Outrage as BBC axes Question of Sport stars Sue Barker, Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnell in bid to ‘diversify’ cast - with Jermaine Jenas and Alex Scott tipped to join show
by Mike Dickson- Sue Barker and team captains Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnell have been axed
- BBC bosses want to draft in fresh talent to revamp the long-running sports quiz
- Ex tennis player, 64, told of sadness at having to leave the show after 24 years
The BBC is today facing a backlash after announcing it has axed Sue Barker, Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnell from A Question Of Sport in a move to 'diversify' the show.
The former tennis player, 64, has been axed as host of the show, alongside the team captains, so that bosses can draft in fresh talent to revamp the long-running sports quiz.
Miss Barker, who will stay on as the corporation’s face of Wimbledon, told of her sadness at having to leave the show after 24 years.
She said that the BBC had to remove her from A Question Of Sport as she would never have left her dream job voluntarily.
The BBC, now led by director-general Tim Davie, said it was dedicated to finding ways to appeal to younger audiences.
But the move has sparked fury from critics who accused the BBC of ageism, including former BBC radio and TV presenter Wendy Austin who tweeted: 'No ageism/sexism in the BBC then...'
Ex-newsreader Jennie Bond told GMB today: 'Sue will be hurting this morning. You can't do anything about your age and there is a pressure on television, particularly for women, to look younger.'
Sources disclosed to Sportsmail that Alex Scott, the former Arsenal and England defender, is well-liked by the broadcaster and in the mix to replace Barker as presenter.
Ex-Tottenham and England midfielder Jermaine Jenas is also in the running to become one of the new team captains, with the BBC keen to diversify.
Who has hosted and captained the popular BBC quiz show?
The popular BBC series has only ever had three hosts. David Vine was first in the hot heat in 1970 with team captains Henry Cooper and Cliff Morgan.
He covered most of the 1970s before being replaced by David Coleman in 1979.
Coleman presided over the show for 18 years before finally being replaced by Barker in 1997.
The first team captains were boxer Henry Cooper and Wales rugby union star Cliff Morgan.
Morgan was replaced in 1977 by Olympic medallist Brendan Foster. In 1979 the new captains became Welsh rugby star Gareth Edwards and Emlyn Hughes.
They last until 1982 and were replaced by former England rugby union captain Bill Beaumont and jockey Willy Carson.
The popular Carson was replaced by previous captain Hughes in 1984 before being later replaced by cricket star Ian Botham.
Beaumont and Botham spent years battling each other as captains leading to many memorably moments on the show before they were replaced by football star Ally McCoist and snooker legend John Parrott in 1996.
Parrott left in 2002 and was replaced by jockey Frankie Dettori. He lasted two years before being replaced by scrum-half Matt Dawson.
Phil Tufnell then replaced McCoist in 2008.
This comes as the new director-general of the BBC is to instigate a major clampdown on news stars over their use of social media and their lucrative moonlighting for other companies, in a bid to strengthen rules on impartiality at the corporation.
Mr Davie is also reportedly looking to slash the headcount of the BBC’s public service arm, which employs more than 19,000 people.
GB hockey player Kate Richardson-Walsh, who has appeared on the show, tweeted: 'I think Sue Barker is a brilliant presenter and she has blazed a trail. Matt and Tuffers have also brought so much knowledge and fun to the show.
'At the same time, I welcome change to hopefully represent a broader demographic.'
Barker told Sportsmail yesterday: ‘I love the show so much they would have to remove me, it would have been tough for me to walk away.
‘I’ve absolutely loved my 24 years fronting A Question Of Sport, it’s been my dream job,’ she said.
‘But I understand the BBC want to take the show in a new direction and I’m sad to say goodbye.’
Miss Barker will continue with presenting duties for the next two summers at Wimbledon, having signed a three-year deal last year.
Sportsmail understands she signed a new three-year contract last year to carry her through until at least 2022, something that will come as a relief to many viewers.
Barker has not only fronted the TV coverage, but carried out interviews on Centre Court following some of the most watched events in British sport of recent decades, such as Andy Murray's first win in 2013.
She will also continue to be in the chair for the ATP Finals at the O2 Arena in November and the Fever Tree Championships at Queen's Club, which are also part of her deal.
A BBC spokesman said: ‘We would like to thank Sue for her enormous contribution as the show’s longest reigning host over the last 24 years, and Matt and Phil for their excellent team captaincy over 16 and 12 years respectively.’
Tufnell tweeted that he was ‘going to miss it hugely’.
Dawson said yesterday: ‘Thanks for all the lovely messages. I’m not sure how to respond so I’ll have a think. Needless to say I will miss A Question of Sport immensely.’
As recently as July Miss Barker raved about her continued love for the programme – which celebrated its 50th anniversary in January – and said that her 24 years behind the desk had flown by.
‘I love presenting all the sport, but A Question Of Sport is just something that’s so close to my heart,’ she told The Johanna Konta Podcast.
‘I grew up watching it as a kid, I used to be on it and watch with my family, so it’s something that’s always been very special to me.’
Tim Davie clamps down on moonlighting presenters in plan to restore impartiality - and slashes 18,000 staff
The new director-general of the BBC is to instigate a major clampdown on news stars over their use of social media and their lucrative moonlighting for other companies, in a bid to strengthen rules on impartiality at the corporation.
Mr Davie is also reportedly looking to slash the headcount of the BBC’s public service arm, which employs more than 19,000 people.
Using the publication of the national broadcaster's annual report tomorrow, Tim Davie will make clear more needs to be done to protect the BBC against claims of bias.
Mr Davie is looking at making news presenters and journalists declare their earnings outside of the BBC, in the hope it would ‘shame’ top-name stars from doing potentially controversial work.
This comes in response to some presenters earning many thousands of pounds as hosts for corporate events, including conferences, for external companies.
A number of stars including BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty, North America Editor Jon Sopel and presenter Fiona Bruce have bumped up their income with their work for private companies.
But there are concerns that work like this could compromise the appearance of impartiality at the corporation.
It is understood the new director-general wants to ‘get a grip’ of the issue and that the idea of a public register where stars have to declare their outside work is in the mix.
Debating the move today, former BBC newsreader Jennie Bond told Good Morning Britain: 'I felt that I was pushed out [from the BBC] - or that I was certainly asked to leave news presenting.
'I remember getting the call and being told that we're getting a new stable of faces in and one or two of us were pushed out, strangely, we were both in our fifties...so I think that was ageist.'
The show, which was first broadcast in 1970, has always had a loyal viewership of around three to four million per episode but has failed to attract young viewers.
Last year Ofcom warned that the BBC could risk losing a ‘generation of viewers’ as less than half of young people aged 16-24 tuned into BBC TV channels in an average week.
The final series of A Question Of Sport featuring Miss Barker, Tufnell and Dawson will be shown next year.
The popular BBC series has only ever had three hosts. David Vine was first in the hot heat in 1970 with team captains Henry Cooper and Cliff Morgan.
He covered most of the 1970s before being replaced by David Coleman in 1979.
Coleman presided over the show for 18 years before finally being replaced by Barker in 1997.
The first team captains were boxer Henry Cooper and Wales rugby union star Cliff Morgan.
Morgan was replaced in 1977 by Olympic medallist Brendan Foster.
In 1979 the new captains became Welsh rugby star Gareth Edwards and Emlyn Hughes.
They last until 1982 and were replaced by former England rugby union captain Bill Beaumont and jockey Willy Carson.
The popular Carson was replaced by previous captain Hughes in 1984 before being later replaced by cricket star Ian Botham.
Beaumont and Botham spent years battling each other as captains leading to many memorably moments on the show before they were replaced by football star Ally McCoist and snooker legend John Parrott in 1996.
Parrott left in 2002 and was replaced by jockey Frankie Dettori.
He lasted two years before being replaced by scrum-half Matt Dawson.
Phil Tufnell then replaced McCoist in 2008.
Barker becomes the latest victim of the Beeb’s clamour for youth: Loyal fans shocked by axe for Question of Sport host
Comment by Mike Dickson
Not even the most loyal and ardent fans of A Question of Sport could argue that it lies at the cutting edge of television.
Unthreatening and generous of spirit, perhaps a little worn around the sides, it sits in the schedules like a comfortable living room chair in which to slump.
During uncertain times like these, such things have added value — the cheery enthusiasm of Sue Barker, the faux- cockney riffs of Phil Tufnell, Matt Dawson trying not to be too competitive.
What happened next?
The high-ups at the Beeb decided it was the latest target in the never-ending cycle of renewal, in pursuit of the younger audience it is forever trying to chase.
In this age of Netflix, Amazon, Apps, social media et al they may be a chimera anyway.
Barker, trooper and outstanding professional that she is, will take it on the chin. Many will be relieved that she will continue to host Wimbledon, with her combination of credibility and affability.
Yet there is bound to be a little hurt in there, too. ‘I love the show so much they would have to remove me, it would have been tough for me to walk away,’ she told Sportsmail yesterday.
In the political climate the corporation faces much graver issues than quiz show personnel, but it is still a risky time to be fiddling with such an established favourite.
The carefully-crafted press release almost seemed to acknowledge that, in paying tribute to an outgoing trio who have been removed in one fell swoop — ‘Together they have ensured A Question of Sport remains a firm favourite with the BBC One audience,’ it read.
This is no mean achievement and it will not make life any easier for those who replace them.
Some would say the Beeb have developed a disarming habit of making changes in sport for the sake of them, which baffles its devotees.
While QOS qualifies more as light entertainment (as does SPOTY nowadays) serious fans are still smarting at the loss of authoritative voices such as Cornelius Lysaght, Alan Green, Garry Richardson and Jonathan Overend on the radio.
Those bemused at their departures will not be the exact same constituency as those discomfited by the exit of Barker and her two captains.
There should also be some acknowledgement that everything needs freshening up in life at times and that QOS does not have the pulling power it once did.
Its first episode back in 1970, presided over by David Vine with Henry Cooper and Cliff Morgan as captains, is an illustration.
The guests on that day were distinctly A-list compared to those who can make it to the Manchester studio these days. They were Lilian Board (a hugely popular athlete who would tragically pass away later that year), George Best (enough said), Ray Illingworth (then England cricket captain) and Tom Finney (all-time great footballer).
And, with echoes of the Beeb’s wider issues in sport, the overhaul will presumably not be able to compete with Sky’s rival League Of Their Own, with its bigger budget and more modern feel.
So there will have to be some innovative thinking to make the changes work.
While the replacement line-up is not yet known, it is sure to be younger and more diverse. It would be no surprise if a prominent role were to be found for the bright and amusing Sam Quek, former GB Hockey gold medallist.
Whether the shake-up will salve the irritation of the programme’s loyal following remains to be seen.
With the nation’s tectonic plates already shifting due to Brexit and Covid, it might all be too much.