Channel 4 has confirmed that fashion expert and presenter Gok Wan is to join its Royal Ascot team for the 2014 running of British Flat racing’s premier summer showpiece.
As part of the broadcaster’s plans to ramp up its fashion coverage from the five-day Royal meeting, Wan, best known for hosting Channel 4 shows including ‘How to Look Good Naked’ and ‘Gok’s Fashion Fix’, will lead the fashion and style coverage during the event famed for its elegant designer outfits and hats.
Presenting from a specially created position on Ascot’s ‘Motivator Lawn’, Wan will be joined by special guests across the week including a number of leading milliners and designers such as Philip Treacy, Jane Taylor, Caroline Charles, Suzannah Crabb, Stewart Parvin and Rachel Trevor-Morgan.
He will co-present the fashion and lifestyle segments of the broadcaster’s daily live coverage with regular Channel 4 Racing reporter Gina Bryce, who herself will also introduce a series of ‘Inside Ascot’ features which aim to lift the lid on the work that goes into making Royal Ascot one of the world’s most prestigious sporting events.
Channel 4 is covering its second Royal Ascot in 2014 and, as last year, the station will broadcast over 30 hours of live coverage, including all six races each day, in addition to a daily Morning Line preview programme and nightly highlights.
Clare Balding will again lead Channel 4 Racing’s presenting team, which will include Nick Luck, Jim McGrath and Graham Cunningham in the trackside studio and race commentary from Simon Holt and Richard Hoiles.
On-course reporters Emma Spencer, Mick Fitzgerald and Rishi Persad will bring viewers closer to the action with exclusive access to the Ascot stables, jockey’s changing room and steward’s room, while Tanya Stevenson will be on-hand to relay the betting markets with Brian Gleeson offering an Irish perspective.
On joining the Channel 4 Royal Ascot team, Gok Wan said: “With all its glamour, drama and of course the royalty, there is nothing quite like Royal Ascot.
“I’m delighted to be joining Channel 4 Racing for this incredibly special event and to be working alongside Clare Balding and the team.”
“I’ll be there for the whole five days reporting on fashion, who’s who, who’s there. We’re filming loads of short films covering everything to do with the occasion, to do with different designers, the clothes, anything to reflect the glamour of the occasion.
“It’s an amazing event for this country and nobody quite does racing like the Brits. The idea of getting invited into the Royal
Enclosure, or people being there to get a glimpse of the Queen, it’s so exciting.”
Wan himself hinted that he would be part of Channel 4’s Royal Ascot coverage in April, having been originally been considered for the same role last year, which instead was filled by American fashion TV expert Brix Smith-Start.
Ed Havard, Channel 4’s Head of Special Programmes and Live Events said: “Royal Ascot is one of the highlights of our year.
“No-one brings fashion to life like Gok and we’re delighted that he is joining Clare and the rest of the team to showcase the spectacle of this event for our audiences.”
Further details of the broadcaster’s exclusive terrestrial Royal Ascot coverage including new features and innovations will be announced in the lead up to the event, which is live on Channel 4 from June 17-21.
.