Soccer Saturday reporters are being asked to reapply for their jobs as Sky Sports continues to make cuts following the decision to axe Soccer AM.
The news broke on Wednesday that Soccer AM will end in May after being discontinued by the broadcaster. The breakfast chat show has been a staple of Sky’s weekend offering since it was first broadcast in 1995.
Presenter Jimmy Bullard and his colleagues were understood to be “fuming” at the decision, which will make them redundant once they have broadcast the final 10 episodes. Sky will replace Soccer AM with the Saturday Social in its 10.30am slot on Saturday mornings – a call which was not well received by fans of the show.
It seems that the staff of Soccer AM will not be the only ones being cut by Sky Sports, with The Daily Mail reporting that Soccer Saturday reporters are at risk too. Some of the broadcaster’s ‘longest-serving and most-popular reporters’ have been told they must reapply for their roles.
Sky made a previous round of redundancies two years ago, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and have been trying to freshen up Soccer Saturday for some time. Pundits Phil Thompson, Charlie Nicholas and Matt Le Tissier were let go in August 2020.
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Jeff Stelling, who has presented the show since 1994, announced in October 2021 that he was stepping down from his role. He later changed his mind and remains at the forefront of the show, with a revolving cast of pundits, including the likes of Paul Merson, Clinton Morrison, Tim Sherwood, Sue Smith and Michael Dawson.
Reacting to the news of Soccer AM’s axing, a Sky Spokesperson said: “Soccer AM has played an important role in our coverage of football for the past three decades, and we continually adapt to the evolving needs of our customers.
"We now go into a period of consultation to discuss the proposed changes with our people. We are unable to provide more detail while these consultations are underway.”
Previously hosted by Helen Chamberlain and Tim Lovejoy, Soccer AM is now fronted by ex-Hull City midfielder Bullard and John “Fenners” Fendley. The show runs on Saturday mornings, with 90 minutes of football chat, comedy skits, interviews and challenges for guests and fans. Sky has pulled the plug due to declining viewership and a desire to attract a younger audience.
The upcoming changes to Soccer Saturday are part of an ongoing trend at Sky Sports. The sacking of Thompson, Nicholas and Le Tissier in 2020 sparked a huge backlash, with Stelling considering his position as presenter.
He later revealed that he held talks with Sky's head of football, Gary Hughes, about the direction the show was heading because he was concerned over pushing out a "diminished product."
