Sky Sports legend Jeff Stelling quit Soccer Saturday as it was taking a serious toll on his health.
The 68-year-old TV icon stunned fans as he left the broadcaster at the end of the 2022/2023 season. Stelling had worked for Sky since 1992 and was the face of the much-loved show for 25 years where his warmth, humour and encyclopaedic knowledge of the game would often shine through.
Speaking on his shock departure in January of this year, the former presenter lifted the lid on his exit from Sky, revealing that he believed that his "views" were no longer considered by the company hierarchy. Stelling candidly opened up on the "battle" was facing each week, no longer getting to work with his friends on the show and even sorrowfully disclosed how the job was making him unwell.
Talking to The Guardian, he opened up on how working the show left him feeling ill most weekends and he grew tired of "fighting" to be heard. He said: “Even though I’d been there a long time, I felt some of my views weren’t considered at all. Every week I was fighting a battle. I got tired of fighting and it was making me ill. Eventually, I went to Sky’s management and said: ‘This is making me unwell. I’ve got to step away from it.'"
He continued: “I’m almost ashamed to say it because my dad worked in a steelworks and would come back from his shift covered in grime and muck and absolutely exhausted. He would never have allowed me to say I was shattered after a TV show. But I felt it was making me ill so I had to step away.”
Speaking as he announced his decision to call it a day, Stelling said that he had "loved every moment" but that it was the "right time to move on". However, away from his health concerns, there was also the matter of Stelling's close friends and colleagues Matt Le Tissier, Phil Thompson and Charlie Nicholas leaving the beloved Saturday show.
The three contributors, along with Paul Merson, charmed viewers with their camaraderie and banter. However It was in 2020 that Thompson, Le Tissier and Nicholas, were all axed from Sky in a dramatic shake-up that caused Stelling great upset.
Coming in response to the pandemic and pressures to revamp the show, the news hit Stelling hard and was a possible spark in his decision to leave the show for good. Elaborating to The Guardian, Stelling revealed how he find out in a phone call that Thompson, Le Tissier Nicholas were being ousted from the show.
The dropped pundits expressed their disappointment but accepted the decision gracefully. Thompson and Le Tissier paid tribute to their former colleagues while Nicholas kept his powder dry. However Stelling was particularly rocked by the news, posting on X: "One of my saddest days ever at Sky Sports with the departure of three of my best mates. They have been part of a team that for me was the best."
Since ending his association with Sky, Stelling has landed a job as the host of talkSPORT's breakfast show, alongside Ally McCoist, and was also awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours list for his services to sport, broadcasting and charity.
Stelling is also on tour with 'An evening with Jeff Stelling', alongside his former Sky Sports colleague, Bianca Westwood. The nights promise anecdotes from his storied career as well as a Q&A where fans will get a chance to grill the TV legend.
Following Stelling and co's departure, the future of Soccer Saturday was uncertain for many, however the decision was made to anoint Sky Sports anchor Simon Thomas as the man to step into Stelling's huge shoes. Thomas took on the role at the start of the 2023/2024 season and the 52-year-old began his new role by paying tribute to the man he was hired to replace, underlining the respect and admiration he has for Stelling.
"I want to say this, it is an absolute honour to take on the role of hosting this quite brilliant show and if I can do even half the job that the legend Jeff Stelling did over the last 25 years, I will have done something right." he said.
Even after Stelling's exit, Soccer Saturday is still going strong with the likes of Thomas, Clinton Morrison, Sue Smith, Paul Merson and Michael Dawson among the regular cast.
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