BBC move iconic Wimbledon show to graveyard slot after Emma Raducanu snub
The BBC's Today at Wimbledon highlights programme has been shoved back to a graveyard slot with coverage airing at 11.55pm as the broadcaster defends its coverage
The BBC has again come under fire after moving their iconic Today at Wimbledon programme to 11.55pm - the decision coming not long after they failed to show Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter in action at Queen's.
The traditional highlights programme for each day's play has generally aired at either 8pm or 9pm on BBC2, but it will now get shoved back several hours to a very unsociable time slot that will suit few viewers. Previously it had been in a prime time slot.
The switch is not a one-off to suit their coverage with the Telegraph reporting that it has a new permanent home in the five to midnight slot. Next Monday's 8pm-10.30pm time slot will see them include repeats of Your Garden Made Perfect, The Pembrokeshire Coast: A Wild Year, and Upstart Crow.
A BBC spokesperson claimed that Today at Wimbledon would still be shown at its traditional time on iPlayer, while describing the television broadcast as a 'repeat'.
It will alienate viewers, especially those in remote areas, who may not have access to iPlayer or the BBC website. Today at Wimbledon has often been the only way some fans can catch up on that day's play.
It comes after the broadcaster's tennis coverage came under fire when they twice failed to show Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter in the doubles at Queen's. The British pair were beaten in the quarter-final against Lyudmyla Kichenok and Erin Routliffe at the London-based tournament.
However that match, as well as their earlier win, were not shown with BBC2 instead showing two-year-old editions of Homes Under The Hammer and Bargain Hunt. The majority of the match coverage wasn't even available on the website despite them receiving complaints for not showing their early win against Wu Fang-hsien and Jiang Xinyu.
There will be a number of Brits in contention at Wimbledon, which will only heighten interest with fans potentially frustrated at BBC's coverage. Jack Draper has moved up the rankings after his showing at Queen's and is among the top four seeds, giving him an easier route to the semi-finals.
Raducanu is again the British No 1 and will hope to embark on an impressive run in front of her home crowd. She's previously received huge backing at SW19 whilst Boulter too is in contention.
Raducanu, winner of the US Open four years ago, has confirmed that she will continue working with Andy Murray 's former coach Mark Petchey as well as childhood coach Nick Cavaday.
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BBC move iconic programme to permanent graveyard slot and opt to air repeats instead
The BBC 's flagship Wimbledon highlights show Today at Wimbledon has been relegated to a graveyard television slot. The 61-year-old show is being moved from a prime 8pm or 9pm BBC2 airing time to 11.55pm by the broadcaster. Critics have accused the BBC of essentially making it 'Yesterday at Wimbledon'. The 60-minute programme will first be shown just five minutes before midnight on Monday when the tournament starts. It has been shoved into an antisocial slot with the BBC instead opting to air repeats of Your Garden Made Perfect, The Pembrokeshire Coast: A Wild Year, and Upstart Crow between 8pm-10.30pm next Monday. The move is not a one-off and it will be permanently aired at the unsociable hour, according to The Telegraph. Today at Wimbledon is the only way which many tennis fans can tune in to watch highlights, with some viewers, particularly in rural areas, unable to access BBC's website or iPlayer. A BBC spokesperson defended the change, claiming it would still be broadcast at its traditional time on iPlayer and its later showing on television would be as a 'repeat'. 'Live Wimbledon coverage is scheduled to air on BBC One or BBC Two until 10pm in the first week, and until 9pm from the second week, when matches typically finish earlier,' they added. The BBC's controversial move comes after its recent blunder which saw it fail to televise Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter's doubles match at Queen's. The pair took to the court for the first match of their budding doubles partnership as women's tennis returned to The Queen's Club for the first time in 52 years earlier this month. But British audiences were unable to watch the match against Wu Fang-hsien and Jiang Xinyu, with the BBC forced to offer an apology after angry viewers failed to find the match either on terrestrial or iPlayer. 'Unfortunately we won't be able to show you this match because we are focused on Andy Murray Arena, but we will be bringing you updates throughout the course of the afternoon,' BBC commentary announced shortly before the start of the match on Court One. Mail Sport understands that the decision taken to show Raducanu and Boulter on the 1,000-seat occupancy Court One rather than the 7,700-strong Andy Murray Arena - where matches are televised - was made in line with the Lawn Tennis Association's (LTA) contractual obligation with the WTA.
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