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ITV will switch off its channels for one hour to encourage UK public to participate in post-Olympic sports event

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By Jessica Goodfellow, Media Reporter

June 16, 2016 | 3 min read

ITV is set to switch off all seven of its channels for one hour to encourage the nation to take part in the UK’s ‘biggest ever sports day’ after the Rio 2016 Olympic Games wrap up.

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The sports day event has been created in conjunction with the British Olympic Association (BOA), UK Sport and supported by Join In, and will take place on 27 August, a week after the end of the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.

The event has been designed to get the nation involved in sports by giving the public the opportunity to come together with Olympic heroes and famous faces from ITV on the day. Thousands of clubs across the UK will allow members of the public to participate in a wide range of sports free of charge on the day.

ITV will use its channels ahead of time to promote the event through an on-air advertising campaign, created by ITV AdVentures, devised by ITV Creative and produced by ITN Productions, that will air exclusively on the ITV network.

The campaign will dramatise stories of what National Lottery players have made possible, as part of ITV’s joint campaign with the National Lottery - ‘I Am Team GB’ - to celebrate the role the nation plays in Team GB’s success through the support they give elite athletes by playing The National Lottery. Over £80 million has been raised each year by National Lottery players to help fund elite athletes during the four-year build-up to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

To encourage participation on the day, ITV will switch off its seven channels from 9.30am to 10.30am. ITV will also promote the event on-air during its UEFA Euro 2016 coverage of the England match on Monday 20 June.

Following the event, The National Lottery will turn its focus to Paralympic sports as it heroes the role of National Lottery players in supporting Paralympics GB athletes through a campaign to be delivered in partnership with the British Paralympic Association.

Bill Sweeney, chief executive of British Olympic Association, said: "'I Am Team GB’ will be the country’s biggest ever sports day inviting participants from all the Home Nations to share in the performances of Team GB athletes at Rio 2016 and be inspired to get active.

"The National Lottery is a key partner and the work they undertake with the British public to fund athletes’ pursuit of Olympic competition and achieve medal success is vital. We firmly believe that this will be a meaningful way to celebrate success and be a unique opportunity to engage in sport and activity in this country across many forms."

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