Sue Barker has said she feels ‘really disappointed’ for the next generation of athletes who won’t get to experience Question of Sport and urged the BBC to ‘bring it back’, admitting she is ‘tempted’ to return as host.
The much-loved quiz show was a staple on our TV screens for more than 50 years until it was axed by the BBC last year.
The 68 year-old said presenting the programme was the ‘best fun’ she ever had on television and was a rare opportunity for sports stars to show off their personality.
Speaking on the Monday Mile podcast, she said: ‘It was just the best show.. And I’m really disappointed for this next batch of athletes that they won’t have that experience.’
When asked if she’d return to host the show if it was revived, Barker said: ‘I would be amazingly tempted. I would be tempted to go back to Question of Sport, I’d be tempted to go back to Wimbledon, but I know the right decision is no.’
Sue Barker has said she feels ‘really disappointed’ for the next generation of athletes who won’t get to experience Question of Sport
Former presenter of the axed quiz show Sue Barker with team captains Matt Dawson (left) and Phil Tufnell (right)
First broadcast in 1968, the show was hosted by Barker for 24 years until her controversial dismissal in 2021, when she was abruptly dropped along with her captains, former rugby player Matt Dawson and cricketer Phil Tufnell. The show’s modernised line up featuring Paddy McGuinnes, Sam Quek and Ugo Monye was a ratings flop.
Barker, a former tennis player and Wimbledon presenter, hopes the BBC – who haven’t confirmed whether they are going to ‘bin it’ forever – will resume the show.
She said: ‘Hopefully they’ll bring it back because they haven’t said they’re going to bin it forever. So bring it back and have fun again, it’ll be great.’
The host, who began working for the BBC as a tennis presenter in 1993, says that many of the show’s fans miss it from the schedules.
The presenter said: ‘I think that a lot of people miss it. I used to get people coming up to me and say, how can I get on Question of Sport? And I had to say, look, it’s not my decision, but you have to keep winning, you have to keep putting yourself out there.’
The 68 year-old said presenting the programme was the ‘best fun’ she ever had on television and was a rare opportunity for sports stars to show off their personality
Former heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua was a guest on Question of Sport in 2013
Sir Bobby Charlton appeared on seven episodes of Question of Sport between 1971 and 1989
Czech-American former tennis player Martina Navratilova has appeared on 2 episodes of Question of Sport
When Princess Anne appeared as a guest in 1987 it reached its highest ever audience with 19 million tuning in to see the royal Olympian on the panel
Barker said ‘everyone wants a laugh’ on the show and it enabled sports men and women from different backgrounds to meet.
She said: ‘Although it didn’t matter who won or lost, everybody cared, but it was great fun. I look back at that job as the best fun I ever had in television. Also, every time you’re meeting people in sport, when we do our job, it’s always when they’ve either won or lost. So emotions are either incredibly high or everyone’s really sad. Whereas on Question of Sport, you can just relax and you get to know the real person.’
Past guests on Question of Sport included Bobby Charlton, Anthony Joshua and Martina Navratilova. When Princess Anne appeared as a guest in 1987 it reached its highest ever audience with 19 million tuning in to see the royal Olympian on the panel.
