According to Sue Barker, the BBC should have handled her resignation as the host of the game show Question of Sport “better.” For 24 years, Barker hosted the quiz show before leaving in 2020 when the BBC chose to revamp the program.
Paddy McGuinness later took her position, and longtime captains Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnell were also fired.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Barker claimed the organization preferred she claim she was stepping down voluntarily as opposed to being replaced.
The 66-year-old former professional tennis player, whose autobiography, Calling the Shots, was just published, said: “The BBC wanted to update the show, and that is OK.
“We were therefore aware that it would occur; what was surprising was how it did, how it was handled, and, in my opinion, how the BBC wanted me to announce that I was leaving the situation.
“But even so, I’d never quit a job I enjoyed. I was happy to be replaced. Perfectly acceptable That occurs. However, it was simply handled in that manner.
“Looking back, I believe we could have handled it more effectively. The BBC should have handled it better, in my opinion.”
Barker claimed in her book that she “point-blank refused” to sign a statement the BBC prepared for her indicating she had decided to resign. She said that the incident had “somewhat harmed” her.
When invited to announce her resignation from the show, she claimed she was “astounded.”
She composed,
“Was that a result of my age or my inadequacy? In either case, it was offensive. Did they think I’d fire myself?”
Barker admitted that she was “sorry to say goodbye” to her dream job at the time of quitting the program but that she understood why the BBC wanted to change the course of the program.
As the longest-serving host of A Question of Sport, the presenter made an “enormous contribution,” according to a BBC spokesman, who also noted that she and the captains made sure the program remained a “solid favorite” among viewers.
Barker, who joined the BBC One show in 1997, was only the third host since the program’s debut in 1970, following David Vine and David Coleman.
In her interview on Breakfast, the 1976 French Open champion discussed her leaving and said: “It’s a shame because I enjoyed it.
And I don’t think poorly of it now just because of a few difficult days and then some unfavorable press, which I think influenced a lot of people, she added.
Big figures test their sporting knowledge in the longest-running TV sports quiz in the world.
Former England international cricketer Tufnell and former England rugby player Dawson, who had each been a part of the show for 17 and 13 years, were replaced by former hockey players Sam Quek and Ugo Monye.
Sue Barker also decided to stop hosting Wimbledon coverage in July.
The farewell she received while introducing the event for the final time, she continued, “she was swept away.”
Barker’s 30-year tenure at the BBC, during which she also hosted the Olympic Games and Sports Personality of the Year, came to an end as a result of the decision.
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