Grandstand - Definition and Overview

The British television sport programme Grandstand is one of BBC's longest running sports shows, alongside BBC Sports Personality of the Year. It was created by Bryan Cowgill and launched on October 18 1958. Its first presenter was Peter Dimmock. Other hosts have been David Coleman, Alan Weeks, Frank Bough, Tony Gubba, Desmond Lynam, Steve Rider, Helen Rollason, Ray Stubbs and Sue Barker.

The show, whose iconic theme tune, composed especially for the programme by Keith Mansfield, is one of the most recognisable on British television, dominates Saturday afternoons on BBC ONE (just called BBC Television before 1964), and has covered nearly every major sporting event such as the Boat Race, Wimbledon, FA Cup Final, the Olympics, the Commonwealth Games, the Grand National and the Football World Cup. There was a spin-off from the show launched in 1981 named Sunday Grandstand.

Between 1965 and 1985 Grandstand faced competition from ITV's World of Sport, but ITV eventually decided to drop Saturday afternoon sport in favour of other programmes.