Category: Sport;
Radio
Newcastle; Radio
Cleveland
Date: 20.09.2004
Printable version
The eyes of the nation will be on the North East of England this weekend
(25-26 September) as the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ brings live and exclusive coverage of the
CÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Junior Great North Run Party and BUPA Great North Run.
Chart topping bands such as Girls Aloud, V and Peter Andre will be
rocking the Gateshead International Stadium live on The CÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Channel
on the eve of the 24th Great North Run, the world's largest half marathon,
which will be broadcast on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ ONE.
Sue Barker presents live coverage of the road race
in which nearly 50,000 runners will attempt to complete the famous 13.1
mile course starting in Newcastle and finishing at the coast in South
Shields.
Once again millions will be raised for charity and this year the runners
will be inspired by the Olympic achievements of Kelly Holmes who will
start the race and Matthew Pinsent who will be competing in the event
for the third time.
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Head of Major Events, Dave Gordon, who has just returned from Athens
where he brought the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s coverage of the Olympics to our screens,
said: "The Great North Run shows the North East at its very best and
this event has grown to become one of the highlights of the sporting
calendar."
Other celebrity runners include Charlie Dimmock of Ground Force, chef
Gordon Ramsey, jockey Richard Dunwoody, Simon Thomas and Angellica Bell
from CÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½, Rob Bonnet from ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ News, Ray Stubbs and Mark Bright from
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Sport and a large team from the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Weather Centre including David
Braine, Philip Avery and John Hammond.
And stars of ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s Byker Grove are taking part in the Junior Great
North Run on Saturday in aid of children's charity Barnardo's.
Cast members Hannah Clementson, who plays Zoe; Tom Graham (Robert);
Chelsea Halfpenny (Lucy) and Paul Meynell (Stumpy) will be running.
The women's elite field includes two times winner Sonia O'Sullivan
from Ireland, World 10,000 metres champion Berhane Adere of Ethiopia
and Australia's world cross-country champion Benita Johnson.
They're joined in the men's race by Great Manchester Run winner Craig
Mottram and double winner Tushar Patel leads the wheelchair field.
The ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s commentary team of Steve Cram and Brendan
Foster will be joined by Liz McColgan, while
viewers from the North East & Cumbria region will recognise Look North
presenters Carol Malia and Wendy Gibson
reporting on the race alongside Sally Gunnell, Dianne
Oxberry and Graham Anderson.
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio Newcastle's
Sunday Breakfast presenter Jon Harle, whose son Mark
will be playing in the band V at the CÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Party, will be broadcasting
live from the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Blue Bus amongst the runners on the Central Motorway
from 7.30am.
Mike Parr and Julia Hankin will
broadcast a four hour special show on Radio Newcastle from 10.00am from
the finish line at South Shields, with reporters along the route providing
updates both on and off the course.
Sports correspondent Barry Hindson will be at the
front of the race for Radio Newcastle broadcasting live from the radio
car, and Martin Emerson and David Warriner
will be giving expert analysis from the finish line.
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio Cleveland's Bus will
be at the Nook outside Minchella's Ice Cream where Stuart McFarlane
will be presenting his 9.00am-midday programme live on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio Cleveland.
Double Olympic champion Kelly Holmes will be running in the Great North
Mile road race on Newcastle and Gateshead's quayside on Saturday 25
September.
Fans will be able to follow her race on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ ONE's Grandstand from 3.50pm
to 4.30pm.
CÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ has live coverage of the four kilometres Junior Great North Run
on Saturday 25 September and the CÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Junior Great North Run Party at
Gateshead International Stadium.
Every runner in the junior race, which sees 6,000 young people taking
part in the biggest junior event in the UK, can celebrate their achievements
afterwards at the CÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Junior Great North Party.
The huge open-air concert, organised and broadcast by The CÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Channel,
will be hosted by Konnie Huq with bands Girls Aloud,
Peter Andre, V and DJ Casper playing.
Joining the line-up of stars will be 22-year-old Nick Barrett, who
won a competition organised by ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Look North, Junior Run organisers
Nova International and regional music agency Generator to play at the
concert.
Finally, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Sport and Look North presenter Jonathan Edwards
presents highlights of all the action and personalities from a day when
nearly 50,000 ran in the world's largest half marathon from Newcastle
to South Shields on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ TWO at 5.15pm.
Notes to Editors
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Coverage
Saturday 25 September
Grandstand, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ ONE, 1.05-1.15pm: Great North Mile preview
Grandstand, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ ONE, 3.50-4.30pm: Great North Mile
The CÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Channel, 2.00pm onwards: Junior Great North Run
The CÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Channel, 6.00-7.00pm: CÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Junior Great North Run Party
Sunday 26 September
Great North Run, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ ONE, 9.30am-1.35pm: Live coverage of the half-marathon
Great North Run, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ TWO, 5.15-6.00pm: Highlights of the 13.1 mile race
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio Newcastle, 7.30am-2.00pm, with Jon Harle, Mike Parr and Julia
Hankin
