Super League Show Explained

Genre:Rugby League
Developer:BBC Sport
Presenter:Harry Gration (1999-2011)
Tanya Arnold (2012-2023)
Country:United Kingdom
Language:English
Location:BBC Yorkshire, Leeds
Runtime:60 minutes (highlights)
Company:PDI Media
BBC Yorkshire
BBC English Regions
Last Aired:[1]
Channel:BBC One North
BBC Two (repeat)

The Super League Show is a rugby league programme, produced by PDI Media at BBC Yorkshire's studios in Leeds. The show was last presented by Tanya Arnold, with match commentary from Dave Woods and Andy Giddings and analysis from a variety of studio guests.

Broadcasts

The programme was broadcast to the North West, Yorkshire & North Midlands, North East & Cumbria, and East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire regions on Monday nights at 10.40 p.m. From 2008, it was repeated nationally on BBC Two, originally overnight on Mondays, but then Tuesday lunchtimes,[2] and streamed in the UK on BBC iPlayer. End of season play-offs and World Club Challenge highlights were shown across the whole country in a highlights package.

Before being succeeded by Tanya Arnold, Harry Gration presented the programme from 1999 until the latter part of the 2011 season. For the 2012 season, the programme was moved from Sundays to its fixed Monday night timeslot.

According to Harry Gration, one of the programme's first pundits, ex-Great Britain captain Garry Schofield, was effectively removed from the show for being too controversial.[3]

In February 2024, BBC Sport announced a three-year deal with the league, replacing Channel 4 as the league's live free-to-air partner.[4] The deal added 15 live matches a year to the broadcaster's platforms, but ended the show after 25 years, with condensed highlights of all games instead being added to iPlayer within 24 hours.

Awards

The Super League Show picked up the Royal Television Society Sports Awards for best Nations and Regions Sports Actuality Programme in May 2007.[5] It followed this up by winning Best Sports Programme at the Royal Television Society North West awards evening in November 2007.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: BBC One - Super League Show. 10 February 2024 . 25 September 2023 . BBC .
  2. Web site: Super League Show to get repeat . BBC Sport . 11 February 2008 . 11 February 2008.
  3. Harry Gration, Yorkshire Sporting Heroes, quote: "We took calls of complaint from Maurice Lindsay, the chief executive of the Rugby Football League, who wanted him removed. But he struck a chord at this time with the fans. They loved his no-nonsense approach and honesty, although he had his detractors too."
  4. News: Super League: BBC to show live games for first time after signing three-year broadcast deal . 7 February 2024 . 10 February 2024 . BBC Sport.
  5. http://www.superleague.co.uk/story.php?id=7877 Super League
  6. http://www.how-do.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1371&Itemid=26 Royal Television Society Awards honour Wilson, Shameless and roll call of NW TV talent