BBC Wimbledon fans demand commentator is dropped after men's final
Wimbledon viewers were quick to complain as the men's final was broadcast between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Jannik Sinner of Italy were in the Wimbledon men's final
(Image:)
The BBC is facing calls to remove a member of the Wimbledon commentary team following a barrage of complaints on social media.
Andrew Castle, a stalwart of the broadcaster's Wimbledon coverage, was in the commentary box for the men's singles final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday.
At 61, Castle, who once held the title of Britain's No. 1, made it to the second round at Wimbledon in both 1986 and 1987 and reached the Australian Open mixed doubles final in 1987.
However, he has since become more recognised as a commentator, regularly featuring in the BBC's Wimbledon broadcasts.
Andrew Castle commentating at Wimbledon
(Image: Getty Images )
Wimbledon fans boo as Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz final halted for bizarre reason
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The pre-match analysis for the Sinner vs Alcaraz game on BBC One featured insights from tennis experts Tim Henman, Todd Woodbridge, John McEnroe, and Pat Cash, with Clare Balding hosting. Yet, when it was time to switch to the commentary, Andrew Castle took the lead, causing his name to trend online.
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"Why oh why do the BBC put Andrew Castle on lead commentary for the Men's Singles final every year, he's terrible. My ears have already start to bleed," lamented one viewer.
Another said: "Massive build up to this #WimbledonFinal and then BBC put Andrew Castle on commentary. Way to kill the match for me before it even starts," reports the Mirror.
"Wow Andrew Castle is so bad he is already trending internationally," noted a fan. "Heart sinks when I hear the words '... and your commentator is Andrew Castle'. Ruins enjoyment of every match. @BBCSport needs to cut the chord," implored another, calling for change.
Another critical comment surfaced online, stating: "Andrew Castle being given such an important role in this final after all of the complaints about him in the semi is embarrassing. He really adds zilch to the commentary booth."
The BBC showed Carlos Alcaraz vs Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon final
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Castle's presence at Wimbledon has been a talking point previously, particularly following the entry of Andre Agassi into the BBC commentary team during the semi-final clash between Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz. Agassi's arrival prompted a flood of positive reactions from viewers who preferred his insights over Castle's.
Nick Kyrgios, known for not holding back his opinions, seemingly shares this view. In 2024, he took issue with Castle's on-air remarks about power-players Fritz and Alexander Zverev, branding them as disrespectful.
The BBC has assembled a stellar lineup of pundits for this year's tournament, including tennis greats like McEnroe, Henman, Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King, Cash, Tracy Austin, and Annabel Croft, with Castle joining other commentators such as Andrew Cotter, Jo Durie, Anne Keothavong, Nick Mullins, and Todd Woodbridge.
Furthermore, the team of experts offering insights on BBC Radio 5 Live has included Marion Bartoli, Kim Clijsters, Laura Robson, Greg Rusedski, Naomi Broady, Daniela Hantuchova, and Leon Smith.
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Wimbledon is available on BBC iPlayer
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