The BBC is facing fresh backlash after reportedly making a major change to its long-running Wimbledon highlights show, Today at Wimbledon.
The programme, which has been part of the BBC’s tennis coverage since the 1960s, is said to be moving into a late-night slot on BBC Two, airing from around 11pm until midnight. Even more controversially, the show will reportedly no longer feature a dedicated presenting team or pundit panel.
Instead, the new version is expected to focus on straightforward highlights from the day’s play, with less of the studio discussion, analysis and personality that many viewers have come to associate with the programme.
For loyal Wimbledon fans, the decision has landed badly.
Today at Wimbledon has long been seen as a comforting part of the tournament experience — a chance for viewers to catch up on the biggest matches, shocks, upsets and emotional moments after a full day of action at SW19. In previous years, it held stronger evening slots, often making it easier for families and casual fans to watch before the end of the day.
Now, the move to a much later broadcast time has sparked accusations that the BBC is pushing one of its most familiar sporting traditions into the background.
The reported decision follows criticism of an earlier revamp in 2023, when the format was changed in an attempt to modernise the show. That version faced resistance from some viewers who felt it had moved too far away from the traditional highlights-and-analysis style they preferred.
BBC bosses are understood to believe that audience habits have changed, with more people now watching clips, live streams and catch-up coverage through websites and apps rather than relying on a single nightly TV programme.
But critics argue that this misses the emotional value of the show. For many fans, Today at Wimbledon was not just a highlights package — it was part of the ritual of summer tennis.
The wider BBC Wimbledon coverage will still feature major names and new voices. Clare Balding remains a central figure, while familiar pundits and commentators are expected to be joined by fresh additions across the tournament. The broadcaster has also promised more technology, data and digital coverage to bring audiences closer to the action.
Even so, the reported downgrading of Today at Wimbledon has become the detail that many fans cannot ignore.
The decision also comes at a time when the BBC is already under pressure over schedules, budgets and changes to traditional programming. For viewers who feel long-loved formats are being reduced or removed, the Wimbledon shake-up is likely to fuel a wider debate about what the broadcaster chooses to protect.
Wimbledon remains one of the crown jewels of British sport, and the BBC’s coverage is still central to how millions experience the tournament.
But for many tennis fans, this latest change raises one painful question: is another much-loved BBC tradition being quietly faded out?
