Amazon are to launch ‘Back of the Net’ this summer, a weekly studio entertainment show about the Premier League. The will launch coinciding with the beginning of the new football season through to Prime Video’s exclusive live broadcast of two full rounds of matches in December 2019. Episodes of Back of the Net will be released on Tuesdays after each Premier League round.
To host the show, Amazon Prime Video have snapped up a host of stars with legendary footballer Peter Crouch, comedian John Bishop and broadcaster Gabby Logan to front the show. Each week the team will be joined by a live studio audience, and a heady mix of celebrity and football guests. They look back at the latest matches and forward to the next, with smart, humorous debate on the big talking points, and with a few games along the way. Back of the Net will also include features with football’s greatest names telling hilarious stories and revealing the secret talents of heroes from the sport world.
The Premier League is the most-watched sports league in the world and so live broadcasting two rounds represents a major win for Amazon, although not quite such good news for football fans who, if they want to watch all the live Premier League matches, will now have to subscribe to three services – Sky Sports, BT Sports and now Amazon Prime Video. What it will undoubtedly do is increase the value of Prime membership to existing users, although whether new users will sign up is questionable… however as the average Sky Subscriber probable pays in the region of £70 a month to watch live games, £79 annually with all the other Prime benefits thrown in for free is probably not a big ask.
“I am beyond thrilled to become part of the Back of the Net team sitting alongside my old mate John Bishop and the wittiest footballer in the land, Peter Crouch. Football is about passion, skill and rivalries but ultimately it’s about people and their stories and there’s so much fun to be had around the beautiful game every week in the Premier League.”
– Gabby Logan
“Each week, I guarantee to give an extremely impartial, straight laced view of the recent champions of Europe.”
– John Bishop
“I’m really excited to start this show with Gabby and John and I’m hoping it’s going to be a smooth transition from bench to sofa.”
– Peter Crouch
“While our live Premier League coverage in December will of course focus on the action, we wanted to bring back the humour and quirkiness of a studio show based on the nation’s favourite sport. I’m absolutely thrilled that Peter, Gabby and John will be our regular hosts, offering their wit, banter and anecdotes, every week of the season.”
– Alex Green, MD Sports, Amazon Prime Video
“Working with incredible on and off screen talent, Back of the Net is the next in our offering of UK Original productions for Prime Video. We’re so excited to bring what will be a hilarious, fun-filled show to our audiences weekly.”
– Georgia Brown, Director EU Originals, Amazon Prime Video
