“It’s really exciting, it’s exceptional and it’s adrenaline-filled” – Broadcaster Vernon Kay
Champions: Full Gallop, the dramatic new, prime-time six-part docuseries which delves into the world of horseracing like never before, has proved a winner in the competitive world of sports documentaries.
The first episode of the docuseries aired on ITV1 and ITVX a week ago (19th July) and offered a backstage pass to the lives of jockeys and trainers connected to horses competing in a dramatic King George VI Chase on Boxing Day.
Across the weekend, it pulled in an audience of 1.1m viewers. This made it the third most-watched sports documentary on any channel this year, behind only Andy Murray: Will to Win (BBC1) and Boris Becker: The Rise and Fall (ITV).
It proved more popular than this year’s episodic editions of other popular sports docuseries, such as Drive To Survive, Full Swing and Unchained and has received excellent reviews (see further below).
Produced by South Shore, supported by Flutter Entertainment and Racecourse Media Group (RMG), the programme gives fans access all areas, from weighing rooms to stable yards, as cameras follow the dramatic high-octane thrills, emotion, and drama both on and off the racetrack.
The next episode is on ITV1 at 9pm today (Friday July 26) and the first three episodes are available to stream now on ITVX here.
Praise for Champions: Full Gallop
“I don’t know the full ins and outs of racing. But, honestly, I’m all in after that. It’s brilliant. I’ve watched a lot of the sports documentaries and the one thing I want to know are the things you’d never dream of seeing. That was a proper peek behind the curtain” – former England footballer Peter Crouch
“It’s really exciting, it’s exceptional and it’s adrenaline-filled” – Broadcaster Vernon Kay
“When you get taken so close to the action, you crave to see more. It is why Champions: Full Gallop is brimming with the potential to leave armchair viewers gasping at racing’s omnipresent danger or bonding with the infectious characters – human and equine – who make the sport what it is” – Daily Mail
“This gem from ITV (is) about the UK horse-racing calendar and the mad men and women who partake in it” – The Times
“This could be one of the best things that has ever happened to British Racing” – Racing Post