Channel 4 partners with 2023 Variety Club Disability Sports Awards
September 22, 2023
Channel 4 has announced its partnership with the Variety Club Disability Sports Awards – the UK’s only annual disability sports awards – at Queen’s Hotel, Leeds on October 30th. Awards will be presented in nine prestigious Awards categories, in addition to a tenth special achievement award presented by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson.
Hosted by Variety, the Children’s Charity, the inaugural Variety Club Disability Sports Awards recognises and celebrates the outstanding achievements of UK athletes with disabilities across a range of sports. With awards categories across different ages, levels, roles, locations, and sports, the highly anticipated event aims to make the sporting world a more diverse and inclusive place.
Channel 4 is partnering with the event to honour the accomplishments that have been made in the disabled sports community, and to further its commitment to celebrating elite disabled athletes across the country.
Channel 4 Head of Sport, Pete Andrews, commented: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Variety to support the Inclusive Sports Awards. As the Paralympic Broadcaster, Channel 4 are used to celebrating the medal-winning exploits of Paralympics GB elite athletes, but this is a fantastic opportunity to shine a light on the achievements of all disabled sports people at every level, across the UK.”
Other event partners include British Paralympics Association, England Cricket Board, England Golf, Leeds United, Leeds Rhinos, British Rowing, GB Wheelchair Rugby, Motorsport UK, and more.
Variety’s expert nominations committee, which includes representation from eight disability-centred sports federations, Vicky Gosling – CEO of GB Snowsport and a key player in the launch and growth of the Invictus Games – and special support from ParalympicsGB – will be carefully selecting the winner of each Awards category.
In addition to the above, Britain’s best-known Paralympian, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, will be presenting a tenth Special Achievement Award on the night.
The Awards evening will be hosted by comedian and disability advocate Adam Hills MBE, and Chief Executive Officer of GB Snowsport and Chair of British Surfing, Vicky Gosling OBE. There will also be special performances from comedians Rosie Jones and Katerina Vrana.
Variety, the Children’s Charity provides practical support to disabled and disadvantaged children through providing wheelchairs, specialist equipment, their fully accessible Sunshine Coaches to SEND schools, and experiences on their Great Days Out.
Tushar Prabhu, Variety Trustee and Awards organiser, said: “We are incredibly excited to welcome people to the Variety Club Disability Sports Awards in October. While there has been great progress made by sport and disability in recent years, we have still not reached a place of equity in the sporting world. At Variety, we believe that everyone should have the chance to succeed, and these awards aim not only to celebrate inclusivity in sports, but to give athletes with disabilities the recognition they deserve.”