Channel 4’s Formula 1 commentator Ben Edwards has announced that he will be stepping down from the role at the end of the 2020 season.
The voice of free-to-air TV coverage of the sport for the past decade, Edwards says his decision was entirely personal and made after careful consideration.
He has commentated on every Grand Prix since the start of the 2012 season, firstly with the BBC before joining the Channel 4 on-air team when the terrestrial rights switched in 2016.
During his time in the BBC and Channel 4 commentary box, the 55-year-old has worked alongside 13-time F1 winner David Coulthard throughout, with both guiding fans though six of Lewis Hamilton’s seven world championship triumphs.
It is likely that Edwards will commentate on the Briton’s eighth world title in 2020, possibly as soon as the Turkish Grand Prix on 15 November, as long as his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas does not out-score him by more than seven points.
Announcing his decision via Whisper’s website, Edwards said:
“Commentating on F1 for the last nine years has been a real privilege, but it’s time for me to step back from the front line of such an intense world and take a wider perspective on motorsport and life.
“Working with DC, Steve and the C4 crew has been incredibly rewarding and I wish them all the best. I’ll be tuning in!”
A former racer himself, Edwards has been a familiar and highly respected voice across a wide range of motorsport coverage since the mid-1990s.
His Formula 1 commentary career began back as 1995 with Eurosport alongside former F1 winner John Watson. After Eurosport’s coverage in the UK ended at the end of 1996 when ITV took over the rights, Edwards forged a successful broadcasting career away from F1.
Among the many series he worked on before returning to F1 full-time in 2012, Edwards commentated on the American Champ Car Series, A1 Grand Prix and he was the voice of ITV’s British Touring Car Championship coverage from 2002 to 2011.
He did make a brief return to Formula 1 in 2002 when he reunited with John Watson to work on the Sky-operated F1 Digital+ pay-per-view service, but the arrival of Sky Sports to the F1 scene a decade later facilitated a return for Edwards as he took up the lead commentary position on the BBC’s coverage, before making the switch to Channel 4 in 2016.
His current commentary partner at Channel 4, David Coulthard, said:
“Ben is first and foremost in my eyes a racer, combine that with an attention to detail and encyclopaedic knowledge of Formula 1 and what you have is an individual who is unique in his broadcasting role. I consider it one of the many privileges I have enjoyed during my time in motorsport that I had the opportunity to spend nine years standing beside Ben in the commentary box.”
Edwards’ replacement as Channel 4’s lead commentator will be announced in due course.
The broadcaster will continue to show extended highlights of every Grand Prix weekend on the recently announced 23-race calendar in 2021, including live free-to-air coverage of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
Pete Andrews, Channel 4’s head of sport, said:
“Ben has been an exceptional commentator in his time at Channel 4 and we will miss his skilled judgement and timing. It’s a rare art form to be able to enhance the broadcast with both subtly and panache and I know that Channel 4 viewers will be as sad as we are to hear that he will be leaving.”
Whisper has produced Formula One for Channel 4 since it took over the rights in 2016. Its chief executive Sunil Patel said:
“Ben’s style is understated excellence. He knows exactly when to inject enthusiasm, when to hold back and when to let the brilliance of F1 talk for itself. Producing with his commentary was always a delight, there are so many great lines to choose from; he delivers exactly the right thing at the right time. Big shoes to fill no doubt, but we will choose well and maintain our excellent presentation line up for C4F1.”
Edwards will see out his final four Grands Prix as Channel 4’s main commentator, starting with the Turkish Grand Prix. His final race behind the Channel 4 microphone will be at the 2020 season climax in Abu Dhabi on 13 December.
Extended highlights of every qualifying session and race day for the remainder of the 2020 Formula 1 season will air in primetime on Channel 4.
UPDATE: Alex Jacques announced as Channel 4’s lead commentator for the 2021 season
For more information about Channel 4’s F1 coverage, visit channel4.com/f1
Our mic maestro Ben Edwards has announced today he has decided to step down from his lead comms role on our #F1 coverage at the end of the season. We’ll be very sad to see you go @benedwardstv and thanks for an awesome 5 years!! pic.twitter.com/tdgUq9UJmk
— Channel 4 F1® (@C4F1) November 11, 2020
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