How can I watch the Tokyo Paralympics live?

Ade Adepitan to lead Channel 4’s coverage when Games get underway on 24 August

Joe Sommerlad
Thursday 26 August 2021 05:29 EDT
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Super. Human.: Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games trailer

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The Paralympic Games kicked off in Japan on Tuesday 24 August and runs until Sunday 5 September, picking up the baton from an Olympics that proved the doubters wrong and enthralled spectators across the world.

Against the backdrop of much uncertainty, doubt and anxiety over the wisdom of proceeding with a major sporting event in the middle of a pandemic, Tokyo 2020 proved to be a triumph, packed with inspirational stories, astonishing feats of physicality and personal bravery.

Team GB repeated the record 65-medal haul its athletes chalked up at London 2012, securing an impressive 22 golds.

Follow Paralymics LIVE: Latest news and updates from Tokyo

Now it’s over to our Paralympians.

An estimated 4,350 athletes from 160 countries will take part in 539 events across 22 sports in 21 venues in the Japanese capital, beginning with an exciting schedule of track cycling, swimming and wheelchair fencing on day one.

Fortunately, the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games should be more straightforward to watch in the UK than its predecessor, which, due to rights issues, meant the BBC could only show two live events at a time, making an already crowded and complicated schedule all the more baffling to navigate.

The entirety of the Paralympics will be broadcast on Channel 4 and More 4 in the UK, with the latter channel dedicated to team sports and the pair showing more than 300-hours of coverage over the Games’ two-week duration between them.

Ade Adepitan will host the highlights show while the presenting line up will include such familiar faces as Sophie Morgan, JJ Chalmers, Ed Jackson, Lee McKenzie and Vick Hope in Japan and Clare Balding, Steph McGovern and Arthur Williams on home soil.

The Last Leg’s Adam Hills, Alex Brooker and Josh Widdicombe will also present a daily show from the UK with stand-up comedian Rosie Jones providing her insights from Japan.

Ade Adepitan
Ade Adepitan (David Hartley/Shutterstock)

You can find all the latest information on Channel 4’s dedicated website and on NBC’s if you are watching in the United States.

The Games themselves get underway with what promises to be another spectacular, firework-led opening ceremony.

You can check out a full events schedule for the drama about to unfold on its official website.

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