Watch the Tennents Sixes with Rob MacLean and Michael Stewart commentating

The Tennents Sixes competition returns on Sunday 4 October 2026, with live commentary available across the Premier Sports 1 HD and Premier Sports Player UK channels. Broadcasts are scheduled to kick off at 13:00 UK time, giving supporters throughout the country a chance to follow the action in real time.

The pairing will be led by Rob MacLean, the Scottish television presenter and football commentator who has spent decades honing his skills as a sports broadcaster. Working alongside him is Michael Stewart, a midfielder with a long pedigree in the game, while the on-the-ground reporting is handled by Iona Ballantyne and Andrew Petrie.

The main commentators

Rob MacLean was born in 1958 in Invergordon and has built up a substantial career as a football commentator, sports writer and TV presenter. He began his work with the Highland News Group in Inverness before moving to an Aberdeen news agency between 1979 and 1981. More recently he has been a fixture at both BBC Scotland and TNT Sports, having previously enjoyed more than 25 years of service across BBC Scotland's flagship football programme across two spells.

His co-commentator, Michael Stewart, is a player who came up through Manchester United as part of his youth career, with service as a Rangers in 1997–1998. Born in Edinburgh on 26 February 1981, he now plays a midfield role. His time as a BBC pundit has not been without controversy: he was recently banned from Scotland's national football stadium, a development that has drawn plenty of attention from fans and pundits alike.

The reporters

The reporting duties fall to Iona Ballantyne, who has been a prominent figure in broadcast journalism. After what she described as the most incredible eight years at BBC Scotland and BBC Sport Scotland, she left in early 2025 to pursue life as a freelance presenter, producer and broadcast journalist. She continues to feature across a wide range of commentary channels and competitions.

Andrew Petrie rounds out the reporting team, having served as a sports commentator and journalist at BBC Scotland from September 2021. He has built up a strong presence in the commentary world, including making his #Sportsound debut with a full live commentary of the Championship match, and he has worked across a variety of matches and channels since.

Where to watch

Supporters can tune into the Premier Sports 1 HD and Premier Sports Player UK channels for the full experience, with broadcasts kicking off at 13:00 UK time on Sunday 4 October 2026. For background on the career of the main commentator, Rob MacLean's profile offers further reading on his years as a football commentator and sports writer.

Article generated: 4 October 2026, 13:01 GMT