As Soccer AM is AXED after 30 years on air, the iconic show had 12 presenters – where are they now?
Soccer AM has reportedly been canceled by Sky Sports after almost 30 years on the air.
Bosses reportedly made the decision to remove the popular Saturday morning show on Tuesday, with 10 episodes remaining before it is taken off the air.
“Soccer AM has played an important role in our football coverage over the past three decades and we are continually adapting to the changing needs of our customers,” a Sky spokesperson said. Mirror.
‘We are now entering a consultation period to discuss the proposed changes with our people. We are unable to provide further details while these consultations are ongoing.’
From radio DJ Russ Williams to iconic hosts Tim Lovejoy and Helen Chamberlain, the football show had 12 hosts, but where are they now? sports mail check out…
Former presenters Helen Chamberlain and Russ Williams mark Sky Sports’ 20th anniversary
Chamberlain became synonymous with Soccer AM along with former co-host Tim Lovejoy
Jane Hoffen (1995)
Jane Robertson was part of the original launch team in 1995 and was the only other presenter to host Soccer AM.
She moved into public relations after a successful career as a national broadcaster under her maiden name Hoffen.
Jane covered numerous international sporting events, including the World Cup and the Ryder Cup.
He was also part of the BBC team that won a BAFTA for their coverage of the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
In 2001 she moved to Scotland, where she worked for BBC Scotland as a news and sports presenter.
She now works as the director of communications for Frog Systems, a company that specializes in early frontline employee wellness support.
Russ Williams (1995-1996)
Russ Williams was featured alongside Helen Chamberlain on the first season of Soccer AM.
He was a member of the show’s original hosting lineup, which also included Jane Hoffen and Gary A. Stevens.
Williams left Soccer AM after just one season and was succeeded by Tim Lovejoy.
He then presented Sky Sports’ live domestic football coverage before being asked by ITV to become one of their main presenters.
Williams has also presented ITV’s Snooker, Italian football, boxing and the Champions League, and has lent his voice to The Premiership every week.
The Tottenham supporter is best known for his career as a radio DJ and was inducted into the Radio Academy Hall of Fame in 2013.
He hosted Saturday Scoreboard on talkSPORT after leaving Global Radio in 2018 and now presents three shows on the Nation Radio UK network.
Gary A. Stevens (1995-1996)
Gary Andrew Stevens is a former defender who has played for Brighton, Tottenham and Portsmouth and won seven caps for England.
Former England defender Gary A. Stevens joins Soccer AM’s original presenting lineup
After his retirement, he joined Soccer AM’s original presenting lineup and also worked for talkSPORT radio.
He then assisted Arsenal legend Tony Adams in Azerbaijan at FC Gabala, before coaching Sligo Rovers in 2013.
Stevens now works as a presenter at Astro SuperSport in Malaysia with his former England teammate Steve McMahon.
Helen Chamberlain (1995-2017)
Helen Chamberlain became synonymous with the show during its early days along with former co-host Tim Lovejoy.
She started on the soccer show in 1995 alongside Lovejoy and continued to host after he left in 2007.
Since leaving Soccer AM, Chamberlain has hosted a host of darts events, including Sunday’s Women’s World Matchplay and the inaugural World Seniors Darts Championship.
Chamberlain joined in 1995 with Lovejoy and continued to present when he left in 2007.
He told the Athletic in 2020 about life on his farm after hosting the show for 22 years.
Chamberlain said: ‘I spent almost half my life sitting on that sofa. I was there for almost 23 years.
That’s a long time to hold any job, never mind a job in broadcasting. I had the farm to take care of.
‘I wanted to rescue more dogs and raise sheep and chickens. So he no longer had time for Saturday mornings.
Tim Lovejoy (1996-2007)
Tim Lovejoy replaced Russ Williams two years later and hosted the show until 2007.
Lovejoy was succeeded by Andy Goldstein and later by Max Rushden. He would regularly wreak havoc in one of the many segments he came up with.
At one point, he offered £5 to any fan who turned up to a match with a ‘Lovejoy is a Legend’ banner.
That was soon abandoned when banners appeared at various games and the costs mounted.
The parking lot game, fans of the week and Soccerette, a feature in which a young woman models a kit for her team, were some of the most prominent segments.
After leaving Soccer AM, Lovejoy hosted BBC Radio 5 Live’s 6-0-6 on a Wednesday night.
He currently hosts Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch alongside chef Simon Rimmer, which he has done since 2012.
Lovejoy currently hosts Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch alongside chef Simon Rimmer
Andy Goldstein (2007-2008)
Andy Goldstein replaced Tim Lovejoy to become the show’s main host in 2007.
But within a year, Soccer AM’s All-Stars program was shut down.
He previously worked with Sky Sports presenting coverage of various events including Premier League Snooker, 9-ball pool and the 10-pin bowling Weber Cup.
Goldstein currently hosts talkSPORT’s Drive radio show in conjunction with The Sports Bar.
Max Rushden (2008-2015)
Max Rushden left BBC London 94.9’s breakfast show to join Soccer AM.
She hosted the Saturday morning show with Helen Chamberlain from 2008 to 2015.
Rushden has a weekly Sunday show with Barry Glendenning on talkSPORT and has also worked for BBC Radio 5 Live.
He is the current host of The Guardian’s Football Weekly podcast.
Max Rushden the Saturday morning show with Helen Chamberlain from 2008 to 2015
Lloyd Griffith (2017-2019)
Lloyd Griffith is a comedian who played support on tour for Rob Beckett and Jack Whitehall.
When Helen Chamberlain left Soccer AM, the show attempted a rebrand with Griffith and Jimmy Bullard. He was a co-host for two years.
He also presented his own critically acclaimed BBC documentary, Can You Meet The Bookies.
On the show, he embarked on an experiment to find out if he could uncover the secrets to betting success and the truth about the industry.
You may have recently seen him on Apple TV’s Ted Lasso, Not Going Out, and It’s A Sin.
John Fendley (2015-present), Dave Naughton (2015-present), Rob Stewart (2015-present) and Jimmy Bullard (2017-present)
More recent iterations of the show have been hosted by John Fendley, who got involved in 2015 when Rushden left.
Former Hull City and Wigan Athletic midfielder Jimmy Bullard started in 2017.
And don’t forget the tubes!
Chelsea fan Tubes is a popular character on the Sky show.
He is known for interviewing guests, including movie stars, athletes, and musicians, asking “one question and one question only.”
Some of Of Tubes’ catchphrases include ‘Sick’, ‘Sick’ and ‘Sickness’.
In 2018, the TV presenter, whose real name is Peter Dale, suffered a “very unexpected serious heart attack” at the age of 35.
Chelsea fan Tubes is a popular character on the Sky show and is known for interviewing the guests.
He also spoke to fans about his battle with alcoholism through a revealing post on his Instagram account.
Along with a photo of him being restrained by police officers, he wrote: “2017 (and half of 2016) have been the best years of my life because I finally admitted that I am very addicted to alcohol and that enough was enough and I had to stop. “.
‘Just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone for all your kind words and support, it’s hugely appreciated and keeps me strong. I hope you all have an amazing 2018. Great legends of love xxx.’