The Nova International agency extended its contract with UK public-service broadcaster the BBC for the media rights to the Bupa Great Run athletics series until 2018.
The five-year extension to the current contract includes live rights to the Bupa Great North Run, the world’s biggest half-marathon, along with the Bupa Great Manchester Run and the Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross-Country. The contract also includes live coverage of the Great CityGames street athletics competitions, staged in Newcastle and Manchester.
Nova’s broadcasting division, FilmNova, will produce the programmes, its first major project for BBC Sport. The five events cover 10 hours of live television on BBC One and Two. Barbara Slater, BBC director of sport, said: “These are wonderful events that celebrate elite long distance athletics as well as inspiring thousands of runners to take part.”