Critics and viewers have savaged the BBC’s new Wimbledon daily highlights package, presented by Clare Balding.
The revamped programme, called Wimbledon 2Day, sees Balding and guests discuss the day’s play in one of the tournament’s hospitality suites.
But the new format prompted an immediate backlash with Alison Graham, the TV critic of the Radio Times, calling it “a mess, a giddy mix of inane tweets, snippets of matches (let’s not forget actual tennis is being played, something, presumably we all want to see, which is why we’ve tuned in) and a bit of chat. All marshalled by a panicky looking Clare Balding”.
Viewers were scarcely kinder. “Nice job, BBC! Why bother with tennis highlights when you can just have an hour of inane babbling instead?” tweeted one viewer, @jwatson1.
A BBC spokesperson said: “We acknowledge that new formats can take some time to bed in with audiences, but we’re very pleased with the show and look forward to seeing it grow over the Championship.”
The show replaced the traditional highlights programme presented by John Inverdale.
