John McEnroe has expressed his surprise at the BBC’s decision to axe Andrew Castle as lead commentator for Wimbledon, also saying he wishes Sue Barker was still around as host.
The BBC, under the auspices of director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski, has made a concerted attempt to modernise its Wimbledon coverage over the last couple of years. Three-time men’s singles champion McEnroe, who has been a staple of the broadcast since 2004, has not noticed much difference.
‘I’m not sure exactly what the changes were they were doing,’ said the 67-year-old, speaking at the Laver Cup last week. ‘I didn’t see a whole lot of change in my book.
‘BBC has been great to me because they said, “Just be you,” which I think is the key to success in anything – to be yourself, be authentic.
‘I heard about [the changes], I didn’t notice. I think Sue Barker was great, personally. I wish she was still there, and I’m betting you a lot of other people do. But inevitably, everyone’s time comes and my time will come.
‘As far as the coverage went, I didn’t notice a big change. Andrew Castle did his last year. I thought he did a great job. I don’t necessarily know why suddenly they decided they didn’t want to do it with him, unless it’s just inevitable that at some point… you just hang in there as long as you can.’
John McEnroe has expressed his surprise at the BBC’s decision to axe Andrew Castle as lead commentator for Wimbledon
The BBC, under the auspices of director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski, has made a concerted attempt to modernise its Wimbledon coverage over the last couple of years
Castle was told by the BBC that 2026 would be his last year commentating on the men’s singles final. He was given the chance to stay on as a rank-and-file commentator but decided to call it a day.
‘Am I upset?’ Castle told the Telegraph in June. ‘Yeah, I was upset. 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, and I was very grateful for that – because knowing what I know about TV, you can be walking down the street one moment and the next you’ve been nobbled.’
Beloved Wimbledon host Barker left after the 2022 Championships, saying she wanted to ‘walk away on my own terms rather than be pushed out the door’. That was a reference to how her stint as presenter of A Question of Sport ended, of which she said: ‘To be taken into a room after 24 years and be told, “We don’t want you any more”, I just wish they handled the end a little better.’
