British Academy Television Award for Best Sport
Annual UK television award
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The British Academy Television Award for Best Sport is one of the major categories of the British Academy Television Awards (BAFTAs), the primary awards ceremony of the British television industry. According to the BAFTA website, the category is for "the television coverage of a sporting event."[1]
CountryUnited Kingdom
Presented byBritish Academy of Film and Television Arts
First award1964
Currently held byUEFA Women's Euro 2025 (2026)
| British Academy Television Award | |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Presented by | British Academy of Film and Television Arts |
| First award | 1964 |
| Currently held by | UEFA Women's Euro 2025 (2026) |
| Website | http://www.bafta.org/ |
The category has gone through several changes:
- An individual award (occasionally with nominees) named Best Outside Broadcasts was presented from 1964 to 1968 and in 1977.
- From 1986 to 1991, the category was merged with the Best News Coverage category, being presented as Best News or Outside Broadcast Coverage.
- From 1995 to 1997, it was presented as Best Sports/Events Coverage in Real Time.
- In 1998 and 1999, it was awarded as Best Live Outside Broadcast Coverage.
- From 2012 to 2015, the category for sport evens was merged with the Best Live Event category being awarded under the name Best Sport and Live Event.
Since 2016, the category is presented as a stand-alone category, separate from the Best Live Event category.
Winners and nominees
1960s
Best Outside Broadcasts
| Year | Title | Recipient(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Antony Craxton | |
| 1965 | Dennis Monger | |
| 1966 | The State Funeral of Sir Winston Churchill LSO - The Music Men | Peter Morley |
| Men Against the Matterhorn Cup Winners Cup final: "West Ham v Munich" England v Scotland | Alan Chivers, Walther Pluess | |
| The Lying-in-State and The State Funeral of Sir Winston Churchill NATO Conference Festival of Remembrance at Cenotaph | Antony Craxton | |
| Victory in Europe - 20 Years After Half Time Britain Science Special Challenge Tomorrow's World | Glyn Jones | |
| 1967 | Grandstand: "World Cup" | |
| 1968 | Alan Chivers, Christopher Brasher | |
1970s
Best Outside Broadcasts
| Year | Title | Recipient(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 1976 FA Cup final | |
| Match of the Day | ||
| St Nicholas Cantata | Margery Baker | |
| The State Opening of Parliament | ||
| Wimbledon 1976 | ||
1990s
Best Sports/Events Coverage in Real Time
| Year | Title | Recipient(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | The Grand National | Keith MacKenzie, Martin Hopkins |
| Arnhem 50th Anniversary: Out of Ammunition | Michael Begg | |
| D-Day Remembered: Beaches of Normandy and the Bayeux Service of Remembrance | Neil Eccles, Stephen Morris | |
| UEFA Cup: "Aston Villa v Inter Milan" | Mike Inman, John Watts | |
| 1996 | VE Day Coverage | Peter Hylton Cleaver, Neil Eccles, Philip S. Gilbert and Team |
| Cheltenham Gold Cup | Jane Garrod | |
| Super Sunday: "The Final Day of the Premiership" | Andy Melvin, Tony Mills | |
| VJ-50 Live: The Final Tribute | Neil Eccles, Simon Betts, Philip S Gilbert | |
| 1997 | BBC1 Euro '96 Coverage | Niall Sloane, Vivien Kent |
| Formula 1 Grand Prix Racing | Jim Reside, Keith MacKenzie | |
| Monday Night Football | Andy Melvin, Tony Mills | |
| Remembrance Sunday: The Cenotaph | Peter Cleaver | |
Best Live Outside Broadcast Coverage
| Year | Title | Recipient(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Sky Rugby Union | Martin Turner |
| The Grand National | Malcolm Kemp, Martin Hopkins, Dave Gordon | |
| Hong Kong Handover: The Final Moment | Philip Gilbert, Neil Eccles, Geoff Wilson and the BBC Events Production Team | |
| ITV Coverage of the Grand Prix | Neil Duncanson, Keith McKenzie | |
| 1999 | Channel 4 Racing: "Derby Day" | Andrew Franklin, Denise Large |
| The Eurovision Song Contest | Guy Freeman, Geoff Posner | |
| The Football World Cup Final Programme | Paul McNamara, Niall Sloane | |
| World Cup '98: "England v Argentina" | Jeff Farmer, Rick Waumsley, John Watts | |
2000s
Best Sport
| Year | Title | Recipient(s) | Broadcaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Test Cricket | Jeff Foulser, Gary Franses | Channel 4 |
| Formula One 1999 | Neil Duncanson, Gerard Lane, Keith MacKenzie | ITV | |
| The Open Golf Championship 1999 | BBC One/BBC Two | ||
| Interactive Live Football | Piers Croton | Sky Sports | |
| 2001 | Sydney Olympics 2000 | Dave Gordon, Martin Hopkins | BBC One/BBC Two |
| 2000 British Grand Prix | Neil Duncanson, Gerard Lane, Keith MacKenzie | ITV | |
| Test Cricket | Channel 4 | ||
| Today at the Paralympics | Gary Imlach, James Venner | BBC Two | |
| 2002 | Channel 4 Cricket | Channel 4 | |
| Germany v England | Paul Armstrong, Phil Bigwood, Alan Griffiths | BBC One | |
| British Grand Prix: Silverstone 2001: "Farewell Murray Walker" | ITV | ||
| FA Cup Final 2001: Liverpool v Arsenal | Rick Waumsley, John Watts, Jeff Farmer | ||
| 2003 | The Commonwealth Games | BBC One | |
| ITV World Cup 2002 | ITV | ||
| World Cup: "England V Argentina" | BBC One | ||
| World Rally Championship | Neil Duncanson, Dave Lewis | Channel 4 | |
| 2004 | 2003 Rugby World Cup final | John Watts, Simon Moore, Rick Waumsley | ITV |
| Channel 4 Racing: Cheltenham Gold Cup Day | Denise Large, John Fairley, Andrew Franklin | Channel 4 | |
| Test Cricket | |||
| London Marathon | BBC One | ||
| 2005 | Olympics 2004: "Matthew Pinsent's Rowing for Gold" | BBC One | |
| Euro 2004: "France V England" | Rick Waumsley, Tony Pastor, Paul McNamara | ITV | |
| Formula One - Monaco | Neil Duncanson, Gerard Lane | ||
| Olympics 2004: "Final Night Athletics" | BBC One | ||
| 2006 | The Ashes: England v Australia | Channel 4 | |
| Champions League Final Live: AC Milan v Liverpool | Ric Waumsley, Paul McNamara, David Moss | ITV | |
| Formula One - US Grand Prix | Neil Duncanson, Gerard Lane | ||
| The Open Golf Championship: "Final Round of Jack Nicklaus" | BBC Two | ||
| 2007 | F1: Hungarian Grand Prix: "Jenson Button's First Win" | Neil Duncanson, Gerard Lane | ITV |
| Cricket On Five | Jeff Foulser, Gary Franses, Dylan Jane, Diana Keen | Five | |
| The Boat Race | John Watts, Tony Pastor, John McKenna, Phil Heslop | ITV | |
| Winter Olympics | BBC Sport Production Team | BBC Two | |
| 2008 | ITV F1: Canadian Grand Prix Live | Neil Duncanson, Gerard Lane, Kevin Chapman, Steve Aldous | ITV |
| Wimbledon: The Men's Final | Paul Davies, Carl Hicks, Jonathan Bramley, Bethan Evans | BBC One | |
| Boat Race | John Watts, Tony Pastor, Paul McNamara, John McKenna | ITV | |
| Rugby World Cup 2007: England v France Semi-Final | David Moss, Simon Moore, Paul McNamara | ||
| 2009 | ITV1 F1: Brazilian Grand Prix 2008 | Neil Duncanson, Gerard Lane, Steve Aldous, Steve Rider | ITV |
| Cheltenham Gold Cup: "Denman v Kauto Star" | Andrew Franklin, John Fairley, Denise Large, Sophie Veats | Channel 4 | |
| Olympics 2008 | BBC One | ||
| Wimbledon 2008: The Men's Final | |||
2010s
Best Sport
| Year | Title | Recipient(s) | Broadcaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | World Athletics Championships | BBC Two/BBC Sport | |
| FA Cup Final | Simon Moore, Paul McNamara, John Watts | ITV/ITV Sports | |
| UEFA Champions League Live | Tony Pastor, John Watts, Paul McNamara | ||
| F1 - The Brazilian Grand Prix | BBC Two/BBC Sport | ||
| 2011 | Formula 1: The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix | BBC Two/BBC Sport | |
| FA Cup Final: Chelsea v Portsmouth | Tony Pastor, Paul McNamara, Jamie Oakford, Rob Hollier | ITV/ITV Sports | |
| Six Nations: "Wales v England" | BBC Two/BBC Sport | ||
| Wimbledon 2010 | |||
Best Sport and Live Event
| Year | Title | Recipient(s) | Broadcaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | The Royal Wedding | BBC One | |
| Frankenstein's Wedding: Live in Leeds | Meredith Chambers, Pat Connor, Richard Fell, Eleanor Moran | BBC Three | |
| Rugby World Cup Final | Phil Heslop, Paul McNamara, Tony Pastor, Roger Pearce | ITV | |
| Tour de France 2011 | Steve Docherty, Gary Imlach, James Venner, Carolyn Viccari | ITV4 | |
| 2013 | The London 2012 Paralympic Games | Channel 4 | |
| The London 2012 Olympics: "Super Saturday" | BBC One | ||
| The London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony: Isle of Wonder | |||
| Wimbledon 2012: "Men's Final" | |||
| 2014 | The Ashes 2013: "1st Test, Day 5" | Sky Sports | |
| Wimbledon Men's Final | BBC One/BBC Sport | ||
| Glastonbury 2013 | BBC | ||
| Bollywood Carmen Live | BBC Three | ||
| 2015 | WW1 Remembered – From the Battlefield & Westminster Abbey | BBC Two | |
| 2014 FA Cup Semi Final: Hull City v Sheffield United | BT Sport 1 | ||
| Monty Python (Mostly) Live: One Down, Five to Go | Gold | ||
| Tour de France, 2014, Stage 1 | Steve Docherty, Carolyn Viccari, James Venner, Gary Imlach | ITV | |
Best Sport
| Year | Title | Recipient(s) | Broadcaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | The Ashes | Bryan Henderson, Mark Lynch, David Lloyd, Ian Ward | Sky Sports |
| The Grand National | Carl Hicks, Denise Large, Sophie Veats, Nick Lightfoot | Channel 4 | |
| MOTD Live: "FA Cup Final" | Andrew Clement, Richard Hughes, Ian Finch, Chris Grubb | BBC One | |
| Six Nations: Final Day | |||
| 2017 | The Open | Sky Sports 1 | |
| Rio 2016 Olympics | BBC One | ||
| Rio 2016 Paralympics | Channel 4 | ||
| Six Nations: "England v Wales" | Paul McNamara, Phil Heslop, David Francis, Mark Demuth | ITV | |
| 2018 | The Grand National | Paul McNamara, Richard Willoughby, Amy Lewin, Tony Cahalane | ITV |
| Anthony Joshua v. Wladimir Klitschko | Adam Smith, Ed Robinson, Sara Chenery, Jennie Blackmore | Sky Sports Box Office | |
| Six Nations: "Wales v. England" | BBC One | ||
| Uefa Women's Euro Semi-Final: England v. Netherlands | Sunil Patel, Mark Cole, Kay Satterley, Ian Finch | Channel 4 | |
| 2019 [2] | 2018 World Cup Quarter Final: England v Sweden | BBC One | |
| 2018 Six Nations: "Scotland v England" | BBC One | ||
| England's Test Cricket - Cook's Farewell | Sky Sports | ||
| Winter Olympics | BBC Two | ||
2020s
- Best Sport Event Coverage
| Year | Title | Recipient(s) | Broadcaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 [8] | Cheltenham Festival: "Day One" | Richard Willoughby, Paul McNamara, Mark Demuth, Bridget Toomey, Rob Oldham, Dionne Robinson-Smith, Andrew Hill | ITV1 |
| MOTV Live: FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 | BBC One | ||
| Wimbledon 2023: "Men's final" | |||
| 2025 [9][10] | Paris 2024 Olympics | BBC One | |
| Euro 2024 | BBC One | ||
| Wimbledon 2024 | |||
| 2026 [11] | UEFA Women's Euro 2025 | BBC One | |
| The 2025 Ryder Cup | Sky Sports | ||
| The FA Cup Final | Richard Hughes, Sarah Williams, Nicola Kirk, Stephen Lyle, Andrew Clement, Emma White | BBC One | |
| Wimbledon 2025 | |||
- Note: The series that don't have recipients on the tables had Production team credited as recipients for the award or nomination.