![Event: Virgin TV British Academy Television AwardsDate: Sunday 13 May 2018Venue: Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, Lambeth, LondonHost: Sue Perkins-Area: Special Award Portrait](https://www.bafta.org/sites/default/files/styles/news_main/public/externals/7b038d26353c83dffa0a4bbb852e2a2d.jpg?itok=zuMlLc6z)
Long-standing football commentator to be honoured at the Virgin TV British Academy Television Awards on Sunday 13 May
Read our Special Award feature >
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts has announced today that football commentator John Motson will be honoured with the Special Award at the Virgin TV British Academy Television Awards on Sunday 13 May, at the Royal Festival Hall in London.
The Special Award will be presented to John Motson in recognition of his outstanding contribution to sports broadcasting. The award follows the recent announcement that the legendary commentator will retire from the BBC at the end of the season after a 50-year career.
John Motson OBE, fondly known as ‘Motty’, is one of the BBC’s longest serving commentators. He has worked on over 2,000 football matches on both television and radio covering many major championships since the late 1970s.
During his career, Motson has covered 10 World Cups, 10 European Championships, 29 FA Cup finals and more than 200 England games. He has also worked as a commentator on EA Sport’s FIFA games series.
Born in Salford, England, Motson began his career as a reporter for Sheffield newspaper the Morning Telegraph. After a short stint at the newspaper, he was hired by the BBC as one of its television and radio presenters for BBC Sport, starting off at BBC Radio 2 and moving over to popular television football programme, Match of the Day.
Krishnendu Majumdar, Chair of BAFTA’s Television Committee, said: “Legendary football commentator John Motson’s long and impressive career makes him deserving of this Special Award which celebrates the excellence he brings to his work. He is much loved by the nation’s football fans, who have been gripped while watching and listening to his commentary on some of the most memorable matches in televised football history. I look forward to seeing him receiving the award on the night.”
John Motson OBE said: “It is such an honour to be given the Special Award by BAFTA at this year’s ceremony, especially on the day of my last football commentary for Match of the Day. I’ve had such a rewarding career and I’m looking forward to celebrating this award with colleagues, friends and family.”
The Virgin TV British Academy Television Awards will be hosted by Sue Perkins at the Royal Festival Hall, London on Sunday 13 May.
For further information, please contact:
Amanda Hearn / Hep Kwakye-Saka
freuds
T: 0203 003 6456 / 482
E: [email protected] / [email protected]
About BAFTA
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) is a world-leading independent arts charity that brings the very best work in film, games and television to public attention and supports the growth of creative talent in the UK and internationally. Through its Awards ceremonies and year-round programme of learning events and initiatives – which includes workshops, masterclasses, scholarships, lectures and mentoring schemes in the UK, USA and Asia – BAFTA identifies and celebrates excellence, discovers, inspires and nurtures new talent, and enables learning and creative collaboration. For advice and inspiration from the best creative minds in working in film, games and television, visit www.bafta.org/guru. For more, visit www.bafta.org.
About Virgin Media
Virgin Media offers four multi award-winning services across the UK and Ireland: broadband, TV, mobile phone and landline. Our dedicated, ultrafast network delivers the fastest widely-available broadband speeds to homes and businesses and we’re expanding this through our Project Lightning programme, which will extend our network to 17 million premises. Virgin Media offers its TV customers a world of connected entertainment powered by its smallest, smartest and fastest set-top box, the Virgin TV V6. Virgin TV has also increased its investment in boxsets, catch up services as well as launching exclusive TV shows, including Ash vs Evil Dead, Kingdom, Full Circle, Imposters and US drama Good Behavior, all premiering in the UK and brilliantly brought together by Virgin TV. Our interactive Virgin TV service brings live TV, thousands of hours of on-demand programming and the best apps and games to customers through a set-top box, as well as on-the-go through tablets and smartphones. Virgin Mobile launched the world’s first virtual mobile network, offering fantastic value and flexible services. We are also one of the largest fixed-line home phone providers in the UK and Ireland. Through Virgin Media Business, we support entrepreneurs, businesses and the public sector, delivering the fastest speeds and tailor-made services.