The BBC has got a large team working on the Tokyo Olympics this year, with a variety of presenters, pundits and commentators.

While the commentary might seem like it's coming live from the Japanese host city, much of the action is actually filmed in Salford. 

This is largely due to the Covid-19 pandemic which has made international travel difficult, with Tokyo in a state of emergency. 

Here's everything you need to know about whether the presenters are actually in Japan or not...

Are the BBC presenters in Tokyo?

The BBC Olympic studio has an impressive backdrop of the Tokyo skyline, but is it real?

As it turns out, the background is a greenscreen, with the studio actually based in Salford. 

That's right, coverage fronted by Hazel Irvine, Clare Balding and Alex Scott takes place in Manchester's "virtual Tokyo", as does BBC Olympic Breakfast with Dan Walker and Sam Quek. 

It makes sense when you think about the number of pundits who have featured on the shows, with a train journey to Manchester much more accessible than a 14-hour flight to Tokyo. 

Are the commentators in Tokyo?

It's not just the presenters who have missed out on a trip to Tokyo however; Salford has become base for many of the commentators as well. 

BBC gymnastics commentator and former One Show host Matt Baker provided a virtual tour of the commentating studio on his Instagram. 

Each commentator has their own booth which are lined up side by side with windows to see the neighbour next door. 

The booths also have screens to allow commentators to see exactly what is going on during the event they are discussing. 

Being based in the UK means they are required to work through the night; Tokyo is 8 hours ahead of the UK meaning many events take place from 1am in the morning here. 

Are any of the BBC team in Tokyo? 

Of course there are some members of the BBC team in Tokyo. 

Journalists and presenters covering different sports are in Japan to interview athletes post race. 

However these are in relatively small numbers compared to the usually large cohort that attends the games.