BBC Worldwide Presents New Global Viewing Event

LONDON: Marking its first global viewing event of 2012, BBC Worldwide is bringing the Sport Relief televised fundraising effort to an international stage.

Sport Relief in the U.K. features British sporting talent, comedians and entertainers who come together in an effort to raise money to support various causes around the world. BBC Worldwide is bringing the event to audiences around the world. Sport Relief 2012 will be presented to global viewers as a special season across two weeks. Among those set to take part are David Beckham; the stars of Doctor Who, Top Gear and Mock the Week; Little Britain’s David Walliams; QI’s Stephen Fry; comedians John Bishop, Alan Carr and Catherine Tate and more.

The season airs between March and April on BBC Entertainment in Africa, Poland, the Nordic region, Asia, India, Latin America and the channel’s pan-European service. It will also air on UKTV in Australia and New Zealand, BBC World News globally and BBC America. The shows will also be available to users of the global BBC iPlayer.

Jana Bennett, the president of worldwide networks and Global BBC iPlayer, said, “Global viewing events are going to be a big part of our activity this year and I’m thrilled that we can kick off with Sport Relief. Sport Relief is a uniquely inspirational event, which harnesses the passion for sport to unite viewers behind a great cause. I’m thrilled that we at BBC Worldwide can pull the full force of our branded network behind Sport Relief this year, bringing our viewers one of the year’s biggest entertainment events and giving them the chance to get involved.”

David Weiland, the senior VP of programming and TV channels, added, “Sport Relief has provided some of the best British entertainment for years, and 2012 promises to be even bigger and better. Our viewers around the world can expect a roll call of some of television’s biggest names in a series of surprising, often emotional and always entertaining challenges, all in aid of a fantastic cause.”