William Hill agrees programme sponsorship with ITV Racing

William Hill has agreed a one-year partnership with ITV to become the programme sponsors of the broadcaster’s new racing coverage.

The bookmaker will sponsor almost 100 days of live racing across the main channel and ITV4, in addition to a magazine preview programme on ITV4 featuring bespoke William Hill idents.

ITV’s racing coverage will be led by the former Sky Sports presenter Ed Chamberlin, alongside Flat Season co-presenter Francesca Cumani, ‘The Opening Show’ weekly magazine presenter Oli Bell and pundits such as AP McCoy, Frankie Dettori, Victoria Pendleton, Mick Fitzgerald and Hayley Turner.

Coverage will begin on the main channel with the New Year’s Day meeting at Cheltenham. 41 days of racing on the main channel will encompass the Grand National, The Epsom Derby, all the major festivals including Cheltenham and Royal Ascot, the Five Classics, plus other highlights of the racing calendar such as Future Champions Day at Newmarket and Champions Day at Ascot.

In addition, ITV4’s racing coverage will see a re-introduction of free-to-air broadcasts of the Craven Meeting at Newmarket in April. The channel will show two days including the Nell Gwyn and Craven Stakes, key trials for the 1000 and 2000 Guineas. Both days of Newbury’s winter festival featuring the Hennessy Gold Cup will also be broadcast.

Cem Miralay, Chief Customer Officer at William Hill, said “We’re delighted to be the new sponsors of ITV Racing. The new format is set to attract millions more viewers to the sport and we’re excited to have this opportunity to engage with this new audience on a weekly basis.”

Kelly Williams, ITV Group Commercial Sales Director, commented: “The launch of our racing coverage is an exciting new event for ITV and I look forward to working with William Hill which has such a history with the sport.”