Beloved dog show Crufts has come around once again for its 118th year.
People will be pawing at their remote to watch this year's instalment of the world-famous dog show, in which our furry friends battle it out to become best in show.
Over 20,000 dogs from 38 different countries will be present at the show over the next four days. UK entries will take up most of the running with over 14,000 dogs entered.
Vanessa McAlpine, Crufts show manager, said: "The event holds such a special place in dog lovers’ hearts because it celebrates everything that we love most about dogs, and the programmes will reflect on the benefits dogs bring to our lives, as many families have discovered during the pandemic, as well as the many fascinating aspects of Crufts."
As our four-legged friends jump through more hoops than a member of the Cirque du Soleil, dog and pet enthusiasts will be wondering how to watch the show and the 150 different breeds of dog present.
What time is Crufts on TV?
Crufts begins at 3pm on TV every day, broadcasting from Birmingham's NEC arena.
It starts today, March 10, and will run until Sunday, March 13.
Day one will bring highlights like the agility championship's small/medium final, while Friday has the breeders competition final.
Saturday sees the agility international invitation large agility finals, obedience champion display and the crossbreed competition known as 'Scrufts'.
The final day of proceedings ends with the eagerly awaited flyball team final.
The full schedule can be viewed here.
If you would rather go to the event and soak it up for yourself, adult tickets start from £20 and can be bought from the Crufts website.
How can I watch Crufts?
Crufts will be shown on Channel 4 this year and familiar face Clare Balding is set to host the show.
The full TV schedule is as follows.
Thursday, March 10
- 3pm – 4pm on Channel 4
- 6:30pm – 8pm on More4
- 8pm – 9pm on Channel 4
Friday, March 11
- 3pm – 4pm, Channel 4
- 6:30pm – 7.45pm, More4
- 8pm – 9pm, Channel 4
Saturday, March 12
- 3pm – 6pm on Channel 4
- 7pm – 9pm on Channel 4
Sunday, March 13
- 3pm – 5.30pm on Channel 4
- 7pm – 9pm on Channel 4
For those without a TV licence, the event’s live stream is available via the Crufts’ YouTube channel.
The launch of the show also introduced Paralympics presenter Sophie Morgan, with Crufts boasting a 'record-breaking' amount of coverage available this year.
It said: "Dog lovers can look forward to a record-breaking 16 hours and 15 minutes of television coverage when Crufts returns to Channel 4 and More4 this March to celebrate the world’s largest dog show.
"This is 75 minutes more than the 2020 show, which was then a record in itself and means that, at the weekend, viewers will be treated to a total of nine and a half hours of Crufts on Channel 4 alone!"
TV coverage won't just be showing the best of the action, but also coverage designed for anyone thinking of getting themselves a dog or a bit of extra company.
