London Calling

As FOXTEL continues the countdown to the LONDON 2012 Olympic Games, SKY NEWS will launch its own Olympics based news program, LONDON CALLING, on Friday, February 3 at 9.15pm. 

LONDON CALLING will be dedicated entirely to everything you need to know about The 2012 Games and SKY NEWS Sports presenters James Bracey and Matt Shirvington will take us on the journey right up until the opening ceremony.

LONDON CALLING will offer viewers a full wrap of the week’s Olympic news from at home and around the world; updates on the progress of our Australian athletes; qualification events and the latest from inside the AOC on how Australia is getting ready to take on the world in London.

Bracey, who covered the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games said: “Sports fans have been crying out for a show like this. LONDON CALLING will keep you in the loop in the lead-up to The 2012 Games as well as take you behind-the-scenes.”

Shirvington, Olympian and five-time 100m Australian track champion, said: “The Journey to the Olympic games can be a tough one. LONDON CALLING will be the place to find out how some of the world’s best athletes are preparing and how they expect to go when they arrive. We’ll also relive some defining moments in Olympic history and speak to the athletes involved.”

Journalists and broadcasters Rebecca Wilson and Jim Wilson will join the boys with their entertaining take and insightful opinion on everything Olympic.

SKY NEWS’s self-proclaimed ‘sports-nut’ Luke Doherty will sit down with some of the Australian athletes and teams chasing glory at The Games.

Viewers can send in their questions to the athletes each week via twitter – @SkyLondon2012 and email – londoncalling@skynews.com.au.

You can see LONDON CALLING every Friday at 9.15pm with an encore presentation Saturdays at 2.15pm.

FOXTEL will provide viewers with the most extensive coverage of The Olympic Games ever seen in Australia. A breakthrough eight dedicated FOXTEL channels will ensure Australians can watch every sport during the LONDON 2012 Olympic Games.  These channels will be available to FOXTEL subscribers 24 hours a day for 17 days, and in stunning High Definition, broadcasting all 38 disciplines across 26 sports.  FOXTEL’s landmark broadcast will screen all telecasts in full – all sessions of major sports will be shown live, every Gold Medal event will be shown live, and no ad breaks will interrupt live sport.

*All times listed in AEDT.

ABC TV’s 6 x 30 minute Olympic documentary series has changed its name to London Calling.

Previously named Olympic Dreams, the series will reveal the personal sacrifice and endurance of seven athletes as they prepare for the selection for the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games.

South Australian production company, Dream TV, has been granted unique access over 12 months to an impressive line-up of athletes from around the country whose number one ambition is to be selected for the Australian team.

The athletes are: swimmers Libby Trickett and Michael Klim; rower Drew Ginn (former ‘Oarsome Foursome’ gold medal winner); sprinter John Steffensen as well as Paralympian swimmer Ahmed Kelly; wheelchair rugby team player Ryley Batt and equestrian Grace Bowman.

This series is the second to be commissioned from the ABC TV/South Australian Film Corporation FACTory Initiative which is aimed at developing new factual programs for ABC1 prime time.

Jennifer Collins, ABC TV’s Head of Factual said: “London Calling will dig beneath the surface of what it really takes to be an Olympic or Paralympic hero. The series will reveal the personal stories behind the gruelling training and the hopes and aspirations of each athlete.”

Richard Harris, CEO of SAFC said: “Newly established production company Dream TV sees the teaming up of Producer Mark Patterson and Director Kay Pavlou, resulting in a combined wealth of diverse film and television experience. The SAFC is excited by the level of new programming being generated by South Australian companies, taking Australian stories to the world.”

London Calling will air on ABC1 this year.