BBC respond to claims 60-year Wimbledon tradition to be axed

The reports followed the emotional departure of Sue Barker as the anchor of the BBC’s Wimbledon coverage last year. The 66-year-old said a tearful farewell to the role that she had held for 30 years.

And following that, the BBC are now expected to make some changes to their coverage of the Grand Slam, which will begin on July 3 this year. It appeared that would include axing the highlights show, with reports claiming that BBC executives have decided it was no longer “viable” to broadcast the show each day.

But the BBC has now responded to those claims and has stated to Express Sport that they are incorrect. A spokesperson for the broadcaster said: “We are not cancelling the highlights programme. Our full broadcast plans will be revealed in due course.”

The Beeb has had had a daily highlights show since 1964. It was previously known as Wimbledon: Match of the Day but for the past 33 years has been known as Today at Wimbledon, which is actually older than the BBC’s iconic football highlights show Match of the Day.

But in 2022, the show was only broadcasted in full twice because of how late matches ran on into the evening at SW19. Late-running matches have seen Today at Wimbledon delayed or even completely cancelled on numerous occasions in recent years.

Amid reports that the show would be axed, it was still expected that a round-up of the day’s action could still be shown to fill time before the broadcaster’s main coverage of the tournament concludes if live matches come to an early end on some days of play.

Barker will meanwhile be sorely missed on BBC’s overall Wimbledon coverage. She told the Daily Mail last year on her decision to walk away: “Basically I just feel the time is right. It has been my dream job and I have loved every minute of it, working with so many great colleagues who I am going to miss so much.

“When I started I never thought I would manage 30 years. I had actually made up my mind to leave in 2017 because the hours were becoming very long and quite challenging.

“That would have been 25 years and seemed a good time, but I am so glad I made the decision to stay on. I’m very happy to be leaving with no regrets and on my own terms while I am still on top of the job, it just feels like the right time to go and leave it to others.”

Ex-pro Barker has also since added, however, that she was not that keen on giving up the role despite making the decision to retire. She said on Lorraine in November: “I will miss it terribly, I wish I was 30 years younger and starting out.

“I loved the job and I didn’t want to give it up but I felt it was the right time and I could walk out with my head held high, which I was able to do. This was very much my choice.

“The Centre Court standing ovation was, without question, the greatest moment in my career. By a long way. I am going to get emotional even thinking about it now.”