Watch Birmingham City v Queens Park Rangers on BBC channels with Ross Heaton and Martin Ling

The 17 October 2026 English Championship match between Birmingham City and Queens Park Rangers goes live at 15:00 UK time, with coverage delivered across a broad range of BBC channels and independent feeds. The BBC Final Score is being presented by Samantha Fletcher, while Adam Cottier reports for BBC Radio 5 Live. On the radio, Ross Heaton takes the main commentary role on BBC Radio London (DAB) with Martin Ling providing co-commentary, and Daz Hale presents BBC Radio WM (DAB Birmingham). These channels give British readers several ways to follow the match in real time.

The BBC's prominence in this week's lineup is worth noting. The Final Score feed and 5 Live have long been staples of English Football League broadcasting, and this match continues the pattern of pairing a headline reporter with radio-based commentators who can react to events as they develop. Alongside the BBC channels, coverage is also available through ITV English Football League Highlights, QPR+, Soccer Saturday and talkSPORT, offering a comprehensive set of options for anyone tuning in.

The reporters

Santha Fletcher is a freelance broadcaster and presenter, and her profile reflects a career spanning live event reporting and content production across media platforms. Some sources tie her to sports-focused broadcasting, and she is the name attached to the BBC Final Score for this match.

Adam Cottier is a BBC journalist whose work has historically covered both Final Score and radio commentary. His profile lists him as a reporter on BBC channels and a football commentator across BBC Radio outlets, positioning him as a familiar figure in the sport's broadcasting ecosystem.

The commentators

Ross Heaton describes himself as a broadcast journalist, commentator and producer who has reported on matches across the Premier League, Championship, League One, League Two, FA Cup, League Cup and World Cup. He has fronted BBC Radio 5 Live commentary in the past, including the 1 September 2026 English Championship match between Lincoln City and Blackburn Rovers, where he appeared alongside channels such as BBC Radio Lancashire and ITV English Football League Highlights.

Martin Ling brings a longer-established pedigree to the commentary. Born in July 1966, he was an English football manager and former player, and he gained Premier League experience after winning promotion in 1993 as a left-sided midfielder at Swindon Town. He is also recognised for holding one of the highest professional coaching qualifications in football, which situates him as a thoughtful presence on the microphone.

Daz Hale hosts BBC Radio WM's football coverage, including a West Midlands phone-in that ran on recent evenings. His involvement with BBC Radio WM ties him to localised, listener-driven reporting that complements the headline feeds.

Other channels

Beyond the BBC, Tyler Morris and Andy Sinton provide the main and co-commentary for QPR+, while Rob Jones reports for Soccer Saturday and Dave Rowe covers talkSPORT. These add further perspectives to the match, particularly given QPR+'s connection to one of the two teams.

For background on a commentator featured here, Martin Ling's Wikipedia page offers a reliable overview of his career.

Article generated: 17 October 2026, 15:26 GMT