Stars at Beijing Games will be ‘teleported’ to Slough studio

“AND now back to the studio…” is one of television’s most well-worn phrases.

But developments in the world of sports broadcasting suggest that its days may be numbered, as technological advances mean there is no need to leave the studio at all.

Discovery, which secured the rights to Olympic Games coverage in a £920million deal, will cover the Winter Olympics in Beijing next week by “teleporting” athletes from the slopes and the skating rink.

They will appear virtually in the broadcaster’s west London studio, to be interviewed by the presenters as if they are standing in front of them.

The studio itself will be digitally transformed into a ski chalet with roaring fires, although in reality it is in a business park near Slough in Berkshire.

The technology allows Discovery to cut costs and reduce the environmental impact of flying a full complement of journalists and reporters to Beijing.

It is also a shake-up of the way sports coverage is presented, and Discovery hopes it will attract a younger audience.

“If you look at the way sport is brought to people, it has looked the same since the 1970s,” said Greg Rutherford, the Olympic gold medallist in the long jump and now a member of the Discovery presenting team.

“[The] legends of commentary from that time could probably quite seamlessly fit into what there is now, because it’s very similar.

“We’re trying to appeal to a younger audience. Athletics, for example, has struggled to attract new people.

“It comes down to how we showcase the sport on TV.

“When you zoom out to this incredible CGI building, it’s eye-catching, and that’s hugely important.”

Reshmin Chowdhury and Radzi Chinyanganya, the studio presenters, are not standing in an empty studio but one with physical props to help them feel “immersed”.