Fever Pitch: The Rise of the Premier League

The story of how football's Premier League was formed, told by its stars. What began in 1992 as a controversial breakaway has become the most watched sporting competition in the world.

One of the Premier League’s most iconic moments is created as Eric Cantona lunges into the crowd, throwing the 1994/95 title race between Man United and Blackburn wide open.

With a moment of audacious brilliance, David Beckham elevates himself into the national consciousness. His legendary 60-yard wonder goal from the halfway line against Wimbledon becomes the moment that changes his life. In this episode we explore the rise of the celebrity footballer, symbolised by Beckham in the mid-90s. He’s part of a much-feted new breed of footballers who are starting to resemble rock stars more than sportsmen. When Beckham starts a relationship with ‘Posh Spice’ Victoria Adams, the pair are catapulted onto the pages of every gossip column.

Having won four out of five titles since the start of the Premier League, Manchester United and Alex Ferguson seem unstoppable. In London, Arsenal have barely had a look-in, but vice chairman David Dein has been busy plotting. He introduces an unknown bespectacled Frenchman to the waiting press at Highbury and announces that he is Arsenal’s new manager. Arsene Wenger looks more like a history teacher than a football manager, and the players have never heard of him. Yet Wenger is about to have a huge impact, not just on the Premier League but on English football, by introducing modern coaching techniques as well as lifestyle and dietary improvements.