Soccer AM to be axed by Sky Sports with staff ‘raging’ at being told of being made redundant

Soccer AM is set to be axed by Sky Sports with staff ‘raging’ at being told of being made redundant, according to reports this week.

As part of a dramatic Sky Sports shake-up, the show will disappear from our screens after nearly 30 years, with staff said to have been informed on Tuesday that the show would be ending.

According to The Sun, bosses decided to end the Saturday morning show with still 10 episodes available before it goes off-air.

Morale is said to have dropped after the announcement was made, but it leaves staff facing redundancy come May.

Saturday Social, which aired before Soccer AM, will reportedly fill the slot starting from the 2023/24 season, with the goal of reaching younger viewers.

Since its debut in 1995, Soccer AM has been a big hit with Sky, based on a 90-minute comedy football show including a variety segments and sit down interviews with some the biggest players and managers prior to Premier League and Championship matches being televised.

Helen Chamberlain and Russ Williams were the first hosts, with Tim Lovejoy taking over as host two years later, and that’s when it really took off.

BREAKING: Soccer AM ‘is to be AXED at the end of the season’ after almost 30 years on air https://t.co/KLAZDsVb14 pic.twitter.com/pze6fGwa5W

— MailOnline Sport (@MailSport) March 22, 2023

A source told The Sun: “It was a complete bombshell. Morale is at an all-time low, they are raging. It’s going to be an interesting watch over the next few weeks.”

Current presenters John Fendley and Jimmy Bullard are understood to be “fuming” at the announcement.

A spokesperson for Sky says: “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.”

Despite previous popularity, interest in Soccer AM has dropped over recent years. Ratings have gone down, and so has the average broadcast time.

Between 1995 and 2001, the programme broadcast for an average of 240 minutes, but now it’s just the 90 minute.

Former host Tim Lovejoy, these days on Channel 4’s hit show Sunday Brunch, previously revealed that he rarely watches it anymore since he left.

Speaking in an interview with The Athletic in 2020, he said: “I stopped watching it when I left, it was too hard to watch it. I tune in every now and then because Fenners is on it and I want to support him.

“Again, another crap analogy, it’s like watching your old girlfriend with another man. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t watch it. So I stopped watching it totally. And then I started tuning in again to watch Fenners, because obviously I worked with him for years and he’s a top bloke.

“It’s too hard for me because I watch it all and I want to join in with it. I’d really like to input on the show and put stuff on there and I find it too hard.”

This is what fans said with Soccer AM to be axed by Sky Sports and staff ‘raging’ at being told of being made redundant…

@LFCScouser96: Let’s be honest the show is utter garbage now

@MSaybul: Used to be routine when I was younger. Get up on a Saturday morning, watch Soccer AM then go to the stadium. Don’t think anyone can beat Lovejoy and Hells era. It was a proper laugh. Never progressed and people moved to the internet too

@AdamHumphries96: I’m pretty sure I haven’t watch Soccer AM for about 12 years, but I’m still sad to hear it’s been cancelled. Was the only reason I got out of bed on a Saturday when I was a teenager.

@Jackanory85: To be fair Soccer AM has basically become a penalty shoot-out show. Large parts of it filmed outside in the ‘Pro AM Arena’ taking shots at rookie goalkeepers. Saturday Social is far more entertaining, in-depth and thought provoking – it’s the right move in my opinion.

@SteD1981: With the demise of #socceram Sky sports is on its arse with the state of its football broadcasting they’ll just get a bunch of cockwomble YouTube knobheads in to front some garbage shit show

@GeorgeOakley: Saturday Social replacing Soccer AM is a travesty. What an awful programme and shocking decision from Sky

@luckycolnffc: For me @SoccerAM has improved over the last few years so to axe it now seems a bit strange. That Soccer Social nonsense can do one, armchair bandwagon jumpers discussing statistics is as dull as it sounds.

@mikepriestley13: #socceram has been axed at the end of the season. For me it wasn’t as good when Tim lovejoy and Helen chamberlain left the show. Used to be 3 hours long on a Saturday morning, I’m sure now it’s only 90 mins long. Don’t see the point, and obviously now sky don’t see the point

@mattydevlin: It’s been shite for a long time

@GTFC_Jacko: It finished when Tim and Helen left

Soccer AM is being cancelled at the end of this season after 30 years on air.

Yes, in recent times it has become a shadow of its former self but back in the day, it was essential viewing from 9 until 12 on a Saturday. It was part of my (and thousands of others) weekly routine.

— HLTCO (@HLTCO) March 22, 2023

@sam16218: Soccer am was absolutely groundbreaking when it started but it has been stale the last 10 years when the show had sheephead. & fenders that was the best era, PS don’t cancel it to make more room for shit shows like Saturday social with social media dickheads who don’t have a clue

@PaulaAdey: 15 years too late. Some of the presenters since Lovejoy & Chamberlain left have been truly awful.

@AlfieVille: Gave up on Soccer AM long before I ditched Sky. Looks like another programme has woked itself into oblivion. It was just a matter of time from what I was hearing.

@jules_k_hatton: Soccer AM being axed by Sky. Kids today will never know how good it was in the Lovejoy / Chamberlain era

@LMacNeil_17: It’s sad that @SoccerAM is being axed after 30 yrs. It’s probably self inflicted thou. You can’t repeat the same rubbish with the same faces and expect people to keep tuning in. The Jeff Stelling sketch is a perfect example. Absolutely chronic! Should’ve reverted to old sooner!

@Lewis_Bickley: Soccer AM is going. Not surprised, not even slightly disappointed. I just hope that when everyone looks back on the show, they all ignore the absolute crap that it’s been for the last 5 years of its running.

@jfitzpatrick_90: Can’t believe they’re axing soccer am. It’s not as good as it used to be but I still enjoy it. I like the pro-am and the drills and stuff. I hope they’re getting rid of that social program they have before it too full of FIFA players and you tubers 🤮

@Trentvilla1: So the end is coming for #socceram at the end of the season, sad but inevitable after what has been a death by a thousand cuts over the years. In its day it was peerless and though very much of its time hilarious. It was a joy to watch and an iconic show.

@reece_shore: If you didn’t change it to what it is now people would still be watching it. Helen Chamberlain, Andy Goldstein, Tim Lovejoy and Max Rushden. Prime Soccer AM. Now it’s just shit. Proof that changing things don’t always work.

Soccer AM is set to come to an end after 30 glorious years.

Skill Skool, Crossbar Challenge and whatever you call this. You will be missed. pic.twitter.com/uXfLfLsuYe

— Sunday League Hipster (@HipsterManager) March 22, 2023