ITV Wins BAFTA for 2023 Cheltenham Broadcasting

This marked ITV Racing's second Bafta win

ITV Racing's recent Bafta victory was poignantly dedicated to Jack de Bromhead as host Ed Chamberlin honoured his memory during the award ceremony.

Their broadcast of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival's opening day earned them the title of best sports broadcast of the year at Sunday's awards. This marked ITV Racing's second Bafta win. The emotional highlight of last year's festival was the victory of Honeysuckle in the Mares' Hurdle, ridden by Rachael Blackmore and trained by Henry de Bromhead, which occurred just months after the tragic loss of his 13-year-old son, Jack. Chamberlin, expressing his intentions, told The Racing Post:

"I dedicated the Bafta to Jack de Bromhead as the day was so emotional with one of the most popular horses in Honeysuckle and rider in Rachael Blackmore. It was an incredible story which we got to tell and Bafta must have liked how we told it."

He added:

"Hopefully we took the viewer on a journey that day. I got some credit for the pictures doing the talking but I had some emotional pundits who were incapable of talking. Everyone remembers those pictures, which was helped by the investment in the wire-cam, and the outpouring of love for Henry, Rachael and Honeysuckle."

Reflecting on the profound impact of the day and Honeysuckle's win, trainer Henry de Bromhead shared his emotions:

"It was a fantastic day. It was just one of those great days, with Constitution Hill winning the Champion Hurdle, and then everything that had gone on with us with Jack’s passing, and then Honey and whether we would run her or not. We decided to give it a go and for her to come out and finish as she did was incredible. To see the rainbow above her when she was walking in, we knew Jack was with us as well, so it was an amazing day for us. Everyone has been so supportive of us and we really appreciated it. It was an amazing day for many reasons, it was up there with the best of them."

Chamberlin concluded:

"All of us here tonight are thinking about the De Bromheads and what they've been through. I was keen to dedicate this to them."