After almost 30 years on the air, the iconic Saturday morning football show, Soccer AM, has come to an end. Hosted by Tim Lovejoy and Helen Chamberlain during its peak years, the show provided many memorable moments and helped launch the careers of several broadcasters. However, Sky announced earlier this year that it was moving on and looking in a new direction, with the conclusion of the 2022/23 season bringing down the curtain on the show. The final episode, held on Saturday, May 27, descended into chaos when Jack Whitehall swore and had his microphone cut.
There were many reasons why Sky decided to cancel Soccer AM. The show had become outdated, with elements such as the “Soccerettes” section being removed in 2015 due to its inappropriate nature. The show also had to be put on a ten-second broadcast delay to account for swearing and rude comments. In its latest version, with Jimmy Bullard and John Fendley, the comedy remained and the show adapted to changing times. However, not enough was done to keep up with the growth of YouTube and ever-changing public perceptions, leading to the show’s demise.
Soccer AM will be replaced in its usual 10:30 am spot by Saturday Social, which hopes to attract younger audiences with its cast of football YouTubers and content creators. The original audience for Soccer AM was older, and Sky needs to find a way to keep young people interested. It is believed that the decline of Soccer AM started once Tim Lovejoy and Helen Chamberlain left, and many celebrities were afraid of appearing on the show and having their standing tarnished. Ultimately, the Saturday morning staple couldn’t shake off its “Lad Mag” past or deal with competition from YouTube. Despite this, the show will leave a lot of lasting memories for people of a certain age up and down the country.