Sue Barker has criticised the BBC's decision to let legendary Wimbledon commentator Andrew Castle leave at the end of this year's Championships and admits she's saddened. Castle was informed of the decision in the build-up to the tournament and will commentate on Wimbledon for them one final time. Castle admitted to being upset about the BBC's decision to dump him, but recognised that time moves on, and broadcasters are always looking to evolve. Barker, who spent over 30 years in the industry, shared a similar sentiment and declared it was a shame to see Castle let go by the Beeb.
Barker's Fond Memories
Speaking in an interview with The Telegraph ahead of Wimbledon kicking off, Barker remarked: “In the early 1990s, when I was starting at Sky TV, Andrew was my pundit. The tennis was in a Portakabin in the car park. It was freezing in winter – we used to get carbon monoxide poisoning from people running their car engines just outside – and in the summer, we’d be wiping off the sweat and checking our faces for pieces of tissue. But we had so much fun together.”
“As a presenter, I always loved having Andrew in the studio, because he offered something a bit different. I’m sad that this news has come as a bit of a shock to him, but it feels that way for all of us, because we love what we do so much. I would much rather be working than sitting at home, but you have to make way for the next generation.”
Castle's Disappointment
Castle, who also spoke to The Telegraph, had admitted he’d preferred to have gone out on his own terms - a luxury that the legendary Barker was afforded. He explained how he would have preferred to end his time commentating on Wimbledon for the BBC next year, as it would’ve been his 25th year in the commentary booth.
He remarked: “Am I upset? Yeah, I was upset, and I will stay that way this year, knowing it’s my last. But all good things come to an end. It would have been my 25th year. But who’s bleating?”
“I was told in person, in a very respectful way, and I was very grateful for that – because knowing what I know about TV, you can be walking down the street one moment and the next you’ve been nobbled.”
Tournament Underway
The Championships got underway on Monday and will run for the next two weeks. Castle will be commentating for the BBC throughout the tournament, marking his final stint with the broadcaster.
