Andrew Castle, the BBC's long-standing Wimbledon commentator, has announced that this year's tournament will be his last after 23 years. The 62-year-old former British tennis star was informed that the 2026 event would be his final assignment as lead commentator, following a request by the All England Club to modernise coverage as part of a deal extending the BBC's broadcast rights until 2033.
Castle's Career and Controversial Moments
Castle, who reached the Australian Open mixed doubles final in 1987 with Anne Hobbs, transitioned to broadcasting after retiring. He fronted ITV's GMTV in the early 2000s and appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2008. His departure from GMTV in June 2010 was initially framed as a personal choice, but Castle later revealed it was a sudden dismissal. He recalled discovering the news at Gatwick Airport when the Daily Mirror ran a front-page headline featuring him and his co-presenters with the words 'You're Toast.'
Castle's career has been marked by several on-air controversies. During Wimbledon in 2016, while commentating on British player Marcus Willis' match, he remarked about Willis' girlfriend, Jenny Bate, a dental surgeon: 'My dentist doesn't look like that.' The comment sparked backlash on social media, with one X user writing: '@bbctennis any chance Andrew Castle could cut out the horribly creepy and sexist remarks?' Castle initially responded defensively, calling critics 'earnest, humourless and probably not fun at all,' but later issued an apology on X, stating: 'Obviously never mean to upset anyone. If I did then I apologise.'
Misnaming Incident and Apology
In 2025, Castle faced further criticism after repeatedly misnaming US football star Trinity Rodman during a Wimbledon match featuring her partner, Ben Shelton. Castle referred to Rodman as 'Tiffany' several times during Shelton's fourth-round clash with Lorenzo Sonego. Rodman, an Olympic gold medallist and the estranged daughter of NBA legend Dennis Rodman, responded on social media: 'My name is Trinity for those who don't know.' A BBC spokesperson confirmed: 'Andrew apologises for mispronouncing Trinity Rodman’s name during the Ben Shelton vs. Lorenzo Sonego match.'
Reflections on Departure
Speaking to The Telegraph about his exit, Castle said: '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. I would have liked to have gone out with the 150th year of the Championships [in 2027]. It would have been my 25th year, but who’s bleating? I was told in person in a very respectful way.' He added: 'I think it’s the right decision. I don’t want to hang around really and there are other avenues to pursue. In fact, there are two job offers. It won’t necessarily be the same thing, but it’s during the tournament for others.'
Castle's departure marks the end of an era for BBC Wimbledon coverage, as the broadcaster continues to modernise its presentation.
