{"id":323598,"date":"2026-04-24T02:00:49","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T20:30:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=323598"},"modified":"2026-04-24T02:00:49","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T20:30:49","slug":"bbc-axes-iconic-football-focus-after-52-years-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/24\/bbc-axes-iconic-football-focus-after-52-years-football\/","title":{"rendered":"BBC axes iconic Football Focus after 52 years | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Alex Scott will present the ultimate Football Focus show at the tip of the season (BBC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The BBC has scrapped Football Focus after 52 years on television.<\/p>\n

The Saturday lunchtime show, first broadcast in 1974 with Bob Wilson as host, provides interviews, evaluation and stories ahead of the weekend\u2019s football fixtures.<\/p>\n

The show is currently hosted by former Arsenal and England defender Alex Scott, who took over from Dan Walker in 2021.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, the BBC has identified that television viewing figures have progressively declined since 2018, with audiences turning more to digital platforms to get their pre-match content.<\/p>\n

The show has suffered a drastic drop in viewing figures lately, falling from 957,000\u00a0in 2019-20 to 687,000 three years later. Last season had a minor upturn with 739,000.<\/p>\n

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Bob Wilson presented Football Focus for 20 years (BBC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The BBC said in an announcement that \u2018changing audience behaviours mean fans are actually increasingly consuming football content in alternative ways and we’d like to reply appropriately as we face difficult decisions around how the licence fee is spent\u2019.<\/p>\n

Alex Kay-Jelski, director of BBC Sport, said: \u2018Football Focus has been a hugely necessary programme within the history of BBC Sport and has played a key role in telling the stories of the sport for generations of viewers.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tFootball Focus presenter history\t\t\t<\/h2>\n
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Dan Walker presented Football Focus for 12 years (BBC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

Bob Wilson \u2013 1974 to 1994
Steve Rider \u2013 1994 to 1996
Gary Lineker \u2013 1996 to 1999
Ray Stubbs \u2013 1999 to 2004
Manish Bhasin \u2013 2004 to 2009
Dan Walker \u2013 2009 to 2021
Alex Scott \u2013 2021-present<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\u2018This decision was made before last week\u2019s wider BBC savings announcement, reflecting the continued shift in how audiences engage with football and our commitment to evolving how we deliver content to achieve fans wherever they’re.\u2019<\/p>\n

The 12.45pm slot on BBC1 on Saturday might be taken next season by The Football Interview show, where presenter Kelly Somers will talk over with top names inside football.<\/p>\n

For more stories like this,\u00a0check our sport page<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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