Channel 4 has revealed its plans for coverage of the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Paralympics games - and Leeds has been named as one of three cities set to act as a host for the event.
The channel has announced over 70% of its presenters will be disabled this year, in a pro-accessibility move that has been widely praised by followers of the tournament.
Broadcaster Clare Balding will present live sports finals each morning from Channel 4’s Leeds headquarters, amid programming plans that include a multi-location presentation format.
Also broadcasting from Leeds will be TV presenter and paralympic cyclist Arthur Williams and Steph McGovern. The pair will host a daily Paralympics breakfast show from the channels' HQ.
Leeds will also host an early evening show celebrating the medals of the day, followed by a late-night end-of-day summary show called The Last Leg.
The highlights show, meanwhile, will be broadcast directly from Tokyo in the early evening.
“Channel 4 has long played a fundamental role in bringing a global audience to the Paralympic Games and for shifting perceptions of disabled people through our significant investment in coverage and award-winning marketing campaigns for London 2012 and Rio 2016," said Channel 4’s Director of Programmes, Ian Katz.
“Now we’re finally able to get excited about bringing the long-awaited Tokyo 2020 Paralympics to UK viewers with even more coverage than ever before across multiple platforms, from multiple locations and hosted by a stellar presenting team.
“We’re looking forward to bringing the best coverage possible to the British public so we can all get behind ParalympicsGB and celebrate their success in Tokyo.”
Both Channel 4 and More 4 will carry subtitles on live events. The opening ceremony will also have live signing and live enhanced open AD/commentary simulcast on 4Seven to make viewing as accessible as possible.
The majority of content on the Paralympics Microsite will also have subtitles.
The rescheduled 2020 Tokyo Paralympics begins on Tuesday, 24th August 2021 and ends on Sunday, 5th September.
Feature image - Channel 4.
Leeds
Female-founded independent jewellery brand to open in Leeds’ Victoria Gate
Norfolk-based jewellery brand Lisa Angel is opening their first Yorkshire site right here in Leeds.
Jewellery and trinket lovers, this one's for you.
Lisa Angel, a female-founded jewellery and gifting brand will open the doors to its new store in Victoria Gate next month.
Shoppers can expect a wonderful range of jewellery, gifts, and accessories that have established a loyal following during more than twenty years of business.
Founded in 2004 by Lisa hand making jewellery which she sold at craft fairs local to her Norfolk home, the business has only gone from strength to strength since.
Image: Supplied
The brand is now a recognised part of the British high street landscape, boasting seven other stores across Norfolk, Suffolk, and the Midlands.
After opening two stores last year and three stores in 2024, Lisa Angel’s founder and Creative Director, Lisa, said: “As an independent retailer, we are thrilled to launch in a destination with such a reputation as Victoria Leeds.
"We believe retail should remain grounded in inspiration and discovery, and we look forward to bringing just that to the vibrant city of Leeds, in our first store in the north.”
Managing Director James Moody explained the significance to the business of opening a new store in a city as influential as Leeds: “We're incredibly excited to be opening our first northern showcase store in such a prestigious location.
"Victoria Leeds represents exactly the kind of vibrant retail destination where we can bring the full Lisa Angel experience to new customers. This is a significant milestone for us as we continue to grow our retail presence."
We'll keep you up to date when we know an opening date, but for now you can check out what to expect here.
Yorkshire residents are being invited to name two new bin lorries
Clementine Hall
Well...this is a new one.
Ever fancied naming a bin lorry? Well today is your lucky day, because now you can.
Yorkshire-based waste management experts Divert are celebrating the arrival of two swanky new tbin rucks by inviting the local community to help name them.
The iconic purple bins, vans and trucks can be seen across the Yorkshire area helping to clean up waste from Bradford to Harrogate.
Two new lorries are set to be joining the fleet in April and May, and of course they need a name.
And who better to ask than the general public? The winning names will be added to the cabs of each of the trucks for all to see, and announced via the Divert website and social media channels.
Absolutely anyone from across the UK is welcome to take part, but the company are especially keen for people from Yorkshire to enter.
You can be as creative as you like, but there are a couple of rules...
No swearing or offensive names. Aside from that, you can let your freak flag fly.
The Divert team are keen to hear the 'best celebrity puns, local namesakes, and downright silly names' the public have to offer.
John Verity, Managing Director of Divert, comments: “Naming our bin trucks is a great way to bring some joy to the local community. We hope to bring a smile to the faces of passing drivers and pedestrians as our fleet passes by.
“Not only that, naming our lorries can help our drivers to take pride and ownership in the vehicles they drive and be a key reminder of our engagement within the community. We’re always keen to employ any initiatives that help the public to engage with us and ensure we’re seen as a friendly face in the area.”
Winners will be voted for by the team internally, and the competition closes at 5 pm on 31 March 2026.
Georgina Pellant -
6th July 2021 
