[Newshound47]

The BBC website is suggesting that BBC One Wales will have seperate commentary to the neutral commentray of network on Wales v. England later on Tuesday. Personally I'm doubtful of that as they have never done that before in any major tournament match, including the same fixture at Euro 2016 or the match v. Iran in Qatar.

www.bbc.co.uk 

Overall I have been surprised by how much extra effort BBC Wales have gone to for this tiurnament compared to previous efforts. Whilst outside of preview shows, documentaries and news coverage, BBC Wales left the tournament itself to be covered by the network coverage in full in 2016 and 2020. This year there has been bespoke highlights shows (presented from Cardiff by Ian Hunt with solo commentary onsite from Simon Davies) plus a football based programme co-hosted by Robbie Savage and now apparently some deviation from the network feed for Wales v. England. I understand it is a World Cup rather than a Euros (although there's not that much difference between them in terms of other media coverage etc.), but I'm not sure why there has been a far, far bigger prescence from BBC Wales for this tournament compared to Wales' other tournament appearances in the last decade.


In a similar vein, BBC Radio Wales has also offered bespoke commentary of Wales' games at a major tournament for the first time this year. In 2016, Radio 5 Live carried Rob Phillips' commentaries of Wales matches, with him and John Murray (and possibly others) sharing commentary for the England, NI matches and the quarter and semi-final. Similarly in 2020, BBC Radio Wales' commentators onsite were used by BBC Radio 5 Live. On this occasion, BBC Radio 5 Live and Radio Wales coverage has been seperate. That is a bit more understandable with less travel required for the network commentators as a likely good reason whilst simulcasting has not been deemed neccessary.

Wales v Iran was basically a Wales slanted commentary so they didn’t need to. England v Wales was a bit of mess commentary wise in 2016 with two co commentators so I wouldn’t be surprised if they avoid that.