Who is former Wimbledon tennis host Sue Barker and who is her husband Lance Tankard?
SUE Barker enjoyed an incredible career at the BBC, and will forever be known for her coverage of Wimbledon.
Although she no longer hosts the famous tennis tournament, her legacy at the Beeb long lives on.
WARNING: Use of this image is subject to the terms of use of BBC Pictures’ Digital Picture Sue Barker is a former tennis pro and sports presenter[/caption]
Who is former Wimbledon tennis host Sue Barker?
Sue Barker was born on April 19, 1956, and is a retired TV presenter and professional tennis player.
She was born and raised in Paignton, Devon and started playing tennis when she was 10 years old.
Sue went on to win 11 WTA Tour singles titles and one Grand Slam after triumphing at the 1976 French Open.
She reached a career-high singles ranking of number three in the world before bowing out of the sport in 1984.
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Who is Sue Barker’s husband Lance Tankard?
Sue has been married to her husband Lance Tankard since 1988.
He is a landscape gardener and former policeman and the couple met in Portugal where Sue was working as a tennis coach and he was on holiday.
Back home in England, they bumped into each other again at their local tennis club while having dinner as their kitchens were being redone, and the rest is history.
Sue was previously engaged to Australian tennis player Syd Ball but broke it off in 1978.
In 1982 she met singer Cliff Richard and their romance garnered plenty of press attention.
Sir Cliff later admitted he had almost proposed to Sue, but decided not to, and the couple split in 1986.
However, they remain good friends to this day.
Why did Sue Barker step down as Wimbledon host?
Sue was part of the Wimbledon coverage for the BBC from 1993 to 2022.
The star’s knowledge of tennis helped anchor the two-week event for over 30 years.
In 2022 Sue announced she was stepping down as the BBC’s Wimbledon host, as she was retiring.
She said: “Basically I just feel the time is right. It has been my dream job and I have loved every minute of it working so many great colleagues who I am going to miss so much.
“When I started I never thought I would manage 30 years. I had actually made up my mind to leave in 2017 because the hours were becoming very long and quite challenging. That would have been 25 years and seemed a good time, but I am so glad I made the decision to stay on.
“I’m very happy to be leaving with no regrets and on my own terms while I am still on top of the job, it just feels like the right time to go and leave it to others.”
What other shows has Sue Barker presented?
Sue was the presenter of A Question Of Sport for 23 years, after taking over from David Coleman in 1997.
She was axed from the show in 2020, and said she was “sad to say goodbye” to her “dream job”.
A spokesperson said: “We would like to thank Sue for her enormous contribution as the show’s longest-reigning host over the last 23 years, and Matt and Phil for their excellent team captaincy over 16 and 12 years respectively.
“Sue, Matt and Phil’s final series will be broadcast next year before the series returns with a new team.”
Sue also presented the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards from 1994 until 2012, when she stepped down.
The popular host is also known for the BBC Sport’s coverage of the Australian Open, the French Open, and the Davis Cup,
