Sky Sports has won a prestigious BAFTA Television award for its live coverage of the final day of last summer’s first Ashes Test match at Trent Bridge.
The broadcaster’s acclaimed cricket output beat off strong competition in the Sport & Live Event categorty from BBC Sport’s coverage of Andy Murray’s victory in the Wimbledon men’s singles final, as well as other BBC productions ‘Bollywood Carmen Live’, a Bollywood spin on the classic opera, and the 2013 Glastonbury Festival.
It is the first time that Sky has won a BAFTA award for its coverage of a sporting event in 17 years, since it claimed the ‘Best Live Outside Broadcast Coverage’ award for its England rugby union output back in 1997.
The first Test of the 2013 summer series will be remembered as another typically dramatic Ashes encounter with the advantage swinging between the two sides, culminating in a close result on a tense final day in Nottingham.
James Anderson was England’s final-day hero as the hosts held their nerve to complete an astonishing 14-run victory over Australia in an unforgettable climax to the opening Test.
Amid unbearable tension, Australia’s final pair of Brad Haddin and James Pattinson took the tourists to the brink of victory with a partnership of 65, but when Haddin was caught behind off Anderson for 71 via the thinnest of inside edges – and given out following a painstaking review – England could celebrate one of the closest wins in Ashes history.
Sky Sports cricket host David Gower and members of the production team went up to receive their BAFTA from award presenters Jake Humphrey of BT Sport and Olympic snowboarding bronze medalist Jenny Jones, with the ceremony itself being held at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London.
Speaking on stage, Gower said: “This is extraordinary. As someone who has been involved with the sport for a long time, I’m delighted, but especially for all these people around me – the production staff, producers, directors.
“There is a team of about 90 or 100 who come with us to every game. They are all enthusiasts and they are the people who make us look good and you enjoy watching the sport. Thank you very much indeed.”
Sky Sports covered all five of last summer’s Ashes Test matches exclusively live, as well as the following series Down Under in Australia over the winter, in which England were thrashed 5-0.
It has covered every home England Test match exclusively live since taking over the rights from Channel 4 in 2006, who themselves won a BAFTA award for its Ashes coverage in 2005.
Recent winners in the BAFTA sports category include the BBC’s Formula 1 coverage and Channel 4’s output from the London Paralympic Games.
Last night’s BAFTA win follows a number of other recent awards successes for Sky Sports, including best sports programme for its Ryder Cup coverage at the Broadcast Awards, best digital platform for Sky Sports Digital Media at the Sports Industry Awards and two RTS Awards for its coverage of the last year’s Ashes and football pundit Gary Neville.
Sky One’s sports panel show A League of Their Own was also victorious on the night in the Comedy Entertainment programme category.
The show, hosted by James Corden alongside regular team captains Jamie Redknapp and Freddie Flintoff, and permanent panelist Jack Whitehall, has established itself a firm favourite with Sky viewers.
Memorable moments on the show include the invention of Mo Farah’s ‘Mobot’, ‘tattooing’ One Direction’s Niall Horan, and introducing Olympic skeleton champion Amy Williams to the world of rally co-driving along the way.
Corden said: “No one is more shocked than we are to think that this is a Bafta-winning programme – it is something so silly that we all enjoy.”
Visit the BAFTA website for more details about this year’s winners and further background to this year’s ceremony.
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