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Wimbledon 2017

3-16 July on the BBC. Qualifying from 26 Jun. Grass season from 12 June (May 2017)

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NG
noggin Founding member
It's only the second round


Yeah, from memory it's around the Friday of the first week that the schedules start to get shunted around to keep Murray on BBC One. The call on what to do can depend on the situation, though - I remember once it was the way a set point not long before 6pm went that decided whether or not the news was moved (I think because one way meant the match could be wrapped up a lot quicker than the other).

Up until recently, that Friday would clash with Glastonbury and there were a couple of years where there'd be press releases about the festival being live on BBC One for the first time with The One Show only for it to be moved to BBC Two. On one of those occasions there was a power cut at the Glastonbury OB shortly before they were due to go on air and it wasn't known until very late whether they'd be able to make it to air (both the One Show and BBC Three's coverage). All that going on while at the same time trying to negotiate a Wimbledon channel switchover.

It's always the most "fun" time of year to be in BBC playout, I recall..!

I was working at Glastonbury that year.
It was an electrical storm in the area, and all the generators on site were turned off, including those feeding the TV Compound.

I think the storm passed and the power restored about 15 minutes before we were due on air.
Just enough time for all the kit to be rebooted!


Yes - it wasn't a power cut per se, it was a conscious decision to power down much of the TV operation on the site to ensure electrical safety in case stages or other structures were struck by lightning.

Power only restored just in time to get The One Show on-air.
CO
commseng
It was very odd standing there on site watching the storm when we should have been lining up circuits and so forth,
As all the stages had also had the power turned off it was very peaceful.

We knew as soon as it was restored it would be mayhem.
But we got on air OK!
BC
Blake Connolly Founding member
Ah yes, that was it, an electrical storm. I recall an entire standby schedule for the evening on BBC Three was being prepped just in case. Fortunately not needed!
DV
dvboy
Couldn't have asked for perfect timing for Nadal to finish a couple of minutes before 18:00, so they can start Murray on BBC Two.
DV
dvboy
Murray v Fognini moving to BBC One at 19:00, The One Show moving to BBC Two.
DV
dvboy
Sue Barker doing continuity on both channels at the same time, pretty flawlessly as heard on BBC Two.
DV
dvboy
It wouldn't be Wimbledon on the BBC without Sue Barker popping up at 19:04 to repeat that The One Show is on BBC Two, complete with caption.

*

I mean, just do the caption, it's enough (at least Andrew Castle isn't on to say it another five times).
DV
dvboy
BBC Two to put out Coast at 19:30 instead of A Question of Sport that was scheduled for BBC One.
AN
Andrew Founding member
dvboy posted:
Sue Barker doing continuity on both channels at the same time, pretty flawlessly as heard on BBC Two.

It's cleaner if she could have done one at once, and with the 7pm junction being quite slack, it would be more possible than some.
DV
dvboy
Guess so but probably harder to do, although they seem to be doing well at quickly swapping her from BBC One to BBC Two and back with short notice.


19:20 and she's on again mentioning The One Show. I think you'd have worked it out by now if you wanted to watch it.
JV
James Vertigan Founding member
The switching of the tennis to BBC One has caused a bit of a problem for outdoor events showing Wimbledon on big screens. Seen tweets complaining that people watching on big screens in Merchant Square and at BST at Hyde Park are being treated to The One Show as they were taking a direct feed of BBC Two coverage!

The channel switches don't prove a problem for those watching on The Hill at Wimbledon though as the feeds they use aren't directly off air from BBC One/Two.
Last edited by James Vertigan on 7 July 2017 7:28pm
JV
James Vertigan Founding member
Question Of Sport cancelled. Sue's getting enough money for this fortnight anyway!

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