BBC make major change to Wimbledon show and risk upsetting tennis fans | Tennis | Sport
The BBC has made the controversial decision to reschedule the beloved Today at Wimbledon programme to an inconvenient 11.55pm time slot, coming hot on the heels of their blunder in not broadcasting Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter‘s matches at Queen’s.
Historically broadcast at 8pm or 9pm on BBC2, Today at Wimbledon is being booted from prime time viewing to a graveyard slot, undoubtedly displeasing late-night viewers. Previously securing a coveted prime time position, it finds itself relegated unexpectedly.
The decision isn’t temporary; as reported by the Telegraph, this late-night spot is set to be its new regular home, with next Monday’s prime evening hours slated for repeats of various non-sporting programmes.
A BBC spokesperson insists that traditional viewing times remain on iPlayer, labelling the televised version as merely a “repeat”.
This move is bound to disappoint many, particularly those living in less connected locales without ready access to iPlayer or the BBC website, who rely traditionally on the round-up to stay informed about the tournament’s events.
Adding salt to the wound, this controversy follows shortly after the Beeb’s criticised tennis coverage failed twice to feature live doubles action from British talents Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter at Queen’s Club, despite the pair’s stirring journey to the quarterfinals.
However, both this match and their previous victory were not broadcasted on BBC2, which instead aired two year old episodes of Homes Under The Hammer and Bargain Hunt. Despite receiving complaints for not airing their initial win against Wu Fang-hsien and Jiang Xinyu, the majority of the match coverage was not even available on their website.
Wimbledon will see a host of Brits vying for the title, potentially increasing viewer frustration with the BBC‘s coverage. Jack Draper has ascended the rankings following his performance at Queen’s and is now among the top four seeds, providing him with a smoother path to the semi-finals.
Once again, Raducanu holds the position of British No 1 and aims to make a significant impact in front of her home crowd. She has previously received substantial support at SW19, and Boulter is also in the running.
Raducanu, who clinched the US Open title four years ago, has confirmed that she will continue her collaboration with Andy Murray‘s former coach Mark Petchey, as well as her childhood coach Nick Cavaday.
