Radio 4’s Today programme has shocked listeners by revealing the end of a nearly 50-year tradition of having daily horse racing tips.
On this morning’s show, host Amol Rajan, unexpectedly announced that starting today it would ‘break the tradition’ of giving out the tips each day.
He added that from now on it would instead ‘reserve’ the tips for only the ‘biggest days in the racing calendar’.
But the decision sparked an immediate backlash from listeners who branded the decision ‘very sad’ and a ‘win for joyless puritans’.
One well-placed industry source, speaking to the Mail, blamed the ‘PC brigade’ who had ‘always hated it’, saying there were figures at the BBC who felt it was not ‘appropriate’.
The decision follows previous controversy after the BBC axed the classified football results from Radio 5 Live on Saturdays, a tradition dated back to the 1950s.
There is speculation the horse racing decision is linked to criticism by both animal rights campaigners and concerns it encourages gambling. A group called Animal Aid previously called for Today to stop broadcasting its tip of the day.
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Others believe the decision was more about concerns the segment sounded very old fashioned.
A source at the BBC claimed the reason was that the BBC wanted time to cover a broad range of sports in the bulletin.
The racing tips have reportedly been part of the programme since 1977.
But they will now only be reserved for the big events such as the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Grand National, Epsom Derby, Ascot Gold Cup and the King George VI Chase at Kempton.
At the end of today’s sports bulletin on the show, Rajan addressed sports reporter Mike Williams, saying: ‘No racing tips from you today, Mike.
‘That is because we have decided to break the tradition of having racing tips every day of the year.
‘Instead we’re going to reserve the tips for the biggest days in 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 festival, or Cheltenham Gold Cup week.’
But the announcement sparked an unhappy reaction from listeners.
One wrote on X: ‘How sad that BBC Radio 4 Today have apparently ditched the racing tips. Another sign of racing moving from the centre of the national conversation. And another win for joyless puritans.’
Another added: ‘BBC Radio 4 has abandoned its daily horse racing tips. They were never any good but it kept racing relevant, something that is proving harder and harder these days. Very sad.’
One industry source told Mail: ‘I think it’s just the PC brigade, they have always hated it. My guess, from the slightly curled lip you get from people, is they just don’t think it’s appropriate.’
They believed there was an element of snobbery in the decision.
There was also speculation about whether the decision is linked to the forthcoming departure of Today’s long serving sports presenter Garry Richardson.
Ex-BBC horse racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght wrote on X: ‘A pity BBC Radio 4 Today dropping (without real explanation) the tips that have been enjoyable part of the prog since 1977; say that just as much (maybe more) as a fan of Today than horse racing.’
He added that the tips had ‘provided smiles & priceless moments of levity’.
A BBC source said: ‘The range of sports covered on Today is much broader than when the racing tips first started so it’s a bit out of kilter to have one sport which is covered daily via the tips -when every other sport isn’t.
‘This has not been an easy decision. We will be focussing tips on the high-profile races of the year, including Cheltenham Gold Cup, Grand National, Epsom Derby, Ascot Gold Cup and King George VI Chase at Kempton.’
A BBC spokesman said: ‘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.’