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Tuning in for the main leagues’ scores has been part of Saturday evening’s Sports Report for fans since the early 1950s.
But legendary presenter Des, 79 – who presented Sports Report from 1970 to 1977 on Radio 2 – said: “It seems cheap.”
“It has been going for 50 to 60 years so why change it at all? It feels like change for change’s sake. It’s tradition and I guess traditions come and go but I know that the older people will miss it greatly. It was part of the Saturday night routine. You would get into the car after the game and the scores would come on.”
“Some people feel like they have to make changes and freshen things up.”
“New department heads putting their stamp on things. I remember someone came in and changed the theme tune to Match of the Day. [Viewers] almost burned down Television Centre! They soon changed their mind on that.”
Des is hoping for a U-turn by the BBC. The “classified check” was first read by John Webster. In 1974 James Alexander Gordon took over and became one of the most recognisable voices in broadcasting – altering his tone to indicate a home win, away win or a draw – before passing the role on to Charlotte Green in 2013.
The BBC said yesterday: “With the addition of the 5.30pm live Premier League match to our coverage, Sports Report has been condensed into a shorter programme. We will still offer a comprehensive goal service throughout the day on air and on the BBC Sport website as well as Final Score on BBC One.”
Other BBC stars to attack the move included former pundit and Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson who said online: “Talk about an OG..!!”.
Weather expert Jen Bartram said: “Course we can access it. But results [are] about comfort, nostalgia, a kind of homeliness that only radio can provide.”
While presenter Ian McMillan said: “Now we have all lost at home.” The results were introduced to music from the march Out of the Blue, by Hubert Bath.”
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