Sports channel TNT secures rights for a documentary about the British and Irish Lions tour
The upcoming documentary titled "Living with Lions" promises an exclusive look into the British and Irish Lions' Test series victory in Australia this summer. This retrospective documentary, a joint effort between TNT Sports and Lions Productions, will air on TNT to tie in with its coverage of the Autumn Internationals the following month.
During their time in Australia, the British and Irish Lions were extremely secretive, preventing travelling journalists from filming training sessions. However, TNT Sports has acquired the rights to an exclusive behind-the-scenes documentary that will offer unprecedented access to the team's inner workings.
The 90-minute documentary, currently in production, will feature unseen footage from the dressing room, training ground, and team hotel. It will focus on the last week of the tour, providing a unique insight into the team's preparations for the decisive Test matches.
In recent years, retrospective British and Irish Lions documentaries have led to competitive auctions. For instance, Amazon Prime bought the rights to the documentary "Lions Uncovered" about the historic 2017 drawn series in New Zealand. Similarly, ITV screened a three-part series on the 2021 Lions tour to South Africa, titled "Two Sides".
The commercial value of the documentary is thought to have played a role in the British and Irish Lions' approach to the tour. Previous "Living with Lions" documentaries have become a staple of the British and Irish Lions' commercial operation.
However, the tour was not without controversy. An incident at the third Test in Sydney involved British and Irish Lions' performance manager, David Nucifora, putting a towel over a camera in their changing room during a break in play caused by lightning. Australians criticized a perceived lack of engagement with locals by the British and Irish Lions during their tour.
The broadcasting rights for "Living with Lions" were awarded to Warner Bros. Discovery. TNT Sports' acquisition of the documentary is believed to be due to it fitting better into their autumn schedule, which includes live coverage of the rebranded Gallagher Prem.
The documentary will air on TNT at the end of October, offering viewers an intimate look into one of the most significant sporting events of the year.
