Five snaps up Italian football

[BGonaSTICK]

Italian football is to return to terrestrial television for the first time since 2002after Channel Five picked up the rights.

Five is expected to air Italian football coverage from the start of the 2007-8 season later this year, with output to be made by sports production company Sunset+Vine.

Sunset+Vine, a subsidiary of Welsh firm Tinopolis, already produces cricket highlights for Five.

"The main deal is for a highlights programme, although Five do have the rights for live matches as well," said Ron Jones, the executive chairman of Tinopolis.

Channel 4 first brought Serie A football to UK television in 1992 following the move of Paul Gascoigne to Lazio and screened matches and highlights until 2002, when it dropped coverage.

The rights were picked up by British Eurosport midway through 2002, with the channel screening matches until 2005, when Bravo and Setanta Sports took over in a joint deal.

Bravo announced it would not be screening any more matches from the end of December last year because of poor ratings.

Italian football is best known on UK TV for the Channel 4 Football Italia show, presented by James Richardson.

A Saturday morning show, Gazzetta, was voiced by the late Kenneth Wolstenholme and also shown on Channel 4.

A Five spokesman declined to comment.

[gav99]

good news i used to watch the highlights cant beat a good milan derby :clap:

[BGonaSTICK]

Me too. Great news this. I hope they show some full matches now though, and not just the highlights.