John Lloyd, the former British No.1 tennis player and long-time BBC Wimbledon commentator, has explained his decision to step back from his role after nearly 30 years. The 71-year-old's departure was confirmed live on air by fellow commentator Todd Woodbridge following the men's doubles final, in which Finnish-British pair Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten emerged victorious.
Woodbridge said: "Before we get to the presentation, worth just saying something about you, Lloyd-y." Lloyd replied: "Wow, don’t need to," before Woodbridge added: "It might be the last chance that I get to sit in the comms’ box with you, it’s been an absolute pleasure." Chris Badnam then said: "For me, too, John. John’s last Wimbledon." Lloyd responded: "Thank you. Yeah, it’s very nice of you guys to see that."
Lloyd's Explanation
Lloyd told the Telegraph that the decision had been on the cards for a while. "I was going to stop last year," he said. "But then it was one of those years: I was on the big courts more than I expected, and I had a lot of studio time, so I thought ‘I’ll give it one more summer’." He added: "I’ve got no regrets. I’m very fortunate to do it. I’ve been a lucky guy. It feels strange to be doing my last match but I’m happy, because it’s been a really good ride."
Lloyd estimated his tenure at around 25 to 27 years, quipping: "I can’t even tell you whether it’s 25 years now or 27, because I’m not very good at dates. But I think I must have started when it was black-and-white TV."
Broader Changes at BBC Wimbledon
Lloyd's departure is part of a wave of changes at BBC's Wimbledon coverage. Jo Durie and Andrew Castle are also stepping back after this tournament. Castle will commentate on his last men's singles final on Sunday. "It's been a hell of a journey," Castle told The Times last month. "I can’t say I have enjoyed every minute because there have been moments of pressure and controversy, but it has been a huge privilege." He added: "To be honest, when I got the job 23 years ago, a lot of the more experienced commentators felt that they should have been first in line. Their noses were put out of joint. So, in the wider scheme of things, I am lucky that I had the best gig in sports broadcasting for so long, during the greatest age of men’s tennis."
