FOOT FAULT: ADAM HILLS TO FRONT SKY TENNIS DOCUMENTARY

Back when Adam Hills was 18 years old he made an unusual career decision…he quit his job as a professional tennis coach (and any ambitions of being a pro) to pursue his dream of becoming a stand up comedian. He may have decided to ditch his racquet for a microphone, but Adam’s love for tennis has never disappeared.

The problem is that tennis hasn’t always returned the passion that Adam and thousands of other players with disabilities have for the game.

Wheelchair Tennis is now a fixture at the Grand Slams and in the Paralympics, but for players with a range of disabilities like Adam’s, who can’t or don’t want to play their favourite sport in a wheelchair, there’s still no competitive representation in the elite-level tournaments.

This Sky Original documentary tracks Adam’s global campaign to make some noise about a growing form of the sport – Para-Standing Tennis – and its potential as a future Grand Slam and Paralympic event.

His journey takes him via some of the most famous tennis locations in the world, meeting and playing with former Grand Slam winners, as well as uncovering the barriers faced by aspiring tennis players with disabilities who want to be included by their sport at the highest level.

Adam also gets stuck into some serious competition along the way, with the aim of achieving his life-long dream of becoming a World Champion. As he says himself, “being a comedian is all about having ridiculous ideas, then seeing how far you can take them!

Adam Hills commented: “At the moment the world of tennis feels like a building with an entrance for able-bodied people and an entrance for people in wheelchairs, but nothing for anyone in between. I’ve spent years searching for a way to play tennis against people like me, and at the age of 53 time may be running out…

“I want to play Para-Standing Tennis while I can, but I also want to make sure there’s a way for kids with disabilities to be able to play the sport they love, on a level playing field. I’ve got a pretty loud microphone, and I intend to use it.”

Transmission details will be confirmed in due course.