Sgorio
| Sgorio | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Format | Sports highlights |
| Presented by | Dylan Ebenezer & Morgan Jones |
| Country of origin | Wales |
| Production | |
| Running time | Varies |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | S4C |
| Original run | 5 September 1988 – present |
| External links | |
| Website | |
Sgorio is a football television programme produced by Rondo Media[1] for S4C. First broadcast on 5 September 1988[2] it is one of S4C's longest-running shows and renowned for its coverage of European football, but for the first few years the show also featured highlights of rallying, rugby league, hurling, gaelic football, ice hockey and climbing.
In the days before cable or satellite television services, the success of Sgorio extended beyond Wales' border as avid football fans in England retuned their aerials in an attempt to watch the European football highlights on S4C with Spain's La Liga featuring alongside Italy's Serie A and latterly, Germany's Bundesliga.
Since 2008 Sgorio has also broadcast a live Welsh Premier League match on a Saturday afternoon with the Monday night programme featuring the week's Welsh Premier League highlights as well as those from La Liga.
The regular presenters are Dylan Ebenezer and Morgan Jones with former Newcastle United and Wales striker, Malcolm Allen
First Programme
The idea for a programme covering European football was conceived by Welsh independent television company, Ffilmiau'r Nant, to coincide with Ian Rush's transfer from Liverpool to Juventus and Mark Hughes' move from Manchester United to Barcelona. Unfortunately, by the time the programme was first aired on 5 September 1988, both players had returned to Liverpool and Manchester United respectively!
The first programme was presented by former Swansea RFC and Wales winger, Arthur Emyr and included the Barcelona derby between Barcelona and Espanyol at the Nou Camp, the All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship between Galway and Tipperary, tennis from Cincinnati featuring Stefan Edberg and Mats Wilander, badminton from Hong Kong and a USSR v Australia basketball match.
European Football
In the early 1990s S4C decided the programme should concentrate solely on European football highlights with the German Bundesliga being added to La Liga and Serie A, and in 1997 the El Clásico between Real Madrid and Barcelona was shown live on S4C with current Wales assistant manager, Osian Roberts as one of the studio guests.
Sgorio has also broadcast highlights from the Dutch Eredivisie, Ligue 1 in France and the Portuguese Primeira Liga at various times since the first series.
Presenters
Arthur Emyr was the show's first presenter but when he left the programme in 1995, Amanda Protheroe Thomas took over, becoming one of the first female football anchors on television. In 2002 Morgan Jones took over as the presenter before becoming the show's Saturday afternoon presenter in 2008 alongside Malcolm Allen with Nic Parry and Alun Williams taking over the Monday night programme.
In 2010 Dylan Ebenezer joined the team as a presenter and commentator with former Celtic and Wales striker, John Hartson also joining the team as a pundit.
Related Shows
As well as Welsh international football matches, Sgorio have shown live matches from the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, FA Cup and FA Trophy under the Sgorio banner.
Criticism
On 14 December 2009, an edition of Sgorio got the lowest rating in S4C's history, when it recorded a 'zero rating' (fewer than 2,500 viewers), according to the Broadcasters Audience Research Board (BARB).[3]