**STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL 00.01 MONDAY 11TH JUNE 2012**

ITV, THAMES and Superhero today announced the judging panel line up for Let’s Get Gold, ITV1’s brand new sport entertainment show.

The judging panel will consist of former England captain and Premier League footballer Rio Ferdinand; former English cricketer Freddie Flintoff; singer and Laurence Olivier award-winning actressMartine McCutcheon; and singer-songwriter and part of successful girl group The Saturdays, Una Healy. 

Rio Ferdinand said: “I can’t wait to get started on the judging panel of Let’s Get Gold. It's set to be a fantastic show, capturing the nation’s sporting mood perfectly.  I am very excited to be working with Freddie, Martine and Una in the search for new sporting stars.  May the best team win!”

Freddie Flintoff said: “I’m looking forward to being a judge on Let’s Get Gold. It’ll be a new challenge for me and I can’t wait to get started. I’m sure the judging panel will all be looking for something different. I can’t wait to see what the teams have to show us.” 

Martine McCutcheon said: "I'm really thrilled to be part of Let's Get Gold. It's always wonderful when teams get to showcase their own special skills and abilities. I'll be looking forward to seeing some unbelievable talent and can't wait to see something fresh and different."

Una Healy said: “I’m so excited to be part of Let’s Get Gold.  I’m looking forward to seeing all the sporting talent that Britain has to offer.  It’ll be fun to see how these teams will put an entertainment spin on sports such as Rugby and Golf.  I can’t wait to get started!”

Host Vernon Kay said: "With the Olympics just around the corner and sport fever hitting the UK this shows provides the stage for local sporting teams to show off their skills and sporting prowess in breath-taking performances. With a huge cash prize up for grabs  and an all star panel of famous pundits from the worlds of showbiz and sport this series promises to be the ultimate sporting battle."

Head of Entertainment, Thames, Suzy Lamb said: “We are delighted to be confirming a line up of judges who have experience right across the sports and entertainment arenas.   Teams will be displaying their skills in disciplines as wide-ranging as Martial Arts and Cheerleading, and the panel will be looking for the UK’s biggest and brightest sporting talents to showcase their skills like they’ve never been seen before.”

Sebastian Scott added: “"Let's Get Gold is like the Posh and Becks of talent shows, combining Britain's two biggest passions: sport and entertainment. Such great names on our judging panel proves that we are taking sport seriously - but we also hope to throw a surprise on those viewers who wouldn't normally consider themselves to be sports fans."

ITV’s Controller of Entertainment, John Kaye Cooper said: "This is an exciting new format that challenges teams from all over the UK to entertain us with their sporting skills, and we are delighted to have such a skilled and talented group of judges to select our Let's Get Gold winners."

Let’s Get Gold is a sport meets entertainment mini-series of three pre-recorded episodes, stripped across consecutive nights.  Sporting teams from across the UK will battle it out in front of a panel of celebrity pundits from the worlds of showbusiness and sport.  Over three nights, 15 teams will compete to transform their sport into the most spectacular and entertaining routine. 

Teams will be putting their skills to the test, performing breath-taking activities to demonstrate their sporting prowess.  Motivated by a £100,000 prize fund, and judged by the panel, the show will seek to identify amateur and professional groups displaying the best technique, skill and athleticism, but also those with creativity, style and flair.

Let’s Get Gold starts on ITV1 this July.

Let’s Get Gold is Executive Produced by Head of Entertainment, Thames Suzy Lamb, Mel Balac and Phil Parsons for Thames and Sebastian Scott and Lucas Green for Superhero TV.

Let’s Get Gold was commissioned by ITV's Director of Comedy and Entertainment Elaine Bedell and Controller of Entertainment, John Kaye Cooper.

Devised by Sebastian Scott of Predictable Media and developed by Superhero TV, Let’s Get Gold is a Superhero/Thames co-production. 

-ENDS-

For further information on the show please contact:

Ellen Diamond – ellen.diamond@fremantlemediauk.com - Tel: 020 7861 8403