Channel 4 to offer three dedicated Paralympic Games channels

Sky customers will have access to video feeds through the Red Button as well as channels 450, 451 and 452 on the electronic programme guide while Freesat’s extra channels can be found at 150, 151 and 152. Both sets of high definition users will receive HD versions. Virgin Media will offer the extra channels at 550, 551 and 552 in HD and standard definition at 553, 554 and 555.

Freeview HD customers won’t have extra channels, but they will get one additional video feed by pressing the Red Button while watching Channel 4 HD.

As with the BBC, the Paralympics Extra channels will also be available online, alongside a dedicated Paralympic section of the channel’s website featuring live text commentary, news, results and medal tables.

Channel 4 has also announced plans to launch Paralympic apps for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets, offering news of the latest Paralympic action.

More than 400 hours of live coverage will be broadcast in total, in a schedule dominated by the Games. The Paralympic Games Breakfast show, fronted by Rick Edwards and Kelly Cates, will air on Channel 4 from 7am, with a 45-minute highlights show from 10:30am. In addition to the live feeds, coverage will switch to More4 when not shown on the main channel.

Presenting duties will be shared between Channel 4 news anchor, Jon Snow, who will front the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Jonathan Edwards who will co-host the mid-morning show with Daraine Mulvihill, and Clare Balding and former Paralympian Ade Adepitan who will present the daily peak time show.

Georgie Bingham will also be presenting alongside wheelchair racer Arthur Williams - a product of Channel 4's national talent search for disabled Paralympic presenters.

The move will hope to emulate the huge success of the BBC’s 24 live channels streaming action from every single Olympic sport. The broadcaster attracted more than 100,000 viewers to each of its streams in addition to the record-breaking viewing figures for BBC1, BBC3 and BBC HD.

Following the announcement of its Paralympic coverage, Channel 4 said, “After years of working and waiting, countless months of heady anticipation, weeks of building excitement, and a not-too-shabby test event, the Paralympics have finally arrived.

“For 12 days, viewers of Channel 4 will witness unfettered sporting brilliance, courage, talent, triumph and tragedy, as dreams are made and broken in the cauldron of top class competitive sport.”

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