Andrew Castle 'upset' as tennis commentator breaks silence on BBC Wimbledon axe

Andrew Castle has admitted he remains upset about the BBC's decision to end his long-standing Wimbledon commentary role, revealing he had hoped to stay on until the Championships' 150th anniversary in 2027.

The former British No 1 will call his final Wimbledon for the corporation over the next fortnight after being informed that this summer's tournament would be his last as lead commentator.

Castle, who has been a familiar voice at SW19 for more than two decades, said he was disappointed by the decision but accepted that broadcasting careers inevitably come to an end.

"Am I upset?" Castle told The Telegraph.

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"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."

The 62-year-old revealed he had envisaged departing a year later, with 2027 marking both the 150th staging of the Championships and what would have been his 25th year covering Wimbledon for the BBC.

"I would have liked to have gone out with the 150th year of the Championships," he said.

"It would have been my 25th year. But who's bleating?"

Castle praised BBC executives for informing him of the decision in person and acknowledged that television can often be a ruthless industry.

"I was told in person, in a very respectful way, and I was very grateful for that," he explained.

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"Because knowing what I know about TV, you can be walking down the street one moment and the next you've been nobbled."

The former tennis player also recalled experiencing a similarly abrupt setback during his broadcasting career when he fronted GMTV alongside Kate Garraway, Ben Shephard and Penny Smith.

"Just take GMTV," Castle said.

"I thought I'd been doing a good job, and then I arrived at Gatwick Airport for our family holiday.

"The front page of the Daily Mirror had a picture of me, and my three co-presenters, with the headline 'You're Toast'!"

Former Wimbledon champion Sue Barker expressed sympathy over Castle's departure, describing him as an important figure throughout her own television career.

"In the early 1990s, when I was starting at Sky TV, Andrew was my pundit," Barker said.

"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.

"I would much rather be working than sitting at home, but you have to make way for the next generation."

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