Snooker fans vent fury at BBC over 'shambolic' coverage: 'What am I paying my licence fee for?'

Callum Vurley
Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:43:17 +0000

Snooker fans were left absolutely fuming with the BBC after coverage of Judd Trump's World Championship second-round battle against Hossein Vafaei was pulled from BBC2 at the worst possible moment.

The pair had been locked in a gripping contest at the Crucible, with momentum swinging back and forth throughout the match.

But viewers watching on BBC2 found themselves suddenly cut off during the crucial deciding frame, forcing them to frantically hunt for where the action had gone.

The broadcast was shifted to iPlayer and BBC4, though many fans struggled to locate it, with the programme guide offering little help in finding the continuation of this nail-biting encounter.

Social media was flooded with angry viewers venting their frustration at the Beeb.

One fan posted on X: "The @BBC coverage of the world championship snooker is appalling. Trump vs Hossein going to a deciding 25th frame and they take it off BBC2. Yes, it's on iPlayer live but just keep the final frame on a mainstream channel."

Another called it a "shambles," explaining they had to rewatch the ending on iPlayer just to discover the match had moved to BBC4.

And this viewer didn't hold back: "What the **** am I paying my licence for?"

One fan was equally unimpressed, saying the BBC "don't deserve the rights to broadcasting this."

Despite the broadcasting chaos, those who managed to find the coverage witnessed a thrilling finish.

Vafaei produced a stunning comeback, winning the final two frames after trailing 12-11 to clinch a 13-12 victory and secure his place in the quarter-finals.

For Trump, it was a bitter end to what he described as a frustrating evening.

"Yeah disappointing session tonight," he said afterwards.

"Apart from 11-10 down when I got going again. Had a great chance in the last frame as well, just run out of position straight away, just sums up my season really."

Trump also revealed he offered words of encouragement to Vafaei following their post-match embrace.

"Just to believe in himself a little more," Trump explained when asked about their conversation.

"I think he's more than good enough to win all kinds of events, I think he just lacks a little bit of self belief at times, maybe at the start of the game."

The Iranian's dramatic triumph means Trump's difficult campaign has come to an early close at the Crucible.