THE POPULAR "Any Sporting Questions?" programme has been lured to York for the first time - and its thanks to the York Golden Jubilee Rugby League Festival.
Furthermore, York City FC chairman John Batchelor has been confirmed as the first guest for the show's celebrity panel.
The BBC Radio 5 Live's programme, hosted by Nick Mullins, will be broadcast live from York Acorn ARLC's Thanet Road ground on Tuesday, May 21, as part of a programme of pre-festival appetisers.
The inaugural nine-a-side RL tournament will bring teams from the rest of the UK, Ireland and France to York on Bank Holiday Monday, June 3. It will be staged at Heworth ARLC - but now Acorn will also play their part as hosts.
"Any Sporting Questions?" features a celebrity sporting panel taking questions from the audience on the latest sporting issues. Radio 5 Live is on 909 and 693 AM and has an audience of 6.25 million.
The York show is the first of a new series and will be broadcast live between 8pm and 9.30pm. Other guests and ticket information will be revealed soon.
Linda Hill, Acorn ARLC treasurer, said: "We are delighted to be hosting this event. It is a great opportunity for the club and for rugby league in the city and helps to highlight the commitment we have to raising the profile of the sport in York.
"This event and the nines tournament at Heworth will be a great and much-needed boost for rugby league in York."
Next month's rugby nines event will see 15 teams will join the York Ironsides - a special invitation all-York squad - to play for the Fairfax Cup.
The tournament is backed by the Rugby Football League and City of York Council, which approached BBC 5 Live to bring "Any Sporting Questions?" to York.
Coun Alan Jones, executive member for leisure and heritage, said: "The people of York are sports-loving folk. Support for rugby in the city goes back more than 100 years and I am sure 'Any Sporting Questions?' will get a warm welcome at Acorn rugby league club.
"Having 'Any Sporting Questions?' In York will be an excellent appetiser for the Jubilee Nines tournament and is also an opportunity to bring supporters of other sports together.
"With more than six million listeners the programme will also help to raise the profile of the city."
Updated: 09:15 Thursday, May 09, 2002
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