Bank Holiday weekend: what's on and how you can watch it

We are about to enter an Easter Bank Holiday weekend like no other. Usually, Easter events would involve spending time with your extended family, searching for chocolate at school fetes, going to church or watching an abundance of live sport on television.

Unfortunately, none of that will be on the menu this time round due to restrictions placed by the government on social meetings due to the coronavirus pandemic – but there is still plenty to keep you entertained over the four-day period.

Racing

Although the domestic action won't resume for a number of weeks, some jurisdictions around the world have decided to carry on racing behind closed doors.

Widening your horizons to racing from other countries will boost your knowledge no-end and the first starting point is to watch the remaining US fare, which is shown on Sky Sports Racing or through the At The Races website on a daily basis.

Only five thoroughbred-racing tracks remain stateside, but Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs host competitive cards on Friday and Saturday, while there are also stakes races worth $200,000 and $150,000 at Oaklawn Park, although coverage of those events will be available only via bookmaker streams.

There is also fantastic racing in Australia for early risers, with Randwick's showcase Saturday morning card hosting a total of seven Group races, with the Group 1 Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (6.55) ranking the number-one event.

Addeybb (yellow): looks to plunder a huge Australian pot at Randwick on Saturday morningCredit: Mark Evans (Getty Images)

Domestic fans will be able to get a taste of the Flat season as the William Haggas-trained Addeybb, who will be partnered by Tom Marquand, or 'Aussie Tom' as the locals are now calling him, has a leading chance.

Marquand is also in action earlier on the card aboard the Haggas-trained Young Rascal, who is set to take on Raheen House, who was formerly based with Brian Meehan, in the Sydney Cup (6.15).

That isn't all the action in Australia as Caulfield, situated in Melbourne, has two Group 3 contests on offer, including the Le Pine Funerals Easter Cup (7.15) on Saturday morning. Looks like all the die-hard racing fans will be getting up early to enjoy and embrace the action!

Football

I don't know about you, but I'm missing the football season as much as anything. Given I'm a Liverpool fan, the resumption of the sport would be much appreciated so we can claim our much-deserved title.

Unfortunately, Easter weekend, which would normally be full of football games, is now barren. But those who just can't wait and are desperate to get stuck into some football, the Belarusian Premier League and Nicaraguan leagues are still going ahead.

View all sport stories here

The highlights over the four days are Deportivo Las Sabanas' home tie against Managua in Nicaragua on Saturday night, and Slavia Mozyr, whose fans went viral thanks to a sign asking Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to come and play for them, face Rukh Brest on Monday afternoon.

Television

There is a wide array) of films on offer over the weekend from Antz (ITV2, 3.35pm Friday) and Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory (ITV, 2.35pm Sunday) to old classics like The Robe (BBC2, 3pm Monday) and The Bridge On The River Kwai (Channel 5, 2.15pm Monday).

As far as sports films go, there isn't much to flick through, but the BBC are making sure we don't forget about some of the recent classic sporting events as several programmes are scheduled over the next four days that will warm the heart and remind you what a regular weekend would entail.

Tiger Woods celebrates after sinking his putt on the 18th green to win at Augusta for a fifth timeCredit: Getty Images

Football Focus (12pm), World Cup Rewind (2.15pm), which features four classic World Cup matches, including England vs Cameroon, and Match Of The Day (10.20pm), where pundits discuss the top ten managers, make up an action-packed Saturday.

Finally, golf fans won't want to miss The Masters 2019, shown at 5pm on Sunday on BBC2. The show will look back at Tiger Woods' memorable victory at Augusta last year.

Read this next:

'The stewards were after me big time. They were trying to get me warned off'

In-running carnage: opening the door on some of Betfair's most notorious losers

Where is racing still happening and when could countries start up again?

Keep up to date on the must-have news, tips, photos and more by following the Racing Post across all social channels