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 BBC brings live and exclusive coverage of the CBBC 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 CBBC Channel on the eve of the 24th Great North Run, the world's largest half marathon, which will be broadcast on BBC 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.

BBC Head of Major Events, Dave Gordon, who has just returned from Athens where he brought the BBC'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 CBBC, Rob Bonnet from BBC News, Ray Stubbs and Mark Bright from BBC Sport and a large team from the BBC Weather Centre including David Braine, Philip Avery and John Hammond.

And stars of BBC'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 BBC'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.

BBC Radio Newcastle's Sunday Breakfast presenter Jon Harle, whose son Mark will be playing in the band V at the CBBC Party, will be broadcasting live from the BBC 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.

BBC 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 BBC 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 BBC ONE's Grandstand from 3.50pm to 4.30pm.

CBBC has live coverage of the four kilometres Junior Great North Run on Saturday 25 September and the CBBC 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 CBBC Junior Great North Party.

The huge open-air concert, organised and broadcast by The CBBC 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 BBC Look North, Junior Run organisers Nova International and regional music agency Generator to play at the concert.

Finally, BBC 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 BBC TWO at 5.15pm.

Notes to Editors

BBC Coverage

Saturday 25 September

Grandstand, BBC ONE, 1.05-1.15pm: Great North Mile preview

Grandstand, BBC ONE, 3.50-4.30pm: Great North Mile

The CBBC Channel, 2.00pm onwards: Junior Great North Run

The CBBC Channel, 6.00-7.00pm: CBBC Junior Great North Run Party

Sunday 26 September

Great North Run, BBC ONE, 9.30am-1.35pm: Live coverage of the half-marathon

Great North Run, BBC TWO, 5.15-6.00pm: Highlights of the 13.1 mile race

BBC Radio Newcastle, 7.30am-2.00pm, with Jon Harle, Mike Parr and Julia Hankin