Sue Barker has criticised the BBC over the way it dealt with her sacking from Question of Sport after her more than two decades long tenure hosting the hit quiz show.
The former professional tennis player was booted out of the programme in 2020, which first hit screens in 1968, as part of a major shake-up, with team captains Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnell also bowing out.
The 66-year-old was eventually replaced by Paddy McGuiness, 49, who took over the reins of the long-running series towards the end of last year, while Sam Quek and Ugo Monye were announced as the new captains.
Appearing on BBC Breakfast on Friday, Sue reflected on her departure from Question of Sport, suggesting the Line of Duty broadcaster had wanted her to say she was stepping back by her own choice, and not that she was being replaced as part of a ‘refresh’.
The broadcaster said: ‘It is such a shame because, I have to say, that the BBC had told us we were going.
‘They wanted to refresh the programme and that is absolutely fine. Everyone has the right to do that. We don’t own the programme.
‘I had had 24 amazing years working with the most incredible people. So we knew it was going to happen and it was just the way in which it happened and the way it was handled, and the way the BBC sort of wanted me to say that I was walking away from it.
Sue continued: ‘And yet, I would never walk away from a job I love. I don’t mind being replaced. Absolutely fine. That happens. But it was just the way it was handled.
‘I think we regret the way it was handled. I think if we look back on it we could have handled it better. I think the BBC could have handled it better.
‘It is just such a shame because I loved it. And I don’t look back on it badly just because of a couple of bad days and then some negative publicity, which I think affected quite a lot of people.’
Sue has previously claimed the BBC offered her job on Question of Sport back to her just weeks after sacking her.
In her autobiography, shared with Mail Online, Sue penned: ‘Unbelievably, they then offered me my job back, but as I couldn’t help but feel they didn’t want me any more, I declined.’
Credit: SourceYou can read this post on My Celebrity Life.
Sue Barker has criticised the BBC over the way it dealt with her sacking from Question of Sport after her more than two decades long tenure hosting the hit quiz show.
The former professional tennis player was booted out of the programme in 2020, which first hit screens in 1968, as part of a major shake-up, with team captains Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnell also bowing out.
The 66-year-old was eventually replaced by Paddy McGuiness, 49, who took over the reins of the long-running series towards the end of last year, while Sam Quek and Ugo Monye were announced as the new captains.
Appearing on BBC Breakfast on Friday, Sue reflected on her departure from Question of Sport, suggesting the Line of Duty broadcaster had wanted her to say she was stepping back by her own choice, and not that she was being replaced as part of a ‘refresh’.
The broadcaster said: ‘It is such a shame because, I have to say, that the BBC had told us we were going.
‘They wanted to refresh the programme and that is absolutely fine. Everyone has the right to do that. We don’t own the programme.
‘I had had 24 amazing years working with the most incredible people. So we knew it was going to happen and it was just the way in which it happened and the way it was handled, and the way the BBC sort of wanted me to say that I was walking away from it.
Sue continued: ‘And yet, I would never walk away from a job I love. I don’t mind being replaced. Absolutely fine. That happens. But it was just the way it was handled.
‘I think we regret the way it was handled. I think if we look back on it we could have handled it better. I think the BBC could have handled it better.
‘It is just such a shame because I loved it. And I don’t look back on it badly just because of a couple of bad days and then some negative publicity, which I think affected quite a lot of people.’
Sue has previously claimed the BBC offered her job on Question of Sport back to her just weeks after sacking her.
In her autobiography, shared with Mail Online, Sue penned: ‘Unbelievably, they then offered me my job back, but as I couldn’t help but feel they didn’t want me any more, I declined.’
Credit: SourceYou can read this post on My Celebrity Life.