Last night Clare Balding greeted viewers of the BBC’s much lampooned Wimbledon 2Day with the news that they had relocated from the Gatsby private members’ club to a new show venue for the final week of the tournament:
‘We’re at the business end of the tournament and because of that we’ve been posted to the centre of the action here on the edge of centre court, that’s where we are up on that balcony.’
All very well, only Mr S suspects Balding was being somewhat selective with the truth. Did the BBC in fact decide to cease filming in the purpose-built members’ club because of audience criticism?
After admitting that they would listen to viewer feedback on the show – which has been likened to the sort of programme that might feature on the BBC’s satirical show W1A – the corporation has axed the flashy studio, along with its live audience and gaudy decor of the figure two. They have also extended the tennis footage, which was noticeably short for a programme meant to show tennis highlights.
A spokesman for the BBC confirmed the move:
‘We said from the outset that Wimbledon 2Day would evolve throughout the championship. Of course we listen to audience feedback and that helps to shape the changes we make. We have moved to a new location, on top of the Centre Court building, which gives an excellent backdrop of the heart of Wimbledon, as the championship builds to its climax.’
Perhaps now the phoney members’ club is gone, producers will listen to Mr S’s own feedback and consider changing the name from Wimbledon 2Day to Wimbledon Today?
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