ITV Sport Production has been selected by UK broadcaster 5 to produce coverage of World Snooker Tour (WST) events, beginning with the Players Championship and Tour Championship in early 2026.
The coverage marks the first free-to-air UK broadcast deal for WST in over two decades and will see 5 will provide live coverage of both events and the British Open. The tournaments will be televised live on 5 for the first time in 2026.
The appointment is also the first time ITV Sport Production has secured the production of a broadcast not carried on an ITV platform since becoming part of the production and distribution division ITV Studios in 2024.
ITV Sport Production’s credits include Rugby Union, UEFA Women’s EURO 2025, Tour De France, and horse racing.
The 2026 Players Championship will run from 17-22 February 2026. Katie Shanahan will present live coverage of Snooker on 5 and will be joined by seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry.
ITV Sport Production is led by Managing Director Mark Demuth and Head of Production Katie Reed.
Demuth said: “We are thrilled to partner with 5 on their snooker coverage, an exciting new venture bringing prestigious WST events live to mainstream TV. This marks a pivotal moment for ITV Sport Production, as we strategically expand beyond the ITV network and leverage our production expertise to produce diverse sporting content for all broadcast platforms, starting with 5.”
Raphael Pendergast, Acting Head of Sport at 5, commented: “The partnership brings together ITV Sport Production’s world-class expertise with our ambition to deliver high-quality, free-to-air sport to the widest and most accessible audience possible.”
ITV and the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) recently agreed a new three-year deal until 2028, expanding ITV’s live darts coverage. Discover more here.
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