The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has warned BBC pundits, including Phil Tufnell and Steve Finn, that they could be banned from attending the Ashes next summer if they take part in a YouTube watch-along show.
The new programme, titled The Usual Voices (TUV), would see a number of commentators watch the upcoming tour of South Africa live on the social media platform. The show is being set up by the Cricket Entertainment Network (CEN), an Australia-based company that lists Pat Cummins among its founders. It will also look to cover other cricket events in similar fashion in the future.
Pundits sign up for watch-along
A number of BBC pundits, including Tufnell, Finn, Alex Hartley, Daniel Norcross and Ebony Rainford-Brent, among others, have agreed to join the broadcast. While the BBC appear to be relaxed about their presenters teaming up with CEN, as a result of a lack of winter work for Test Match Special, the ECB are strongly opposed.
The governing body believes that the show will violate the broadcast rights for the tour of South Africa, which talkSPORT have won. Speaking to the Telegraph, ECB chief executive Richard Gould threatened to pull accreditation for those taking part in TUV.
ECB chief warns of accreditation pull
Gould said: "It’s something we have heard more about in the last 24 hours. We are aware for the South Africa tour that broadcast rights have been purchased by talkSPORT."
"For the current Australia tour they have been purchased by the BBC. The money that has been paid is important to the economics of cricket."
"We want to help protect CSA’s income streams, because they rely on those to pay their players and fund the game in South Africa."
"We are against anything that undermines the value of those broadcast rights. And whilst of course there will be legal angles that can be looked at, on the face of it you have something that is basically perceived to be a rip-off radio station intending to cover Test matches in South Africa."
"There are other protections available to us which includes the ability to control media accreditation into our venues in our own summer. And we would certainly do that for any commentators that are perceived to be undermining the broadcast values either for us, or our fellow countries."
Tour and Ashes dates
The tour of South Africa runs between November 15, 2026 and January 15, 2027. The Ashes, meanwhile, takes place between June 18, 2027 and August 2, 2027. Express Sport has reached out to the BBC for comment.
