The Boat Race: Clare Balding 'thrilled' to keep gig as Channel 4 take over rights from BBC

Channel 4 have confirmed that Clare Balding will continue to lead coverage of The Boat Race this year, after the broadcaster took over television rights from the BBC in a head-turning deal.

Oxford University and Cambridge University unveiled their crews for the 2026 event on Thursday with Balding presenting at Somerset House. The Boat Race returns to the iconic 4.25-mile Thames course on Saturday, April 4.

It had been announced last year that Channel 4 would broadcast the event this year, ending BBC dominance over the varsity clash. The BBC first broadcast the event on radio in 1927 and on television in 1938.

The BBC briefly lost the rights to ITV between 2005 and 2009 but has historically dominated coverage of the competition. A statement from the BBC read: "Our decision not to continue reflects the difficult choices we need to make to ensure we deliver the best value for audiences with the money that we have. We are pleased the Boat Race will remain available free-to-air and wish all involved in the event every success for the future."

Clare Balding on ‘strong connection’ to The Boat Race as Channel 4 presenter gig confirmed

Balding had become the face of The Boat Race on the BBC and said that she was ‘thrilled’ to have reached an agreement with Channel 4 to continue presenting on the day. Speaking at the crew announcement, she added: “As a Londoner, who has lived in Putney, in Fulham and in Chiswick for the last 30 years, I feel very strongly connected geographically with The Boat Race itself in terms of The Tideway. I love this. I love the fact that everyone competing in it is a genuine amateur - and for the Classics students, you know that comes from ‘amo’, as in love. They are doing it for the love of it.”

More than 200,000 spectators are expected to watch the event from the banks of the Thames next month with millions tuning in on television. Balding will be joined by former Paralympics wheelchair basketball player Ade Adepitan on Channel 4.

Alex Jacques takes on lead commentary, with Olympic gold-medal winning rower Martin Cross and Olympic silver-medal winning rower Jess Eddie as co-commentators, and three-time Olympic gold medalist Pete Reed OBE on pundit duty.

Pete Andrews, Head of Sport at Channel 4, said: “We are very excited to be broadcasting the Race on Channel 4 for the first time and, as we get closer to Race Day, it’s a thrill to confirm our team to present this historic race for us. I’m delighted Clare Balding and Ade Adepitan will be joining us on the banks of the Thames, along with the brilliant commentating talent of Alex Jacques and a gang of expert pundits, plus we’ll be adding in more Channel 4 faces as we build up to the big day, too.”

In other news, The Boat Race Crews: Sibling rivalry and Aussie smackdown as Oxford and Cambridge name squads.