According to Daily Mail, Sky Sports will be making an internal appointment to replace Jeff Stelling as the host of its popular show Soccer Saturday.
This follows Stelling’s surprise announcement last week that he will be stepping down from the role at the end of the current season.
As per the report, the decision to make an internal appointment comes as part of a wider cost-cutting exercise at Sky Sports. The company faced a loss of 9% of its UK subscribers in the past year, which resulted in a reduction of football reporter positions.
As a consequence, they have chosen not to recruit an external host for the show, which was considered ‘inappropriate’ in the current situation.
By appointing an internal candidate, the broadcasting company aims to reduce its expenses while ensuring that the replacement host has a good understanding of the company’s work culture and requirements.
Instead the report claims that Sky Sports are considering existing staff members Julian Warren and Adam Smith as front-runners for the role.
Jeff Stelling is best known for his work on football coverage at Sky Sports. His career began as a reporter for local newspapers, before being transitioned into broadcasting.
Sky Sports hired him in 1992, and since then, he has been a familiar face to football fans across the UK, with his almost 30 years of presentation of the popular show, Soccer Saturday.
He is known for his down-to-earth style and sense of humor, which have endeared him to audiences over the years.
Thanks for all the good memories Jeff Northampton town football club
Watched soccer Saturday for 10 minutes yesterday. Had to switch off. The new MC and pundits were so amateur they were embarrassing.
If that team is the new line up for next season please terminate the show now to avoid further negativity
Agree 100% I know their was only 4 games on but they were shocking.
Terrible embarrassing
The exact same effect happened to Soccer AM when Tim Lovejoy left, now duplicate has been allowed to happen again on SKY, with Jeff Stelling gone, Saturday Live will go down the pan very fast, the best person to replace would be someone with vast football knowledge & a down to earthe sense of humour:
Micah Richards, Harry Redknapp, Noel Gallagher, Paul Merson, Lee Dixon, Glen Hoddle to name a few
Nobody can replace Jeff, nobody good enough, don’t mind Julian. Why did have to go he was great ,over the years had a few laughs. Sky sports are cheap skates but they still put awful commentators on Saturday. Do not let Jeff go . He made the show.Jeff come back we need you.
Jeff steling is literally irreplaceable. There will never be anyone to replace his enthusiasm and knowledge
Good riddance Stelling the way you kicked off about Dave Jones to leave your club was diabolical.You sit there on Saturday and spout your vile toxic views it’s about time you left and let’s hope the door hits you on your way out.
Thought they would have kept Jeff to tick the ageist box
Hope no more boring women. Pity he is leaving one of the few decent ones left.
May say when you had Anton Ferdinand and the other 2 pundits I was so embarrassed to be a sky subscriber. No wonder people are leaving in their droves. Keep thing that’s why Geoff is leaving. Get a grip sky give your customers a say. After all you charge us enough
I moved across to BT on a Saturday if I wasn’t at a game, so much better but even that has now been taken down for next season, I do wonder what I will be getting for my £160/mth with so many highlights and repeat programmes so I may be joining the many that are leaving