoff on BBC Radio 5 live to host special Ashes programming on the upcoming winter Ashes series.
The BBC’s coverage includes 24 hour programming across 5 live, 5 live sports extra and the BBC Sport website, including ball-by-ball commentary of the 2014 Women’s Ashes series.
The news comes as the latest RAJAR resulsts show over 1.5 million listeners tuned in every week over the summer to give the station its highest ever reach for the summer Ashes series.
Radio 1 DJ and cricket fan Greg James returns to Radio 5 live to host a special one-off edition of Not Just Cricket – The Ashes. On November 17, Greg and his guests will provide lots of cricket chat and a look at the game. Greg will be joined by his usual co-hosts, England cricket players Jimmy Anderson and Graeme Swann who will be in Australia as they prepare to face the Aussies in the first Test.
Andrew (Freddie) Flintoff will present a special Ashes themed edition of 5 live’s Fighting Talk on November 23. Freddie will share his cricket insight with special guests, made up of cricket lovers and fans, as they sum up the first three days of the first Test and take an alternative look at the rest of the series.
Throughout the 25 day winter series, BBC Radio 5 live sports extra will offer build-up programming before each day’s play, a highlights show straight after play and then, from 11am, the chance to relive the previous night’s Test Match Special again with coverage replayed throughout the day.
24 hour coverage will continue to be available on the BBC Sport website when there is live commentary of other sports on 5 live sports extra. Full coverage can be accessed via the BBC Sport app and listened to live via the BBC iPlayer Radio app.
Coverage of the Winter Ashes will be followed by coverage of the 2014 Women’s Ashes on 5 live sports extra. The BBC team includes Alison Mitchell, Isa Guha, Charles Dagnall and Alistair Bruce-Ball. This series’ Women’s Ashes is made up of a Test, three ODI’s and three T20’s, with all the action beginning on 5 live sports extra and the BBC Sport website on Friday 10 January.
Jonathan Wall, Controller of BBC Radio 5 live and 5 live sports extra says: “We’ve responded to the huge audience appetite for the Ashes in the summer with 5 live’s most ambitious plans ever for an overseas cricket tour. With the peerless Jonathan Agnew and co on TMS, 5 live’s Ashes Breakfast, daily podcasts and a special Freddie Flintoff Fighting Talk we think we’ve got something special not just for England cricket followers but for millions of sports fans all over the country.”
Posted on Thursday, October 24th, 2013 at 3:46 pm by RadioToday UK