Sue Barker claims she turned down offer to return to A Question Of Sport after ‘insulting’ departure
Sue Barker has spoken out about her departure from A Question of Sport, claiming that she found the BBC’s handling of the situation “insulting”.
The popular broadcaster and former tennis player was the host of the sports trivia programme from 1997 until 2021. In September 2020, it was announced that she and team captains Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnell would be leaving the programme.
Now titled Question of Sport, the show is currently presented by Paddy McGuinness, with team captains Sam Quek and Ugo Monye.
Barker will soon release an autobiography in which she discusses her life and career, including a declaration that she wishes she’d never “gone near” Cliff Richard, whom she dated in the 1980s.
She also reveals her feelings towards her departure from the show, after being told that the broadcaster was going in an alternative direction.
“I was sent a statement that the BBC wanted me to approve immediately, saying the three of us had decided to step aside,” Barker wrote in an extract shared with Mail Online.
“They hadn’t bothered to get a quote from me. Why hadn’t they reacted to our request earlier? Why had we been shown so little respect?”
According to Barker, all three show anchors refused to sign the document, but were still expected to say they were leaving “for the good of the show”.
“I was astounded,” she wrote. “Was that because I was too old or not good enough? Either way, it was insulting. Did they actually expect me to sack myself?
“I told the BBC to own their decision and declare publicly that they wanted to refresh the show; I wasn’t going to lie to make it easier for them.”
Later, she claims that they then tried to keep her in her hosting role, but the handling of the situation had left her unwilling to stay.
“Unbelievably, they then offered me my job back, but as I couldn't help but feel they didn't want me anymore, I declined,” she wrote.
The BBC offered no comment when approached by The Independent.
