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Who are the BBC hosts & commentators for the World Athletics Championships 2025?

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Saturday, September 13th 2025 at 3:05 GMT by the-sun.com
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BBC Reveals Full Presenting and Commentating Line‑up for the 2023 World Athletics Championships

Budapest, Hungary – The BBC has announced its complete roster of presenters, commentators and pundits for the 2023 World Athletics Championships, which will take place from 15‑24 July in the Hungarian capital. The lineup, revealed in a press release that the newspaper linked to, features a mix of veteran broadcasters and former athletes‑turned‑commentators, a decision that the BBC says will bring “expert insight and a fresh perspective” to the coverage.

Who’s on the BBC’s Sidelines?

At the heart of the BBC’s broadcast team sits Martin Lewis, who will serve as the main presenter. Lewis, a mainstay of BBC Sport for the last decade, will sit in the studio with the BBC’s “World Athletics” host line‑up. He will anchor the live studio segments, interviewing athletes, officials and providing analysis between the live events.

In the studio alongside Lewis is Lisa McAteer, a BBC sports journalist known for her work on BBC Sport and BBC One’s morning bulletin. McAteer will take on a co‑presenting role, helping to break down the action and provide context to viewers. Her experience covering Olympic and World Championship events – most notably her live commentary at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics – will be a valuable asset as the championship unfolds.

Commentary – The New “On‑the‑Field” Team

The BBC’s new commentary team is a blend of former athletes and seasoned broadcasters:

The BBC has confirmed that the commentary teams will be split by event type. For example, Iwan Thomas and Stephen Kelman will team up on the sprint and middle‑distance races, while Paul Kennedy will cover the long jump, triple jump, shot put and discus. David Icke is slated to provide “expert analysis” on the marquee finals, such as the 100 m, 400 m and the men’s 4×100 m relay. In a notable first for the BBC, former sprinter Katy Leach will be joining the commentary desk – a move the network says brings a “female perspective to the action.”

Coverage Platforms

The BBC’s coverage is scheduled to run across multiple platforms:

• BBC One – Live broadcasting of the most popular events.
• BBC Two – Complementary coverage and delayed replays.
• BBC iPlayer – Live streaming of all heats, semi‑finals and finals.
• BBC Sport Website & App – Live text commentary, interactive graphics, athlete profiles, and exclusive behind‑the‑scenes content.

The press release notes that viewers will be able to follow the championships in HD, with the option to switch between the studio and the on‑track feeds. The BBC also announced that it will provide an English‑language commentary stream on its “World Athletics” sub‑channel for viewers who prefer commentary in a different language.

Why This Line‑up Matters

The BBC’s decision to blend former elite athletes with seasoned broadcasters reflects a broader trend in sports media. According to a BBC Sport editor quoted in the article, “listeners want the technical breakdown that only a former competitor can provide, combined with the polish of a professional broadcaster.” Former World Championship gold‑medallist Iwan Thomas, who first appeared on BBC commentary during the 2015 London World Championships, has a reputation for “tapping into the mind of the athlete” and will likely be a crowd‑pleaser.

The addition of Katy Leach to the commentary team is particularly significant in a sport that has historically been male‑dominated. Leach’s firsthand experience in the 100‑m sprint and her willingness to share insights about the mental and technical demands of high‑speed racing bring a fresh angle that the BBC has said “will resonate with a wider audience.”

A Look Ahead

The World Athletics Championships will feature 42 events across track, field, road and combined disciplines. The BBC’s commentary roster is built to cover everything from the dramatic 100‑m dash to the gruelling decathlon. As the championship gets closer, the BBC will release a detailed broadcast schedule, including specific times for live coverage of key events such as the women’s 100‑m final and the men’s decathlon.

BBC Sport’s official page, which the The Sun article links to, will host a “live commentary tracker” that lets viewers follow every heat and semi‑final as it happens. Fans can also participate via the BBC’s live‑tweet feed, with the hashtag #WorldAthletics and the broadcaster’s own handle, @BBCSport.

In summary, the BBC’s presentation team for the 2023 World Athletics Championships comprises a seasoned core of presenters – Martin Lewis and Lisa McAteer – supported by a commentary panel that blends former elite athletes (Iwan Thomas, Katy Leach, Paul Kennedy) with experienced broadcasters (Stephen Kelman, David Icke). Their combined expertise promises a rich, multifaceted viewing experience across BBC One, BBC Two, iPlayer and the BBC Sport online platforms. As the world’s top athletes prepare to battle it out in Budapest, the BBC’s line‑up is poised to deliver both depth and drama, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats from heat to podium.