Paris Olympics radio coverage and TV channel: How to follow the Games live in UK

The greatest celebration in sport is underway following the opening ceremony for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Over the next fortnight, viewers will be glued to screens, youngsters will marvel at events they previously didn’t know existed, and athletes who went to France with little by way of a profile will become national heroes.

And mercifully, the action will be available on free-to-air for television for Team GB supporters in the UK, with daily coverage to run all the way through to the closing ceremony on Sunday, August 11.

And unlike in Tokyo three years ago, or Rio in 2016, the time difference will stand at just one hour - meaning those keen to follow won’t have to stay up through the night or set any alarm clocks in order to watch the drama live. Express Sport gives you the lowdown on how you can follow the Games in France….

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How can I watch Paris 2024 in the UK for free?

Once again in the UK, the BBC is the official Olympic television broadcaster, but like with Tokyo 2020 it won’t be a case of both Beeb channels showing live action at the same time. BBC1 will start coverage at 8am on a daily basis, with the action running through until 10pm.

The sports shown will fluctuate, depending on British medal hopes, and viewers will be asked to switch over to BBC2 when the news is on. For those who arrive home late having been unable to watch during the day can catch the nightly highlights show at 10.40pm.

What if I can’t watch on television?

The Beeb will also provide coverage online and via the radio. The BBC iPlayer Olympics Extra will stream events running from 8am until approximately 11pm at night, and there will be an Olympics Extra channel available on BBC iPlayer, Red Button and online.

For those who prefer to just listen along, BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Sports Extra will bring live commentary every day from 11am to 10pm. A daily podcast will also be available on BBC Sounds.

And even if you’re bound to an office for the majority of the Games, you can still follow the action - just so long as you are discreet with the angle of your computer screen.

Is it just the BBC showing live coverage to UK viewers?

In a word, no. But if you want blanket coverage and the option to watch any sport you want, you will have to sign up for Discovery+. The station will show 3,800 hours of live coverage via a network of 55+ live channel feeds, and is currently giving fans the chance to sign up for £3.99 a month as part of a special Olympics offer.

Sky TV customers, though, can follow on Eurosport 1 and 2 and can activate a Discovery+ Standard Plan at no extra cost. The two Eurosport channels will broadcast live coverage from 7am to 10.30pm daily, with highlights and replays then repeated through the night.

Sky Sports News meanwhile have vowed to provide reports and results from Paris on a regular basis. However, the broadcaster does not have the rights to show any of the action live.