Soccer AM replacement ‘confirmed’ as cult Sky Sports show cancelled with 10 episodes left

Sky Sports will reportedly replace the now-axed Soccer AM with their other talk show ‘Saturday Social’ from next season. Soccer AM, which first aired back in 1995, is set to come to an end in a few months.

According to The Sun, staff were informed that the much-beloved programme would be ending this season with just 10 episodes left. Current presenters John Fendley and Jimmy Bullard are said to be ‘fuming’ at the news.

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.” And a decision has seemingly already been made on what Soccer AM will be replaced within its 10.30am slot.

Saturday Social, which first aired a few years ago and would air before Soccer AM, will replace the long-running sports comedy show. Saturday Social is described on Sky’s website as ‘an alternative insight into the beautiful game’ with a focus on football news via social media with YouTubers also featuring.

The show is currently hosted by Joe Thomlinson and Adam Smith, the latter of whom worked on Soccer AM for several years and gained cult status for his guises as ‘Baby Elvis’ and ‘Frankie Fryer’ as well as stepping in to present the show on occasions. Soccer AM has been running for nearly 30 years and was made famous during the time both Helen Chamberlain and Tim Lovejoy were at the helm.

The programme used to run for fous hours every Saturday morning and proved to be one of Sky Sports’ most popular programmes for years. But viewing figures have been in decline in recent years with the programme now running for just 90 minutes.

Speaking back in 2020, Lovejoy admitted that he was unable to watch Soccer AM anymore after he left in 2007. “I stopped watching it when I left, it was too hard to watch it,” he told The Athletic.

“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.”