The BBC has axed quiz show A Question of Sport after its long run for over 50 years.
The show, which quizzed some of the most prominent names in sport and began airing in 1970 (though not on screen in the initial two years), was shelved following necessary but "difficult decisions". However, a BBC source said this was not the final whistle for the programme.
A spokesman said: “Due to inflation and funding challenges, difficult decisions have to be made, therefore Question of Sport is currently not in production at the moment.”
In the 1980s, it gained overwhelming popularity with its highest-ever viewing figure of 19 million with Princess Anne's guest appearance in 1987.
Who hosted the show?
Only a handful of individuals hosted the show through its half-a-century run. The non-exhaustive list includes:
David Vine
Presenter David Vine took the role in the 1970s when Question of Sport was not on screens for two years. In a BBC career spanning four decades, Vine appeared on Match of the Day and Grandstand in addition to being a frontman for Ski Sunday.
You don't remember David Vine? He presented A Question of Sport from 1970 to 1974 and was the very 1st presenter. He handed over the reins to the wonderful David Coleman. #QOS pic.twitter.com/y1oZMNB8ML
— Steve W (@The_70s_Guy1) December 15, 2023
Vine also got the opportunity to commentate on the world snooker champions in 1985 between Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor. It was arguably the biggest highlight of his career as it had attracted a viewership with a figure of 18 million.
The presenter, who started a career in newspapers, died in 2012 at the age of 73.
David Coleman
The torch was later handed to David Coleman, who presented the show from 1979 to 1997. The athletics commentator worked at the BBC for nearly 5 decades and covered 11 summer Olympic Games until 2000 (the year he retired from the BBC) in addition to six World Cups. Later that year, he also received an Olympic Order Medal for his contributions to the Olympics movement.
The presenter from Cheshire won an OBE in 1992, many decades after first joining the BBC in 1954. During his life, Coleman got the chance to present Grandstand along with A Question Of Sport.
Coleman passed away aged 87 in 2013 as the industry paid tribute to the "voice of sport".
Sue Barker
Former professional tennis player and broadcaster Sue Barker replaced Coleman in 1997.
In September 2020, it was announced that Barker was stepping down as the host of A Question Of Sport, but she told BBC Breakfast last year that she regretted the manner in which the end of her time hosting came to an end.
Barker said: “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."
Before becoming a presenter, 67-year-old Barker had played tennis professionally, achieving a Grand Slam singles title after winning the French Open in 1976. She bid farewell to Wimbledon last year after 30 years of presenting coverage of the tennis event for the BBC.
Paddy McGuinness
50-year-old comedian, actor and presenter Paddy McGuinness had previously been appointed as a Top Gear host to take over from Matt le Blanc in 2019. This came ahead of his crash of a £250,000 1990 Lamborghini Diablo in 2020 which has impacted his health and left him suffering panic attacks.
But he became host of A Question of Sport in 2021 once Sue Barker stepped down. This was alongside captains former field hockey player Sam Quek and pundit and former rugby union player Ugo Monye. The trio have been subjected to mockery once views on the show plummeted whilst they were on it.
However, McGuinness is better known for his work on ITV1's primetime dating show, Take Me Out.
