With the Women’s FA Cup final just two weeks away from being played by the semi-final winners, Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester City, host broadcaster FilmNova is finalising the details to ensure every thrilling moment taking place at the legendary Wembley Stadium on 31 May gets seen by Channel 4’s viewers.

With free-to-air public service broadcaster Channel 4 driving this production and co-rights holder TNT Sports sitting shotgun, FilmNova, which is in year one of a new three-year contract with Channel 4 for the Women’s FA Cup, has its work cut out. FilmNova has been tasked with delivering a fresh, fan-focussed approach during its tenure, and it is bringing this in by working closely with the core presenting duo for Channel 4, Jill Scott and Maisie Adam [pictured above].

The new presenting duo of Adam and Scott open each programme for the channel with their ‘Road to Wembley’ VT, filmed in the host town or city the day before each match. The pair meet supporters, club characters and local personalities, exploring the stories, pride and culture that surround each team.

Live at the match, Adam and Scott take viewers behind the scenes with players, coaches and pundits, offering a fresh perspective on the matchday experience.

Outside the box

Lucy Cutler, creative director at FilmNova, says: “One of our big promises to Channel 4 was to deliver coverage that is completely different to what’s already out there, and I believe we have 100% delivered on that front.

“Our presenting duo – very much a duo, a la Ant and Dec! – of Jill Scott and Maisie Adam have grown into their role with such skill and knowledge it’s blown us away,” continues Cutler. “But added to that is their humour. Channel 4 were totally open to a lighter approach – you could argue that historically women’s football had taken itself a bit seriously – but we’ve positively encouraged Jill and Maisie to bring the laughs. But that approach wouldn’t work if they didn’t both have massive skin in the women’s game; they know what they are talking about.”

Says Lucy Barber, programme editor at FilmNova: “We’ve been steady and slowly building up, but it’s been a lovely remit to be able to produce women’s football in a different way. We love Channel 4 because they always give us scope to be able to think outside the box rather than just saying, “here we are at the ground”. They try and do a little bit more, but the fun, behind-the-scenes kind of more that lets the fan in. I think with the women’s game, we can do that even more.”

Continues Barber: “Maisie and Jill have been absolute joy. They were slightly rough diamonds around the edges [in the beginning],” she says, referring to the fact that neither Adam or Scott were used to leading a live broadcast when the season kicked off.

However, they have got into the swing of the style of presenting, says Barber: “We had quite a lot of fun in the early rounds trying to get everyone used to talkback and making sure we could do it all. But the fun is that Channel 4 love their energy and they love the comedy and they love the overspill from entertainment into sport, which is how we’re going to get more and more people watching us.”

Final format

Adam and Scott are both well-known on social media, and they are bringing that presence with them to the Channel 4 coverage. The broadcaster is also strong in its digital strategy and is using various platforms along with Scott and Adam’s strong followings online to grow fans and awareness of the women’s game even further.

Adds Barber: “Jill and Maisie both have high presences on digital social channels, so it’s lovely for us that they bring that with them. “

As the final approaches, FilmNova will focus on Wembley Stadium and bringing the atmosphere to viewers at home as well as continuing their innovative pre-filmed roadshow thread.

Channel 4 is keeping the same presentation and commentator line up for the final, and adding a fourth pundit yet to be named, plus Alexa Rendell, a reporter.

Barber says, “we can almost have more fun,” on the production for the Women’s FA Cup final versus the men’s, as the athletes are far more accessible to the production and the personalities of the two key presenters encourage the entertainment style even further.

Barber goes on: “We get to know the players. Obviously it’s a tricky one because we’ve got the FA to consider, but [the players] are accessible and what we’re finding is they all want to come and talk to Maisie and Jill.

“I think also having both presenters who are not originally TV presenters really adds a different element, and we get a little bit more from the players and the managers. For us having Alexa then roaming around the dressing rooms means we can keep Maisie and Jill as our front pair. All of that means I think we’ll elevate [our production for the final].”

Gemma Knight, match director for the Women’s FA Cup final, comments: “I think what you get from Jill and Maisie as well is a far more relaxed atmosphere. Jill is so fresh out the game, she’s so approachable, and a lot of the people that she’s surrounded by at these matches are friends or recent colleagues. I think the pair of them create a really nice relaxed environment for people to join; it’s much more conversational-led that just encourages people to have a bit more fun and be a bit more open.”

Scott will hopefully be joining the teams at their hotels when they have breakfast for some never seen before behind the scenes coverage for viewers.

Concludes Barber on what is coming from FilmNova and Channel 4 for next season: “This is year one, and what’s so lovely about these contracts is that we are already looking to build for next year on this. Channel 4 have been so supportive and so encouraging. They love Maisie and Jill. I think it’s a genius pairing and remembering that they’ve really only done five games together, it’s only going to get bigger and better.”