The BBC has come under fire from viewers who have labelled its Winter Olympics coverage as 'abysmal' and 'the worst by an absolute mile'. Social media has been flooded with complaints about the broadcaster's handling of the Milan-Cortina Games, with many criticising the frequent switching between events and excessive use of repeats.
Viewers have expressed frustration that competitions cannot be watched from start to finish on BBC channels, with one user on X stating: 'How many repeats do I have to sit through? Why aren't you airing things that Team GB are actually in?' Another added: 'I just wanna watch the snowboarding and it's like "we're gonna join it halfway through then switch to it on another channel, actually, no it's not on the other channel after all, you're outta luck".'
The BBC's coverage is fronted by Clare Balding, Hazel Irvine and Jeanette Kwakye, alongside Winter Olympic legends Lizzy Yarnold, Chemmy Alcott and Robin Cousins. However, the presence of these familiar faces has not placated viewers, who have also criticised the number of video tapes (VTs) and repeats shown instead of live action, particularly involving British athletes.
This year marks the first time TNT Sports has broadcast the Olympics, delivering over 850 hours of content, while the BBC has reduced its live output compared to previous Games. Ahead of the event, BBC Sport director Alex Kay-Jelski promised 'unmissable coverage' and 'all the very best action and medal moments', but many viewers feel the broadcaster has failed to deliver on that pledge.
