Exclusive: C4 sport chief explains getting on board the Boat Race

Channel 4 head of sport Pete Andrews is, “definitely,” looking to bring a different spin to the Boat Race, after the channel grabbed the rights from the BBC. 

Channel 4 will be showing the annual rowing event for the next five years, which include the 100th anniversary of the women’s race and 200th anniversary of the men’s. Speaking to Broadcast Sport, Andrews explained the thinking behind the move, saying, “It has a crossover with a broad audience, is iconically British, is a sporting event with amazing sports people, and we can showcase London.” 

The BBC has shown the Boat Race for the vast majority of the time since it was first broadcast in 1938, except for a brief period when ITV aired it 2005-2009. 

He revealed that, “we’ve always been in touch,” with the organisers, as part of Channel 4’s, “opportunistic,” approach to rights, which has seen it acquire the likes of the Women’s FA Cup, F1 highlights, the men’s UEFA Under-21s Championship, men’s England international football, and more in recent years. 

Filmnova will continue to produce the competition, as it has since 2022, which Andrews believes is important to make sure they keep what has been working for the event. A peak audience of 2.18 million watched the women’s race last year, which saw it become the most watched women’s sport broadcast of 2025 until the Women’s Euros took place. The men’s race saw a peak of 2.82 million. 

Andrews believes these figures are a riposte to those who say the event is elitist. “The viewing figures show that it’s for everyone,” he noted, adding, “We don’t look at it as elitist. Lots of people feel involved and they’ve grown up with it. We’re focused on it being a free event, and people can watch the Boat Race but they can’t see a Premier League match.” He likened it to the Grand National, in that, “there’s no chance of me being able to row but I do enjoy watching it!”

However, Channel 4 is, “talking about changing the tone and parts of the coverage.” It will aim to be inclusive, with possible ideas including greater coverage of the state school Youth Boat Race and looking at the feasibility of adding a para-rowing race. These are unlikely to come in for year one, with the next race less than six months away, “It’s a five-year deal and we’ll develop as we go.”

Overall, The Boat Race will now form part of a year-round slate of sport events of “national signficance,” in 2026, which includes Crufts, the Women’s FA Cup final, the British Grand Prix, and more. Going forward, Andrews is confident that Channel 4 can continue to punch above its weight, saying, “We’re a small player but we have reach and a certain style.”