Sky set to cancel Soccer AM after nearly three decades on air
Connie Evans, PA Entertainment Reporter
Sky is reportedly set to cancel Soccer AM after nearly three decades on air.
The light-hearted Saturday morning football talk show first aired in 1995 and became popular for its fun games and celebrity guests.
Following reports of the show’s cancellation on Wednesday, a Sky spokesperson told the BBC: “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 are unable to provide more detail while these consultations are under way.”
After 28 years the show is reportedly set to air its final episode on May 27th, when the current Premier League football season draws to a close.
Soccer AM was previously hosted by long-running popular presenters Helen Chamberlain and Tim Lovejoy.
It is currently presented by John Fendley and former footballer Jimmy Bullard.
During its run, Soccer AM aired numerous high-profile interviews with top football players and a variety of other famous faces, including former politician Gordon Brown, singer-songwriter Noel Gallagher and One Direction star Louis Tomlinson.
It was also popular thanks to its humorous, light-hearted segments including Skill Skool and The Crossbar Challenge.
Despite its popularity, the show’s Soccerette segment was axed in 2015 after it came under fire for being outdated.
The feature saw young females as Soccerettes come onto the show modelling a Soccer AM T-shirt and then face questioning from the presenters.
The Soccerettes would be asked if they were single or in a relationship with their answer influencing the response they would likely receive.
If they said they were single, they would often be met with cheers from those in the studio.
Former stars of the Soccerette segment went on to forge successful careers in entertainment, such as TalkSport presenter Natalie Sawyer and Hollyoaks actress Jennifer Metcalfe.
PA has contacted Sky for comment.
