Sky Sports set for shake-up with very familiar faces at risk of redundancy

Sky Sports are set for yet another shake-up with some very familiar faces at risk of redundancy, according to reports this week.

Right now, the broadcaster is in some sort of transition, which started last year ahead of the 2020/21 season, seeing many regulars axed, leaving many unimpressed.

Sky Sports had overhauled its Soccer Saturday programme, with Matt Le Tissier, Charlie Nicholas and Phil Thompson all being moved on, something that let Chris Kamara worried and even Jeff Stelling contemplating whether to continue with the role or not after seeing his mates go.

John Cross of the Mirror wrote in an article published on Thursday: “Sky are bracing themselves for major cut backs across their channels.

“They have begun a period of consultation about making between 20 to 25 jobs redundant on Sky Sports and Sky Sports News with some very familiar faces likely to disappear from the channel.

“It will affect some big names on Sky Sports News on the reporting side but may also represent scaling back on their live football coverage.

“The Premier League TV deal has just been extended but clearly the pandemic has hit television and the media very hard and Sky are feeling the effects.

“Several experienced TV faces have been nominated in a horrible redundancy programme in what one source described as being “the night of the long knives.”

A Sky spokesperson: “We are proposing to reshape Sky Sports and Sky Sports News for the future.

“This may result in some roles being made redundant, and the creation of some new roles. We are now entering a period of consultation, and will be discussing our proposed changes with our people.”

John Cross added: “Jim White has also announced he is leaving Sky Sports News after 23 years after becoming an icon on the station. His double life working on talkSPORT in the mornings caused some tensions at Sky when he broke stories on the radio.

“And Sky’s golden girl Laura Woods has also raised eyebrows among some executives at the channel after she joined DAZN when the pay-per-view channel nicked the Matchroom Boxing contract from Sky.

“Clearly, she is a freelance, Sky is a different place from a few years back where any defection would be viewed as treachery and so many pundits work across so many different channels that maybe executives should look at themselves for a lack of imagination.

“But the timing of it has stung Sky as they also held talks with Eddie Hearn, DAZN then signed a £100m five year deal – and then recruited Sky’s brightest star.”

SKY SPORTS PRESENTERS, COMMENTATORS AND PUNDITS

Sky Sports Football Presenters

• Caroline Barker
• David Jones
• Eilidh Barbour
• Graham Little
• Hayley Mcqueen
• Kelly Cates
• Laura Woods

Regular Football Pundits

• Alex Scott
• Ashley Cole
• Graeme Souness
• Guillem Balague
• Jamie Redknapp
• Micah Richards

Football Lead Commentators

• Alan Parry
• Bill Leslie
• Daniel Mann
• Mark Robson
• Martin Tyler
• Rob Hawthorne
• Rob Palmer

Football Co-Commentators

• Alan Smith
• Andy Hinchcliffe
• Davie Provan
• Don Goodman
• Garry Birtles
• Gary Neville
• Gerry Armstrong
• Jamie Carragher

Touchline Reporters

• Andy Burton
• Geoff Shreeves
• Greg Whelan
• Guy Havord
• Luke Shanley

Soccer AM Presenters

• John Fendley
• Jimmy Bullard

Fantasy Football Presenters

• Max Rushden
• Paul Merson

Soccer Special – Presenters

• Jeff Stelling
• Julian Warren

Soccer Special – Pundits

• Alan Mcinally
• Bianca Westwood
• Chris Kamara
• David Craig
• Dickie Davis
• Faye Carruthers
• Iain Dowie
• Jaydee Dyer
• John Gwynne
• John Salako
• Johnny Phillips
• Matt Murray
• Michelle Owen
• Neil Mellor
• Paul Merson
• Paul Walsh
• Peter Smith
• Tony Cottee
• Tony Gale

Other new additions for the 20/21 season included the likes of Sue Smith, Clinton Morrison, Glen Johnson, Ally McCoist, Adebayo Akinfenwa, Tim Sherwood, Tony Pulis, Robbie Fowler, Chunks, Glenn Murray, Joleon Lescott, Gabby Agbonlahor and John Hartson.

SEE MORE: Latest EFL and Carabao Cup TV selections for August revealed

Fans reacted after seeing that Sky Sports are set for a shake-up with some very familiar faces at risk of redundancy…

@TempletonPeckJr: Not surprising Sky are struggling. I called up to cancel for the first time ever a few weeks ago – was sucked back in by a 50% discount – as they’ve completely lost their way (and what sport remains has become deadly dull)

@suewoolley3: Best news I’ve heard in a long long time, why not do away with the co-commentators on the football, most are absolutely useless & add nothing to the game if not spoil it!!

@kenjreynolds: They need to up their game instead of firing people. The ‘coverage’ of the Euros on SSN has been lamentable

@Quigo09: Promise I’ll renew my sky sports subs if Martin Tyler is one of the 25 🤞

@BenAFC: Praying Jamie Redknapp is finally gone.

@TimmyStevens9: Just bin Soccer AM. Done.

@15Shaw: Please Souness

@arsenal55559: Like many other I Stopped paying for Sky months ago.

@mattpage2000: Good it’s about time sky sports had a reality check it’s been in the gutter for ages now

@ohcampionelfc: @GNev2 sacked in the morning?

@bowermcfc: I hope Carragher and Tyler are 2 of them for starters, then there’s Merson and Sherwood…….

@Olly0701: Martin Tyler please 😍🙏🏼