The summer of 1982 saw Brackley make the switch to television, initially with ITV company Central Independent Television replacing Hugh Johns. During his initial spell with the network he covered the 1986 FIFA World Cup and the European Championship in France in 1984 – including commentaries on semi-final matches in both tournaments. His first live match for ITV Sport was the First Division contest between Manchester United and Sheffield Wednesday in April 1986. He also stepped into the breach during the live broadcast of the 1986 European Cup Final between Barcelona and Steaua Bucharest alongside that night's ITV studio co-pundit, Ron Atkinson, when communication with the commentary team in Seville, Brian Moore and Kevin Keegan, was lost.