Snooker fans and TV personalities are buzzing after the BBC swapped a historic live snooker moment for a rerun of House of Games! During the World Snooker Championship semi-final, Mark Allen and Wu Yize went head-to-head in an epic 100-minute frame, the longest in tournament history. With the black ball teasing on the edge, tensions were high as referee Marcel Eckhardt warned of a re-rack if the stalemate persisted. Ultimately, Wu clinched the frame 88-62. But just as it was heating up, the BBC redirected the live coverage to iPlayer to air Richard Osman’s game show, leaving fans fuming. Calls for a dedicated snooker channel erupted on social media, with some describing the switch as “genuinely astonishing.”
Even Osman himself chimed in on X (formerly Twitter), noting the 1.4 million snooker viewers left hanging. While he understands the switch, he admits he’s glad he wasn’t the one making the decision. “More people tune into HoG,” he points out, “but that snooker frame was something else!” Add to that, a recent wildlife programme interruption due to a power glitch had already left snooker supporters disgruntled. BBC’s Hazel Irvine apologised after coverage dropped for 12 minutes, playing it cheeky by assuring viewers it wasn’t a case of “not feeding the meter.”
With this continuing drama, some fans have lodged formal complaints, dubbing the decision “a disgrace.” Share your thoughts: Should snooker get its own dedicated channel, or did the Beeb make the right call? Join the conversation! 🎱📺 #SnookerDrama #BBCSwitcheroo