ITV and Guinness extend live descriptive audio commentary for the 2025 Guinness Six Nations
Rugby NewsFriday, 07 February 2025 at 00:53
ITV, in partnership with Guinness, is enhancing accessibility for blind and partially sighted rugby fans by offering live audio description commentary for four matches during the Guinness Men's Six Nations. This initiative aims to make the tournament more inclusive and engaging for all supporters.
Matches with Live Audio Description:
- Ireland v England – Saturday, 1st February
- England v France – Saturday, 8th February
- England v Scotland – Saturday, 22nd February
- England v Italy – Sunday, 9th March
Following a successful trial during last year’s Championship—where the technology was used for the first time in a UK broadcast sporting event—ITV has doubled the number of matches featuring this service. Fans can access the commentary by simply enabling the audio description function on their TV.
Expert Commentary Team:
- Dave Rogers – Commentator and trained audio describer
- Joe Byrnes – Twickenham's resident descriptive commentator
This enhanced commentary provides detailed visual descriptions of the action and stadium atmosphere, offering far more information than standard broadcast commentary.
Support from Key Stakeholders
"We are committed to championing diversity and inclusion so that rugby can be enjoyed by all fans. Our partnership with ITV and RNIB helps bring each incredible moment of these Championships to life in an enriching and inclusive way."
Mark Trinder, ITV Director of Commercial Sales and Partnerships:
"Following last year’s positive response, we’re thrilled to extend live audio description commentary to more matches this year. This initiative is a great example of our commitment to making the Six Nations accessible to as many fans as possible."
"Following last year’s positive response, we’re thrilled to extend live audio description commentary to more matches this year. This initiative is a great example of our commitment to making the Six Nations accessible to as many fans as possible."
John Paton, Media, Culture and Immersive Technologies Manager at RNIB:
"Expanding the number of Six Nations matches with audio description is a huge step forward in making sport more accessible. ITV and Guinness are setting a strong example of how simple changes can make a big difference in inclusivity."
"Expanding the number of Six Nations matches with audio description is a huge step forward in making sport more accessible. ITV and Guinness are setting a strong example of how simple changes can make a big difference in inclusivity."
This partnership between ITV, Guinness, and RNIB highlights the importance of inclusivity in sport, ensuring that all fans can fully experience the passion, excitement, and drama of the Six Nations.
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