Paralympic Gold for Channel 4

The gold medal goes to Channel 4 for their excellent coverage from Paris for the Paralympics, more than 18 million viewers,including on streaming platforms, during the games, more then double those during Tokyo 2020.

In the final weekend for the coverage it had reached 30.4% of TV viewing figures, the network has broadcast the last 4 Paralympics, this year's was the biggest ever broadcast, with more then 1,300 hours of live sports,

also free to air across More 4, Channel 4 streaming and YouTube.

I tried to watch as much coverage as possible across all platforms, much of Team GB events were thoroughly entertaining and informative, from the opening ceremony to the closing the audience were captivated.

The broadcaster has described it's coverage as "the most accessible games to date" with subtitles, live peak time sport ,the closing ceremony in audio description and live sport on the channel every afternoon during the coverage included BSL live signing.

The channel made history this year as the presenting team includes actress and former Strictly winner Rose Ayling Ellis, the first deaf person to host live sports coverage on tv.

At the halfway point of the coverage the numbers of viewers was 4% higher than at the same stage of the games in Tokyo 2020, the streaming views were double and viewers watch 4.3 billion minutes across tv and streaming platforms, up from 2.9 billion.

The presenting team was completed by ex Paralympians and presenters with a disability.

In another first their remote gallery and production team were based in Cardiff, they built a new state of the art facility to house around 200 people working on the coverage, including 16 disabled people from the production trainee scheme, after the games it is hoped the fully accessible hub will leave a lasting legacy.

For myself, I wish TV would cover more para sports that take part across UK every week and they should get the recognition, and platforms, the athletes deserve, by showing more it sparks interest to take it up these sports.

Aside from presenting the industry needs to consider those with a disability looking to move behind the camera, disability employment is still under represented in the industry, in 2022 only 8.2% off screen contributions were made by disabled people .

18% of UK population is disabled , it saddens me that we still have a long way to go.