- The BBC announced the first female Grand National commentator in 73 years
- Gina Bryce will form part of Radio 5 Live’s commentary team for the iconic race
- She will narrate the action between Valentine’s Brook and the Melling Road
The 2025 Randox Grand National will see history made when Gina Bryce becomes the first woman in 73 years to commentate on the world-famous race.
Bryce, a respected figure in the industry who mixes roles for the BBC and Sky Sports Racing, will form part of Five Live’s commentary team. She will narrate the action on both circuits of the National between Valentine’s Brook and the Melling Road.
She warmed up for the race by describing the action on the same stretch of the course on Friday in the Topham Chase, which was won by Gentleman De Mee, trained by Willie Mullins for owner JP McManus. That combination will be represented in the National by favourite I Am Maximus.
There has only been one instance of female commentary in the Grand National before – Aintree’s former owner Mirabel Topham decided in 1952 she and a group of friends would call the race but their efforts were derided, not least because she called eventual winner Teal as a faller at the first.
No such calamity will befall Bryce, who joins John Hunt, Darren Owen and Gary O’Brien on the team for National, which is due off at 4pm.
She said: ‘It’s fair to say I’m nervous but I’m also hugely excited. I never in a million years thought I would get an opportunity to do something like this.
Gina Bryce will become the first female commentator at the Grand National in 73 years
She will narrate the action between Valentine’s Brook and the Melling Road for BBC’s 5 Live
‘I’m not commentating on a whole race and I’m not looking to take John Hunt’s job! I’m doing a section of the Grand National, telling the story of the race within four fences, and I’ll be doing that while surrounded by consummate experienced professionals.
‘Storytelling is something we do on 5 Live and I’m hoping I’ll be able to add something a little bit different.’
She added: ‘I’ve sat at home for weeks, going over past runnings of Nationals and Tophams, but commentating on a race using a screen is very different to being out in the country on a scaffold.
‘I just hope I can stay as calm as possible and do the race justice.’
