BBC cuts Football Focus from its screens in latest axe made by corporation

Lewis Henderson
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:37:24 +0000

The BBC has cut Football Focus from its screens, confirming the sports programme will be axed at the end of the season.

The programme, which has been ongoing for 52 years, is currently presented by Alex Scott and has seen viewing figures drop in recent years.

Audiences fell from 849,000 in 2019 to just 600,000 by 2023, with figures at one point dipping to approximately 564,000.

The show had narrowly survived cancellation just over twelve months ago during a restructuring of BBC Sport led by director Alex Kay-Jelski.

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Football Focus first aired in 1974, with former Arsenal goalkeeper Bob Wilson stepping directly from the pitch into the presenter's chair following his retirement from professional football.

In its early years, the programme ran for just 15 to 20 minutes, although its duration expanded to between 40 and 50 minutes by the turn of the century as audiences grew.

Gary Lineker hosted the show from 1996 to 1999, a role that served as a stepping stone to his subsequent position on Match of the Day.

Ray Stubbs and Manish Bhasin later took the reins, with Bhasin memorably leaving Sir Tony Blair lost for words when questioning the then prime minister about his supposed Newcastle United allegiances.

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Dan Walker presented for twelve years before departing in 2021, when Scott took over as the programme's first female host.

Before the advent of social media and instant video highlights, Football Focus occupied a unique position in the sporting calendar, offering exclusive access to players and managers ahead of the weekend's fixtures.

However, with the growth of online media dominated by content creators and dedicated YouTube channels, the programme has struggled to reach the heights it once had.

For four decades, audiences were content to watch without knowing which clubs would feature in any given episode.

Today's football supporters, by contrast, tend to seek out targeted coverage focused specifically on their own team rather than broad-based programming.

Mark Lawrenson, who departed the BBC in 2022 after a quarter-century appearing on the show, declared the following year that Football Focus had "served its time".

The programme's struggles became a matter of public debate in September 2023 when Walker took to social media to express his concerns.

He wrote: "It's hard to see Football Focus struggling. I loved it growing up and it was an honour to present it and I still miss it.

"We poured everything into that show every week and worked hard to keep it relevant. I hope it stays part of the TV landscape."

The programme will broadcast its last episode at the end of this season, as it wraps up its 52-year innings.