The BBC has announced that it will no longer feature daily horse racing tips on its Radio 4 Today show from Monday June 24th.
The daily horse racing tips feature had been part of the sports bulletin on the show for almost 50 years. However, on Monday presenter Amol Rajan said:
“There’s no racing tips today because we have decided to break the tradition and reserve the tips for the biggest days on the racing calendar.
We will very much continue to cover horse racing, as we do so many other sports, not least through interviews with leading lights in the racing world. And we will sometimes continue to broadcast from the big ticket events like the Grand National or Cheltenham Gold Cup week.”
A statement from the BBC added:
“After careful consideration, we have decided to focus racing tips on the big races across the year.
The Today programme remains committed to covering racing news and this will continue on the programme’s sports bulletins.”
Reports last year suggested that senior BBC executives felt that offering tips for horse racing was irresponsible during a time when gambling is a politically sensitive subject.
The move is the latest in a series of decisions that have affected how the BBC covers sports. In 2022, it discontinued the Saturday classified football results on Sports Report, bringing to an end a 74-year radio tradition.
And in 2020, the corporation oversaw a major reduction in staff, resulting in the departure of horse racing broadcasters Cornelius Lysaght and Jonathan Overend. Mark Pougatch, another well-known presenter, was also informed that there was no longer regular work available for him.
Olivia has worked as an editor and writer for major brands across multiple niches. She now focuses on the iGaming and sports betting industries.
After nearly five decades of providing daily horse racing tips, BBC Radio has announced that they will be discontinuing this service. The decision comes as part of a broader restructuring of the network’s sports coverage, with a focus on more diverse and inclusive programming.
The daily horse racing tips segment has been a staple of BBC Radio’s sports coverage since the 1970s, offering listeners expert analysis and predictions for upcoming races. However, in recent years, the segment has come under scrutiny for promoting gambling and potentially harmful betting practices.
In a statement, BBC Radio explained that they are committed to promoting responsible gambling and ensuring that their programming does not encourage risky behavior. As such, they have made the difficult decision to discontinue the daily horse racing tips segment.
While some listeners may be disappointed by the news, many have welcomed the decision as a step towards more responsible sports coverage. BBC Radio has assured fans that they will still provide coverage of horse racing events, but without the daily tips segment.
The discontinuation of the daily horse racing tips segment is part of a larger trend towards more responsible gambling practices in the sports industry. With concerns about the impact of gambling addiction on individuals and society as a whole, many organizations are taking steps to promote safer betting practices.
Overall, while some listeners may miss the daily horse racing tips, BBC Radio’s decision to discontinue the segment reflects a growing awareness of the potential risks associated with gambling and a commitment to promoting responsible sports coverage.
