Veteran commentator Andrew Castle has admitted he feels “upset” over his departure from the BBC Wimbledon commentating team. The former professional tennis player announced earlier this month that he will remain lead commentator for this year’s tournament, which kicks off on Monday, but step down after this Championship. Castle, who has commentated for more than 20 years at Wimbledon, decided to leave after reportedly being given a demotion as the BBC revamps its coverage.
Castle breaks silence on exit
The 62-year-old has now broken his silence on his exit, telling The Telegraph: “Am I upset? Yeah, I was upset, and I will stay that way this year, knowing it’s my last. But all good things come to an end.” He said he would have preferred for his final Championships to be in 2027, which will be the 150th year of Wimbledon, explaining: “It would have been my 25th year. But who’s bleating?”
Demotion and decision to leave
As for the decision not to make him lead commentator for the men’s final next year, he said: “I was told in person, in a very respectful way, and I was very grateful for that – because knowing what I know about TV, you can be walking down the street one moment and the next you’ve been nobbled.” Castle, who was the British number one tennis player in 1986, will commentate on his 23rd final in 24 years as part of the BBC coverage team this summer.
BBC response
A BBC spokesperson previously said: "We wanted Andrew to continue with the BBC at Wimbledon next year, but he has now decided that this year will be his last. We look forward to working with him at the 2026 Championships and thank him for his great work leading our commentary team there for more than 20 years."
Castle reflects on his career
Castle confirmed his decision to leave earlier this month, telling The Times: “It’s been a hell of a journey. I can’t say I have enjoyed every minute because there have been moments of pressure and controversy, but it has been a huge privilege. To be honest, when I got the job 23 years ago, a lot of the more experienced commentators felt that they should have been first in line. Their noses were put out of joint. So, in the wider scheme of things, I am lucky that I had the best gig in sports broadcasting for so long, during the greatest age of men’s tennis.”
Potential successors and BBC changes
The likes of Jonathan Overend, Nick Mullins, Nick Lester and Marcus Buckland have been tipped to replace Castle as the lead commentator. The BBC, which has recently renewed its free-to-air broadcast agreement with Wimbledon until 2033, has revamped its coverage several times in the past few years. The most notable change was the departure of veteran presenter Sue Barker in 2022. She said she was pleased to leave the broadcaster on her “own terms” instead of being “pushed out”.
Sue Barker's support
Barker said of Castle: “As a presenter, I always loved having Andrew in the studio, because he offered something a bit different. I’m sad that this news has come as a bit of a shock to him, but it feels that way for all of us, because we love what we do so much.”
