[RhysJR]

After 53 years on air, Question of Sport has been axed/rested by the BBC.

To be honest, this doesn't come as a surprise. They tried the revamp a few years ago, and though personally I don't think it necessarily made the show worse, it hardly was a big enough revolution to reignite the show's fortunes.

www.mirror.co.uk 

BREAKING BBC axes A Question of Sport after record-breaking 50 year run amid dwi…
The BBC has called time on A Question of Sport - ending its run as the world…
  Source: www.mirror.co.uk

[tellyblues]

The revamp did nothing for the show. It was a bit long in the tooth before that but the BBC did it no favours by treating it as filler and bumping it around the schedules.

[Brekkie]

I think in all honesty the rot did set in under Sue, Matt and Phil - it had become quite difficult to watch and they were right to get rid of them - maybe the show should have gone then.

The new team was personally an easier watch for me but I only saw a couple of eps, but they'll be the scapegoats for the issues that existed before they arrived. The guests had become very poor - A League of Their Own can regularly get current big name sports stars to appear but QoS was very reliant on the stars of 20-30 years ago.

It's a show though that'll never be axed for long - it's bound to be revived in a few years time.

[VMPhil]

It was all because they took the “A” out of the name, mark my words.

[Brekkie]

As seems to be the fashion now the BBC aren't saying it's axed, just that it has stopped production - and they are linking it directly to "inflationary pressures and funding challenges" rather than audience figures or creative issues.

www.bbc.co.uk 

Question of Sport stops production, BBC confirms - BBC News
There had been just two series with current host Paddy McGuiness and captains Sa…
  Source: www.bbc.co.uk

[lookoutwales]

Couldn't agree more with how the decline really set in during the Sue, Matt and Phil era (tend to find A League of Their Own way too self-indulgent, personally)

And the McGuinness series had the hallmarks of the last throw of a dice revamp that all but guarantees it's ready for the chop - or at best, to be 'rested'.

Ironically, the transfer to radio on 5 Live - prompted by Covid - gave it at least a new lease of life and probably worked better than the TV version.

[F4C]

I think in all honesty the rot did set in under Sue, Matt and Phil - it had become quite difficult to watch and they were right to get rid of them - maybe the show should have gone then.

The new team was personally an easier watch for me but I only saw a couple of eps, but they'll be the scapegoats for the issues that existed before they arrived. The guests had become very poor - A League of Their Own can regularly get current big name sports stars to appear but QoS was very reliant on the stars of 20-30 years ago.

It's a show though that'll never be axed for long - it's bound to be revived in a few years time.

The show was in need of a reboot- probably similar to Top Gear, Clarkson and co were fine but it was getting sale towards the end. Problem is, people are happy to consider change and then kick off when change is implemented.

QoS will be back at some point, probably in a different format, maybe more comedic, maybe not. The BBC are just trying to save some cash all round and QoS was an easy target.

[Flux]

The show was in need of a reboot- probably similar to Top Gear, Clarkson and co were fine but it was getting sale towards the end. Problem is, people are happy to consider change and then kick off when change is implemented.

QoS will be back at some point, probably in a different format, maybe more comedic, maybe not. The BBC are just trying to save some cash all round and QoS was an easy target.

I can see it popping up TOTP-style as one off specials in the future. Maybe around the time of the Olympics, or for Comic Relief. It’s a very easy format to wheel out if they need something and isn’t reliant on having specific hosts or captains (though Sue Barker will always be synonymous with it)

[Keith]

As seems to be the fashion now the BBC aren't saying it's axed, just that it has stopped production - and they are linking it directly to "inflationary pressures and funding challenges" rather than audience figures or creative issues.

www.bbc.co.uk 

That presumably also suits the BBC's narrative, as that way the politicians can't complain about it being axed. As this way the BBC can simply turn around and point out the lower than expected licence fee increase.

[Brekkie]

It's not necessarily untrue though, even if it forces a decision that needed to be made anyway.

I suspect more repeats will largely fill the slot. Also are any more in the can - looks like they're just completed the 36 episode run of Series 52 so I guess not.