- Author, Steven McIntosh
- Role, Entertainment reporter
First Dates star Fred Sirieix has joined the line-up of presenters for the BBC’s coverage of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The French chef and TV personality shot to fame as the Maître d’ in the Channel 4 dating series following its launch in 2013.
Since then, he has fronted an ITV series with Gordon Ramsay and Gino D’Acampo and competed on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
The BBC said he would be part of the studio line-up commentating on and analysing games.
He will join Clare Balding, Gabby Logan, Hazel Irvine, Isa Guha, Jeanette Kwakye, JJ Chalmers, and Mark Chapman on the BBC’s Paris presenting line-up.
Special guests will include the UK’s most decorated female Olympian, Laura Kenny, British long jumper Jazmin Sawyers, Olympic gold medallist Moe Sbihi, and Olympic bronze medallist Vicky Hollan.
Former gymnast Beth Tweddle, former cyclist Sir Chris Hoy, former track and field athlete Dame Denise Lewis, retired heptathlete Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, four-time US gold medallist Michael Johnson, and former swimmer Rebecca Adlington will also share their analysis and expertise.
On BBC Radio 5 Live, coverage will be fronted by Adrian Chiles, Eleanor Oldroyd, Kelly Cates, Chapman, Naga Munchetty, and Tony Livesey.
Sirieix’s daughter, Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix, is a diver at the Olympic games for Team GB.
The BBC will provide live coverage of all 32 events at the games across BBC One, BBC Two and iPlayer, with a nightly highlights recapping the action from each day.
Alex Kay-Jelski, director of BBC Sport, said: “For the first time since London 2012 we have an Olympic Games taking place in a European time zone, which is really exciting for UK audiences.
“People can tune in to live coverage morning, noon and night, following all the biggest sporting moments as they happen.”
Coverage will begin with the opening ceremony at 18:30 BST on Friday, July 26, on BBC One, during which each country will arrive on Paris’s River Seine.
In a statement, Logan said: “Paris has got exceptional venues. In a city which loves to show off its spectacular beauty, it’s going to be a visually stunning Games, and for the tourist an amazing experience.
“For us in the UK, being only an hour ahead will feel like a home games.”