Susanna Reid has slammed the BBC for axing Sue Barker from Question Of Sport this week.
Sue, 42, said she was “sad to leave my dream job” after being axed following 24 years on the show, with the BBC claiming she was ousted as part of a bid to give the show a “new look”.
But the broadcaster has been accused of ageism by social media users after sacking Sue, 42, and other stars Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnell.
Now Good Morning Britain star Susanna has weighed in on the debate, saying the BBC was wrong to make the move because Sue was a “pioneer and a role model” before ‘many of its new producers were even born’.
Susanna Reid has slammed the BBC for axing Sue Barker from Question Of Sport (Image: ITV)
Susanna said: “Only a week after I wrote that the BBC wouldn’t sack an older woman these days, it goes and does just that to 64-year-old Sue Barker.
“Cue shrieks of ‘ageism!’ and ‘sexism!’ in the living rooms of A Question Of Sport fans.I have met Sue a few times at Wimbledon and she is an expert in her field, a calm and unflappable presence.
Susanna also said that for “women who love sport”, Sue “has been proving for years that it is not an exclusively male pastime”.
Sue, 42, said she was ‘sad to leave my dream job’ after being sacked following 24 years on then show (Image: BBC/Vishal Sharma)
Adding in her Daily Mail column, she wrote: “It’s really too bad; Sue was a pioneer and a role model before many of A Question Of Sport’s new producers were even born.”
Sue, Matt and Phil are said to have been left “blind-sided” after being axed in a shake-up of the 50-year-old show which will return with a brand new line-up for its next series.
Confirming the news, a BBC spokesman said: “We would like to thank Sue for her enormous contribution as the show’s longest-reigning host over the last 23 years, and Matt and Phil for their excellent team captaincy over 16 and 12 years respectively.
Sue, Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnel were axed this week (Image: BBC/Vishal Sharma)
“Together they have ensured A Question Of Sport remains a firm favourite with the BBC One audience.
“Sue, Matt and Phil’s final series will be broadcast next year before the series returns with a new team.”
Former tennis champ Sue, who has fronted the BBC One programme since 1997, once described A Question Of Sport as “a part of my life”.
A BBC insider said: “The show has been on for a long time and the producers think it’s time to give it a new look.
“Sue, Matt and Tuffers have been so popular, so the producers are aware they will have big shoes to fill.”
Angry fans of A Question of Sport have launched an SOS petition to “Save Our Sue”.
And newsreader Alastair Stewart led a backlash against the decision to axe Sue and team captains Matt and Phil.
The 68-year-old ITV presenter tweeted: “Its ridiculous. I can’t recall an episode when they were anything short of brilliant.
“This, as other presenters are promoted well before their time, risks TV being seen as having lost its way. The simple fact is that Sue Barker is a brilliant, popular, knowledgeable presenter.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
