ITV will broadcast almost 50 hours of programming featuring the TT during the 2009 festival, it has been confirmed.

The broadcaster has unveiled its final schedule for the TT, revealing that in addition to extensive coverage on ITV 4 there will be two hour-long programmes on ITV1, sponsored by leading UK insurance provider Bennetts.

The two ITV1 programmes will be broadcast on Sunday June 7 and Sunday June 14 at 11.45pm.

They will be shown across the entire ITV network and will feature race highlights from the 2009 races as well as profiles of the riders taking part.

Other features will include an interview with MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi and his historic lap of the TT course, due to take place in June 6.

ITV4 will also carry TT history programmes, a TT documentary entitled The Race that Time Forgot, a review of the 2008 TT races and TT Greatest Moments programmes.

The programmes will be presented by leading ITV sports anchor Craig Doyle with commentary from former racers Steve Parrish and Jamie Whitham, who have both competed at the TT.

The ITV coverage was negotiated by North One TV, who hold the licence for the exclusive sales and distribution rights for the TT races, on behalf of the Isle of Man Government.

Controller of ITV Sport Niall Sloane said:

‘We’re delighted to be broadcasting coverage of the Isle of Man TT – one of the most historic and highly anticipated events of the motorsport calendar.’

North One TV CEO Neil Duncanson added:

‘With the clock ticking down on the event we're all getting pretty excited about it.’

‘The Isle of Man TT is a fabulous event and now it will have a television product to match.’

As previously reported on iomtt.com, the Official Website of the Isle of Man TT, the event was listed among the top 10 summer sporting events by the Daily Telegraph. List compiler Charles Starmer-Smith ranked the festival alongside events including Royal Ascot, Wimbledon and The Ashes.

Isle of Man Tourism and Leisure Minister Martyn Quayle said:

‘All of this positive publicity is a great way for us to showcase the Isle of Man and the TT Races and we hope that it will encourage people to come and visit the Island, either for the races or to experience other aspects of the Isle of Man.’

You can download the complete ITV TT schedule HERE.


The TV schedule download is in .pdf format. You will need to have Adobe to read this file. Download Adobe reader HERE