To Think Andrew Castle Ruins Wimbledon?

[EsmaCannonball]

I know there's probably a thread on this every year but Wimbledon is one of the few sporting events I actually look forward to and there he is, squatting on all the big matches with his awful droning, flat voice, rambling on through all the points, drowning out the atmosphere with his endless, tedious Alan Partridge-esque asides, gifting us with his inane and insulting opinions.

He's the worst sports commentator ever. It's like being trapped at the bar of a mid-market wine lodge by a man who just has to bore you about every pothole and every temporary traffic light he encountered on the journey there. I've never encountered anyone who doesn't absolutely loathe him as a broadcaster and yet the BBC digs him up every year. I just know he'll be speaking over the men's final again. Can anyone explain why he is inflicted upon us?

Just watched the Zverev match and he gave chapter and verse of the recent court case. I’m not a huge fan of the player, but AC basically said that if we want to know more we can go and look it up!
While there is much controversy around this player, and I understand why, I don’t really want gossipy personal anecdotes in between key points.

Yes, and he also spent about five minutes talking about golf!

Also, what did he ever really achieve as a tennis player? The one thing I remember was him taking Matts Wilander to 5 sets before losing in 1986, in one of the early rounds. The media got ridiculously excited about him. Those were the days of the ‘plucky British loser’, when we used to get ridiculously excited by the performances of nearly men.

Other than that, I know he was the British number one for a time, in the days when that title didn’t really mean all that much (pre Henman and then obviously Murray).

So is it any wonder that he doesn’t have a whole lot to contribute really, unlike McEnroe, Pat Cash or even Henman?

You are so right! He does my head in with his constant, never ending, incessant inanity. Especially when he's paired, as he often is, with John Lloyd - torture!

He's so sure he's THE most interesting thing there, much more interesting then the tennis obvs because he constantly talks over that! He always has to finish whatever bloody anecdote he's started telling even though the play has started and he always has to tack his own bit onto the end of whatever anybody else says too.

I wish the BBC would have an opinion poll at the end of Wimbledon so that we could vote him out and never hear from him ever again!

Ooh was going to start a thread on this, bloody sick of the man and his weird delivery and ridicilous info about the players cousins wife twice removed and where they live.
I know Alcaraz comes from Mercia, stop fucking telling me every fucking match.
Macenroe is increasingly irrelevant, banging on about playing Borg. Don't get me wrong, they were great days and I actually saw them play, but enough already John

Maybe we should have a group effort at getting AC off next year, and don't get me started on Clare bloody Balding...

I cannot stand Clare Balding on Wimbledon - it has put me off watching! As soon as i hear her voice I have to turn over!

My elderly mother, a Wimbledon fan, has muted the tv she’s so sick of it, but now sits watching it with a completely miserable look on her face.

I sometimes mute the tv and listen to the radio or bbc sports online commentary. It's far more descriptive

Cant stand Claire Balding, didnt like Sue Barker, dont like Andrew Castle or John Lloyd

Love McEnroe.

I don't watch tennis much but yes he's bloody annoying, he was on GMTV Many moons ago, I used to turn the telly over then too

I wonder if Andy Murray will join the BBC commentary team once he’s no longer playing? I think he might make a good TV pundit.

Everyone says this every year. He only works in tennis for 4 weeks a year (Queen's, Wimbledon and qualies). There are fantastic broadcasters who cover tennis for the entire season (eg Nick Lester) who still get overlooked for the dreaded Castle. He has very little knowledge or expertise and a tired, "housewife's favourite" style delivery. The Beeb does desperately need to update its coverage.

If OP thinks Castle has an "awful droning, flat voice"...

Exactly!

You have a point about the droning voice. But my objection to AC isn’t so much that as the fact that what he says is mostly irrelevant and inane.

In his leaving interview with Sue Barker Andy Murray hinted that he would much prefer to return to Wimbledon as a coach than as a pundit.

Given that I found him pretty insufferable as a player, I am pleasantly surprised by Nick Kyrgios as a commentator. In the last match, for example, John McEnroe asked him a question and he started to respond but then stopped and waited for the point to be played before he answered. It also helps that he's got a deep, listenable voice.

I dont think Andy would be bothered stuck in a wee room with other commentators.. not enough action!!
Besides they would need subtitles!
🤣🤣

Love Andy Murray!!

Yes I like Kyrgios as a commentator, he’s surprisingly good, whereas he was obnoxious as a player. Following in the footsteps of McEnroe and Pat Cash, both of whom courted controversy as players.

Just me that likes Andrew Castle then 🤣

AM tried punditing, hated doing it and was terrible at it

Point taken, he’s obviously better suited to coaching. Henman by contrast is in his element in the commentary box.

I think Ash Barty is doing well

He doesn’t bother me. I quite like him

Yes, I like Ash Barty and Martina Navratilova.