British racing's Drive To Survive - ITV1 to air jump racing docuseries in primetime slot next year

British racing has finally succeeded in its long-held ambition to land a programme resembling Formula 1's hugely successful Drive To Survive after a deal was reached for the sport's principal broadcast partner ITV to air a primetime evening docuseries that will focus on the core period of the current jumps season.

Filming for a project that has been given the working title 'Champions' is set to begin at Kempton on Boxing Day and continue through to the Cheltenham and Aintree spring festivals.

The six-part series is scheduled to be aired late summer next year in the 9pm slot on ITV1, with British racing's leaders hoping it will mirror the success of Drive To Survive in bringing new fans to the sport. Programmes broadcast at 9pm on ITV1 are generally expected to attract between one million and 1.5m viewers.

BHA chief executive Julie Harrington said: "This is an extremely exciting development for the sport. The industry's strategy is all about reaching new audiences and showing them the brilliance of our sport while at the same time making racing more interesting and engaging for our current fans. There promises to be a little bit of something for everyone in this new programme. 

"We're proud of our sport and all it stands for. Anything that brings the passion and excitement of racing and the characters who work in it into people's homes can only be a good thing."

BHA chief executive Julie Harrington has welcomed the news of a new racing docuseriesCredit: Steve Davies

Both the Professional Jockeys Association and National Trainers Federation have pledged to support a series that will be produced by independent company South Shore, whose previous output has included the BBC's Bafta-nominated Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams and programmes featuring television chefs The Hairy Bikers. NTF chief executive Paul Johnson welcomed "a simply brilliant initiative for the sport", while interim PJA chief executive Dale Gibson expressed delight at the opportunity to show off "the skills, determination and personalities" of Britain's jump jockeys.

The six episodes are being made with the commercial backing of Flutter – whose bookmaker brands include Betfair, Paddy Power and Sky Bet – and Racecourse Media Group.

The search for a big docuseries has become a holy grail for most sports since Drive To Survive first appeared on Netflix. Numerous other series have appeared covering a variety of sports on different streaming platforms, but although Equine Productions have produced programmes focused on the yards of Andrew Balding and Colin Tizzard, neither enjoyed mainstream television exposure.

Casting for the six one-hour shows is due to begin this month, with South Shore keen to focus not necessarily on the sport's top stars but individuals with whom the public is most likely to engage. ITV's streaming service ITVX will also provide a home to a series that will concentrate on jump racing due to a belief it is better suited than Flat racing to delivering the colour, drama and characters those responsible for the series want to present.

Simon Daglish, deputy managing director, commercial for ITV – whose racing rights extend until at least the end of 2026 – said: "Racing drives an enormous amount of passion and excitement among ITV viewers, as we know from our unrivalled coverage. 

"This new series is a fantastic chance to build on that excitement and bring this adrenaline-filled sport to a new audience. We're delighted to be working with the racing community to showcase racing in a way that has never been seen before." 

The series is being made using the advertiser-funded programming model, whereby a brand both develops an idea and contributes towards its financing. 

Filming for the new ITV series is set to begin at Kempton on Boxing DayCredit: Edward Whitaker

RMG chief executive Martin Stevenson said: "We firmly believe a docuseries like this on a major channel can significantly help grow participation in the sport. 

"We're very grateful to Flutter for its invaluable support in making the series possible and ITV’s wholehearted support. ITV has been a fantastic partner for racing and this docuseries is further evidence of its commitment to the sport."

Flutter's UK and Ireland chief executive Ian Brown said: "This is an idea we've been championing for some time and we're hugely excited to be bringing the inner story of horseracing and all the wonderful people who support it to a new and broader audience through a primetime slot on ITV1 and ITVX. 

"We have long supported the horseracing industry across both Britain and Ireland, and are committed to working together with all racing stakeholders to support and modernise this unique and enthralling sport through initiatives like this brilliant new series."

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