A long-form storytelling series putting faces to the people who make the TT possible.

Every year, thousands of marshals give up their time to keep the Isle of Man TT safe, smooth, and spectacular. Most people never know their names.

Behind the Tabard set out to change that.

Created for TT Marshals during TT 2026, the series was built around one simple idea. Every marshal has a story worth telling. Inspired by the Humans of New York format, we went out onto the course, into the paddock, and around the marquee with a camera and a microphone. We stopped marshals and asked them to talk. Not about the racing so much. But about themselves.

What came back was extraordinary.

Jan from the Netherlands, who spends his winters travelling to bike shops and motorcycle clubs giving talks about the TT, not for money, purely for the love of sharing it. Sol from Buenos Aires, who was shot at thirteen times riding home last December, fought back, recovered her stolen bike using a GPS tracker, and still got on a plane to come and marshal the TT. Ron from Brisbane, who traces his love of motorcycles back to a three-year-old boy standing in his grandmother's driveway, watching his uncle's Kawasaki spit flames and being simultaneously terrified and hooked. Nell from Leeds, who sold everything she owned, moved to Texas to find her cowboy, and celebrated ten years at the TT by marshalling for the very first time.

Each story was written as a narrative feature and posted to the TT Marshals social channels throughout the event. The response was immediate. Recognition and pride, with Marshals tagging each other, sharing their own stories, and asking to be featured next.

Behind the Tabard proved something the marshal community already knew. The people behind the orange are as interesting as anything happening on the course.