Jeff Stelling ‘enters talks with Amazon and the BBC’ after his Sky Sports departure after 30 years
Jeff Stelling ‘enters talks with Amazon and the BBC’, with broadcast rivals keen to secure the presenter after his departure from Sky Sports
- Jeff Stelling left Sky Sports at the end of the season after a 30-year partnership
- Stelling was famous for presenting their Soccer Saturday scoring service
- Amazon and the BBC would like to offer Stelling presenting roles
Jeff Stelling has reportedly entered talks with Amazon and the BBC over broadcasting roles following his departure from Sky Sports at the end of the season.
The legendary broadcaster ended its 30-year partnership with Soccer Saturday during the final game of the Premier League season.
Stelling had previously planned to step down a year early, before making a U-turn to stay as host for one more season.
According to the TelegraphStelling has already been approached for presentation roles at rival broadcasters.
The 68-year-old is reportedly being targeted by BBC Radio 5 Live and Amazon Prime, who are keen to secure his services.
Jeff Stelling has reportedly been approached by Amazon and the BBC for broadcasting roles
Stelling left Sky Sport’s Soccer Saturday at the end of the season after 30 years as presenter
Amazon will broadcast Champions League matches in the UK for the first time from 2024, as part of a three-year deal signed with UEFA last year.
The streaming service will share rights with TNT Sports, formerly BT Sport, after UEFA abandoned their exclusivity model.
Stelling would be eligible to lead Amazon’s coverage should he agree to join the broadcaster.
He is said to have to serve a period of gardening leave from Sky before he can sign a contract with a rival.
Stelling had been a mainstay of Soccer Saturday throughout its long life, first entering the show in 1994 under its previous title Sports Saturday.
“It all seems like an out-of-body experience (you’d want to get out with my body),” Stelling tweeted after his departure.
“I wanted to thank everyone for the overwhelming amount of sweet messages.
“I’m going to take a few weeks to assess my options and then decide what to do next.”
Amazon Prime could reportedly offer Stelling a presenter role for the Champions League coverage
His departure from the popular weekly broadcaster follows the departures of former co-presenters Phil Thompson, Charlie Nicholas and Matt Le Tissier.
The trio were sacked in August 2020 after Sky opted to undergo a revamp, with Stelling labeling the move as ‘one of my saddest days ever at Sky Sports’.
Chris Kamara also left Soccer Saturday at the end of last season after revealing that he suffered from speech apraxia disorder.
Mail sports Exclusively revealed last week that Sky Sports had suspended half their football reporting team in a brutal cost-cutting exercise, asking veteran interviewer Geoff Shreeves for a significant pay cut.
The rest of Sky’s decisions have come after a consultation over layoffs in April saw six of their 13-strong squad of football reporters cut, though some opted to go voluntarily and others may be offered alternative roles.
Due to Sky Sports’ cost cuts, experienced and respected journalists such as Guy Havord, Dickie Davis, Bianca Westwood, Greg Whelan, Lynsey Hooper and Jaydee Dyer will also not continue in their current roles.
Emma Saunders appears to be the only female reporter to survive the cull, along with David Craig, Patrick Davidson, Jonathan Oakes, Johnny Phillips and Luke Shanley.