SBX Studios, the production division of sports agency Soapbox, has announced the delivery of Billy Monger: The Race is On for Comic Relief.
The Comic Relief Challenge film will air on BBC One and iPlayer on 19th March as part of Comic Relief’s 40th Anniversary programming.
The 60 minute film chronicles the awe-inspiring journey of ex-racing driver Billy Monger as he pushes himself to break the world record for a double leg amputee at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii – widely regarded as the hardest one day endurance event on the planet.
Commissioned by Catherine Catton, Head of Commissioning, Factual Entertainment and Events, the documentary captures Billy’s twelve month transformation from racing car driver to endurance athlete, culminating in his world record attempt, all to raise money for Red Nose Day 2025. The Commissioning Editor is Ricky Cooper.
Catherine Catton, Head of Commissioning, Factual Entertainment and Events said: “We’re delighted to have partnered with SBX and Comic Relief to bring audiences the full story behind the incredible 12 months that took Billy from triathlon novice to World Record Breaking Iron Man. We can’t wait to see how audiences react to the film and hopefully raise a lot of money for Comic Relief.”
SBX Studios worked closely with Comic Relief’s broadcast team, led by Ilya Colak-Antic, to develop and produce the film to support Comic Relief’s landmark 40th year of fundraising. Directed and produced by Jake Churchill, Creative Director at SBX Studios, and exec produced by Dan Dewsbury (Hatton, Louis Theroux), SBX was given unprecedented access to Billy and his family from his initial attempts at running on prosthetic blades in October 2023, to his final race at the Ironman World Championships in October 2024.
“It was an honour to be asked to make this film on Comic Relief’s 40th anniversary but it was also a big responsibility,” said Jake Churchill. “not just for the film to raise as much money as possible for Comic Relief but to tell the story of an ordinary son, brother and friend attempting something truly extraordinary in order to give something back. It was important to me that the film captured who Billy is as well as the scale of what he was attempting.”
Ilya Colak-Antic, Head of Broadcast for Comic Relief said, “Jake and Claire and all the team at SBX have been absolute superstars throughout the entire production period – it’s been a hugely complicated project across a long period of time with numerous moving parts and important stakeholders to keep happy. The end result is a beautiful, moving, comprehensive and textured film which we hope will drive donations and get viewers even closer to the phenomenon that is Billy Monger.”
Set up by sports agency Soapbox and former heavyweight champion of the world Anthony Joshua, SBX Studios specialises in talent-led content production. SBX has delivered projects for BBC, Channel 4, Williams Racing F1, Snap Chat Originals, META, RFU, DAZN, Lucozade, Hugo Boss and more.
Jon Creamer
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