BBC and ITV stars go head-to-head for Sport Relief 2018 boat race

There’s been a long-standing friendly rivalry between TV channels ITV and BBC, but now it’s manifested itself into a real-life sporting challenge.

As part of this year’s Sport Relief, the two opposing channels have forged a team to battle against one another in a boat race that’ll take place in Salford Quays, Manchester.

Titled The Battle of the Channels Boat Race, which is part of the 2018 Sport Relief TV schedule, will air on 23 March on BBC and will consist of various stars from each channel’s programming.

ITV boast TOWIE and I’m A Celeb’s Ferne McCann, Nicola Thorp from the legendary soap Coronation Street, Emmerdale star Chris Bisson, Charlotte Hawkins from Good Morning Britain, Jake Canuso of Benidorm fame, Love Island’s Chris Hughes, and team captain in the form of Helen Glover, the world’s leading woman rower.

Against them, on Team BBC, are Top Gear‘s Rory Reid, Radio 2 DJ Sara Cox, BBC News at One’s Sophie Raworth, BBC Breakfast presenter Dan Walker, Ellie Harrison off of Countryfile, Dev Griffin of Radio 1, and captained by Olympic gold medalist James Cracknell.

Each team will have professional advisers on hand, consisting of Olympic gold medal legend Sir Steve Redgrave, Garry Herbert, and silver medal winner Zoe de Toledo.

Sport Relief will air all evening on the night, and will feature a variety of one-off celeb events, including Celebrity Boxing and a very special Strictly Come Dancing.

Catch The Battle of the Channels Boat Race 23 March, 7pm, on BBC One.

Read more:

Scarlett Moffatt exposed as fitness fraud after attending secret boot camp
Tina Malone being investigated for sharing photo of Jon Venables
Ken Dodd married his long-term partner in secret days before he died