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<\/p>\nThe Saturday lunchtime programme was first broadcast in 1974, with former Scotland and Arsenal goalkeeper Wilson becoming the new show\u2019s host.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, the BBC said in a press release \u201cchanging audience behaviours\u201d had prompted it to act, bringing to an end the show\u2019s run of 52 years when it finishes at the end of the season, with Football Interview set to move into the Saturday 12.45pm slot.<\/p>\n
Wilson, though, feels the Football Focus format still has a place in the changing broadcast landscape.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
After his playing career ended Bob Wilson became the Arsenal goalkeeping coach and a BBC presenter.<\/p>\n
League of Ireland Preview – MD13<\/p>\n
\u201cI was absolutely shocked to hear that Football Focus will end this summer. It has run successfully for 52 years, so goodness me, why are they getting rid of it?\u201d the 84-year-old said in the Times.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have always watched the show when possible and loved the fact that it was being enjoyed by the next generation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wilson added: \u201cI just can\u2019t believe there aren\u2019t people at noon on a Saturday who don\u2019t want to watch a show that sets up the weekend. Surely someone else will pick it up as a concept?<\/p>\n
\u201cI am really disappointed it has come to this. The BBC has said it will be replaced next season by an interview show about what makes footballers tick. That is crazy.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople want to be told about the big games of the weekend, the issues, the news of the week, discussion, covering a range of clubs and personalities. Not just one.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will feel different when I next watch Football Focus. It became an institution, and will be missed.\u201d<\/p>\n
The BBC\u2019s head of sport, Alex Kay-Jelski, confirmed regular Football Focus presenter Alex Scott would \u201cremain at the heart\u201d of the BBC\u2019s sport output \u2013 including its coverage of next year\u2019s Women\u2019s World Cup in Brazil.<\/p>\n
Scott, 41, took great pride in the impact the show had on so many down the years, but admitted she was filled with \u201cso much anxiety and dread\u201d over the expected \u201ctoxic\u201d social media backlash to the announcement.<\/p>\n
\u201cTV audiences have been declining for years, while digital and on demand viewing continues to grow. It is simply the right time for Football Focus to say goodbye,\u201d Scott said in a video post on Instagram.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe lead up to this announcement, not gonna (sic) lie, it has felt heavy, and at times it has filled me with so much anxiety and dread because of the toxic side of social media \u2013 that I am often told to ignore and just carry on \u2013 but I am human, just like you.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would love nothing more then for this moment to be about recognising the iconic show that is closing its doors and celebrating everything it has given and nothing else.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have still got a few Saturdays left together, so let\u2019s make sure that this show leaves our screens in the best way possible, reflecting the impact it has had on so many people.<\/p>\n
\u201cShows come and go, but what Football Focus has meant to people, that will stay forever.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Saturday lunchtime programme was first broadcast in 1974, with former Scotland and Arsenal goalkeeper Wilson becoming the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":415054,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[1578,61,60,112],"class_list":{"0":"post-415053","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"tag-bbc","9":"tag-ie","10":"tag-ireland","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/415053","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=415053"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/415053\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/415054"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=415053"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=415053"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=415053"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}