The Championship (TV programme)
- For the football competition covered by this TV programme, see Football League Championship
The Championship is a British football television programme featuring highlights from the Coca Cola Football League. It is almost always shown on Sunday mornings on ITV1, presented by Matt Smith.
The show has included various additional features since it began in August 2004 and has had its format changed due to widespread criticism of the number of commercial breaks. Link scenes usually involve Smith speaking to camera from various parts of the stadium of the main match, like the dressing rooms, the referee's office, the boot room, the pie stand and so on.
The Team
Presenter
- Matt Smith has been the presenter from the start and is very rarely absent. In the rare occasions that he is absent, Andy Townsend deputises, on one occasion Angus Scott filled in but he now no longer works for the network.
Pundits
- The pundits (who report too) are Robbie Earle, Andy Townsend and Ally McCoist. They give their analysis on some games but they usually report in depth on a game in the Football League.
Reporters
- The main reporters are Ned Boulting, Gabriel Clarke and Dave Beckett. However there have been many more reporters such as Richard Henwood, Mike Hall, Mick Conway and Gary Bloom. Commentators Tony Jones and Trevor Harris have done some reports.
Commentators
- The main commentators are Peter Drury, Jon Champion and Clive Tyldesley. Phil Duffell has done two games based at Cardiff City, one at Swansea and one at Coventry, Tony Jones has done commentary and reports. Angus Scott was commentator for four games. Bob Symonds has been doing commentaries in Wales and Donovan Blake commentated at Norwich.