BT Sport Films unveils autumn schedule
September 15, 2021
BT Sport has announced the autumn line-up from its award-winning BT Sport Films series, with four new in-house and commissioned documentaries premiering over ten weeks.
The four new films complete a compelling 2021 from BT Sport Films with six new in-house documentaries broadcast across the year. These include Make It Or Die trying: The Frank Warren Story, a unique biopic which reveals how the eponymous promoter rose from humble beginnings in North London to multimillion pound deals in Las Vegas. And in May, BT Sport premiered George Best: True Genius, which takes viewers on an evocative journey of how Best rose to become the best player in the world.
Standing Firm: Football’s Windrush Story
Premiere date: 10.30pm, September 28, BT Sport 3
Featuring interviews with the likes of Tyrone Mings, Rio and Anton Ferdinand, Andy Cole, David Lammy and Hope Powell, the film will celebrate the legacy of the Windrush generation and examine the impact they, their descendants and continued Caribbean migration to the UK, had on English football and the national team.
With many players of Caribbean heritage – such as Kalvin Phillips, Jadon Sancho and Raheem Sterling – propelling England to the final of UEFA Euro 2020 this summer, Standing Firm: Football’s Windrush Story is also a timely examination of the role current players are taking in the continued fight against racism in football and wider society.
Glenn Hoddle: Extra Time
Premiere date: October 19
After nearly dying of a cardiac arrest in the BT Sport studio in October 2018, Glenn Hoddle takes a step back from a life spent in the football spotlight to re-evaluate his career and legacy. Glenn takes the viewer on a personal journey, interweaving the story of his career, image and playing style with a quest to lay all the misunderstandings to rest, and take his rightful place as one of English football’s greatest. This is the story of Glenn Hoddle, through the eyes of Glenn Hoddle.
South of the River
Premiere date: November 23
The talent pool from one densely populated strip of South London is eye-catching, and over the years has included some of England’s top players including Jadon Sancho, Joe Gomez, Tammy Abraham, Declan Rice, Rio Ferdinand and many more. Three-part docuseries, South of The River, will explore the stories of the young stars who, in the last three years, have emerged from statistically underprivileged postcodes of South London – which are now globally recognized as one of the most productive talent hotbeds for young footballers – to become elite footballers.
The films feature powerful contributions from key figures such as coaches, scouts, community leaders, friends and family plus the likes of Gomez and BT Sport analyst Ferdinand who grew up in the area.
The Special 1
Premiere date: December 7
In this romp through the minds of some of the most iconic players to ever don the number one jersey, former goalkeeper and Blue Peter presenter Richie Driss teams up with former England goalkeeper Rob Green. Together they go on a mission to debunk some of the myths surrounding football’s loneliest job.
We hear first-hand from great number ones such as Jordan Pickford, David Marshall, Neville Southall, David James, Rachel Brown Finnis, Ben Foster, Paul Robinson and Aaron Ramsdale, who offer insights into their experiences. This film will put the experience of the goalkeeper under the spotlight for the first time, in all its glorious, and sometimes controversial detail.
Sally Brown, executive producer, BT Sport Films, said: “The BT Sport Films line up over the coming weeks is set to cover some of the biggest issues, personalities and trends in British sport. The story of the Windrush generation’s impact on football in this country is set to inform and inspire, while our look at the world of goalkeepers explores a position well-known but often mis-understood. Glenn Hoddle: Extra Time will see one of English football’s biggest names in the modern game undertake a compelling journey across his own career. And, in South of the River, BT Sport viewers will get a unique insight into one of the world’s current hotbeds of football talent.”