18 December 2023 , 19:44
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Ally McCoist has hit out at the BBC over their “crazy” decision to axe A Question Of Sport.
The ex-Glasgow Rangers striker, 61, was a team captain on the long-running sports quiz between 1996 and 2007. The Mirror revealed it had been shelved, with the BBC blaming “inflation and funding challenges” for the decision.
Viewing figures have dropped below a million since Paddy McGuinness replaced Sue Barker as host in 2021. McCoist said: “I was really, really surprised when I heard, and equally disappointed.
“It’s one of the longest running television shows. It’s crazy. That was a strange description of why it’s ending.” He added: “It used to be the programme we all watched. I can remember sitting down with my mum and dad and my big sister and we would look forward to it, it was compulsive, great viewing. It was the greatest time and the greatest memories.”
McCoist was a captain along with snooker ace John Parrott. He was reunited on Talksport with Barker, who was the show’s presenter for 24 years. Former tennis player Barker, 67, said: “Maybe they tried to change too much. It was too painful for me to really watch it. Some shows don’t need too much revamping.”
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The BBC said: “Due to inflation and funding challenges, difficult decisions have to be made.” It has said the show could return at some point.
Barker admitted over the weekend that she hoped that to see her old show return. She was axed alongside old captains Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnell.
McCoist alongside former show host Sue Barker and fellow team captain John Parrott (BBC)“I’m incredibly sad that my favourite show has been axed. I loved watching it with my dad as a kid and then had the privilege of taking over the host’s chair in 1997. From there I had 24 fun-filled years presenting it with the very best captains. I truly hope it will return one day," she told the Telegraph.
Barker had previously hit out at the BBC in her autobiography, with the former Wimbledon host revealing that the corporation had asked her, Dawson and Tufnell to sign a statement saying that they had all decided to step away from the show voluntarily.
She wrote: “The show had played an anchoring role in all our lives; it was part of our identity – it’s the first thing any member of the public who stops me for a chat wants to know about.
“It was insulting. Did they actually expect me to sack myself and show myself no respect at all? … They then offered me my job back, but as I couldn’t help but feel that they didn’t want me any more, I declined.”