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ITV Announces Extensive Coverage, Programming Line-Up and Presenters for 2025 Grand National
ITV has unveiled its plans for comprehensive live coverage of the 2025 Randox Grand National Festival, promising an action-packed schedule and a familiar line-up of expert presenters, analysts and racing legends.
Spearheaded by lead presenter Ed Chamberlin, ITV Racing will once again bring viewers five high-quality races each day throughout the three-day meeting at Aintree, culminating in an extended programme on Grand National Day, Saturday 5th April.
Esteemed Pundits
ITV’s BAFTA-winning racing team returns in full force, featuring a panel of esteemed pundits and former Grand National-winning jockeys, including Sir Anthony McCoy, Ruby Walsh, and Alice Plunkett. Adding further insight and energy to the broadcast is Sam Quek, former Olympian and experienced presenter, who joins the coverage team across the festival.
Speaking on the Nick Luck Daily Podcast, Quek expressed her excitement ahead of the event:
“I can’t wait to get to Aintree, although I think I just need to temper expectations a little. I don’t know whether people think I’m going to be replacing AP [McCoy] or Ruby [Walsh] or Alice [Plunkett] – absolutely not. I’m going to let them do the talking and the analysis as usual.”
Lively Preview
Each morning of the festival, The Opening Show will provide a lively preview of the day’s racing. It will air on ITV4 from Thursday to Saturday, with ITV1 also showing the programme on Grand National Day. Hosted by Oli Bell, the show will feature race previews, behind-the-scenes access from around the course, interviews with jockeys and trainers, and expert insights. On Saturday, Bell will be joined by a stellar line-up including Sir Anthony McCoy and Ruby Walsh, setting the tone for the biggest day in the British racing calendar.
Available to Stream
As part of a three-year agreement running until the end of 2026, ITV retains exclusive free-to-air broadcasting rights to UK horse racing. The contract guarantees over 100 days of live racing coverage annually on both ITV1 and ITV4, with all programming available to stream on ITVX. Morning show The Opening Show continues to be a mainstay of ITV’s racing schedule.
New Deal
This new deal builds on the momentum ITV Racing has established since its debut in 2017, during which time the sport’s profile and television audiences have seen significant growth. The Cheltenham Festival has been a particular success story, with viewership rising by over a third overall – and by more than 50% among younger audiences, compared to the previous broadcaster. Record-breaking audience figures have become a regular occurrence for marquee days like the Grand National.
Niall Sloane, ITV’s Director of Sport, reflected on the broadcaster’s continued commitment:
“This deal will take us to a decade of racing on ITV, and we’re delighted to continue bringing viewers well over 100 days of live coverage each year. The Grand National is one of the most thrilling and iconic sporting events in the world, and we’re proud to showcase it to the nation.”
“We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Racecourse Media Group and our other partners to deliver top-tier coverage of this wonderful sport in the years to come.”
Full Day of Excitement
Grand National Day itself promises a full day of excitement on ITV1, with Oli Bell engaging directly with viewers from the ‘Social Stable’ – a hub for stats, fan interactions and social media commentary. Coverage of the feature race will be brought to life by a trio of seasoned race callers – Richard Hoiles, Mark Johnson, and Stewart Machin – ensuring every stride of the famous course is captured in vivid detail.
Following the race, Ruby Walsh will join Oli Bell for a fence-by-fence breakdown, offering viewers a detailed post-race analysis on how the race unfolded and how each runner fared.
Whether you’re a seasoned racing fan or a once-a-year viewer, ITV’s 2025 Grand National coverage promises to be an unmissable showcase of drama, history, and sporting excellence.
