News Release

6th April 2009

Paralympic star champions Switchover Help Scheme

Paralympic double gold medallist Eleanor Simmonds is starring in an
innovative television campaign to promote help for disabled and older
people to switch over to digital TV.

The 14 year-old swimmer, the youngest member of the GB team at the
2008 Beijing Paralympics and the youngest recipient ever of an MBE, is
the star of a Switchover Help Scheme television trail which launched on
Sunday evening. (5th April).

The trail is also the first to be signed in British Sign Language
and will raise awareness that disabled people can get practical help to
switch to digital television at switchover. It airs nationally on the
BBC in April and will run on ITV Granada until May as the Granada
region approaches switchover on November 4 this year.

Eleanor said: "Doing this campaign was really cool and something new
for me. I think it's great the Switchover Help Scheme is there for
people who need a hand to switch to digital TV."

An estimated 7 million older and disabled people nationwide will be
eligible for the Switchover Help Scheme, which is run by the BBC under
an agreement with Government. The Help Scheme offers digital equipment,
installation and aftercare to convert one television in the home in the
run-up to switchover in each region.

People are eligible if:

• They are aged 75 or over
• They have lived in a care home for six months or more
• They get (or could get) disability living allowance, or attendance or constant attendance allowance, or mobility supplement, or
• They are registered blind or partially sighted

The trail illustrates how people can be high achievers in some areas
and need some help in others, whatever their abilities or disabilities.
It shows Eleanor in her home, apparently talking to a television
interviewer about her achievements in Beijing. The interviewer says he
couldn't do what she's done, to which Eleanor replies that she couldn't
do what he does, because "It looks a bit fiddly."

The camera pans back to show our 'interviewer' is actually a Help
Scheme digital installer, converting Eleanor's home TV to digital.

As Eleanor switches on her TV, footage of her at the Beijing
Olympics comes on to the screen. Cringing, Eleanor cries: "Quick, turn
it over!"

Peter White, Chief Executive of the Switchover Help Scheme said:
"Eleanor Simmonds achievements can inspire us all, and we are delighted
that she's agreed to highlight the help available to disabled people at
switchover. Not all eligible disabled people will need the Help Scheme,
but those that do can rely on us to keep them watching their favourite
tv programmes after switchover."

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Juliet McShannon, Communications Manager, Switchover Help Scheme - 020 8008 2680

Jon Steel, Head of Media Relations, Digital UK - 0783 7470 222

Vicky Allard, Communications Director at AMV BBDO - 020 7616 3626 / 07769 937 062

Notes to editors

Digital Television Switchover is the
process of converting the UK's terrestrial television system to
digital. Between now and 2012, analogue channels will be switched off
region by region and replaced with free-to-air digital TV and radio
services (Freeview). Switchover will extend Freeview coverage to the
whole of the UK and free up airwaves for new services such as
ultra-fast wireless broadband and mobile television.

Digital UK is the independent,
not-for-profit organisation established in 2005 to implement digital
switchover. It is jointly owned and funded by the public-service
broadcasters (BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five, S4C and Teletext), and the
digital multiplex operators.

1,154 TV transmitter sites will be upgraded for switchover.

89% of adults are now aware of the digital switchover.

81% of shoppers are able to recognize the "digital tick" which
certifies equipment will work now, during and after the switchover

The Switchover Help Scheme is run by
the BBC under an agreement with the Government to help older and
disabled people make the change to digital TV. Eligible people are
offered practical help to convert one of their TV sets to digital in
the run-up to switchover in each region.

In the run-up to switchover in each region, every eligible person
will be offered practical help to convert one of their TV sets to
digital. People are eligible if they are aged 75 or over, or they have
lived in a care home for six months or more; they get (or could get)
disability living allowance, or attendance or constant attendance
allowance, or mobility supplement, or they are registered blind or
partially sighted.

Most people will be asked to contribute £40 towards the help. The
service is free for people who are eligible and also get pension
credit, income support or income-based jobseekers allowance. More
information is available by calling 0800 40 85 900 or through visiting
www.helpscheme.co.uk

Eleanor Simmonds

MBE (born 11 November 1994 in Walsall, West Midlands) is a British
Paralympian swimmer who has achondroplasia. Simmonds competed at the
2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, China in the 50 m, 100 m and 400 m
freestyle, 50 m butterfly, and 200 m individual medley. She swims in
the S6 disability category. At the age of 13, she was the youngest
British athlete to compete in China. She came 5th in the 200 m
individual medley and won gold medals in the 100 m and 400 m freestyle
events. She won the 2008 BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year
award. Simmonds was appointed a Member of the Order of the British
Empire (MBE) in the 2009 New Year Honours. At 14 she is the youngest
person to have ever received this honour. She received the honour from
Queen Elizabeth II on 18 February 2009. She lives part time in Swansea
and trains for two hours at a time in nine training sessions per week.
Before moving to Swansea, she swam for Boldmere Swimming Club in Sutton
Coldfield, with the help of coach Ashley Cox.