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Soccer AM set to be axed by Sky

The Sky Sports show - currently hosted by Jimmy Bullard and John Fendley - may have just 10 episodes left to air

John Fendley and Jimmy Bullard host Soccer AM. (Sky)
Soccer AM is in consultation to be axed. (Sky)

Soccer AM is in line for the axe after almost 30 years on air.

The Sky Sports show – currently hosted by Jimmy Bullard and John Fendley – is under consideration to be brought to an end, with just 10 episodes left to air.

The Guardian reports that staff were made aware of the news on Tuesday.

A Sky spokesperson told Yahoo UK: “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.

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"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.”

John Fendley and Jimmy Bullard host Soccer AM. (Sky)
John Fendley and Jimmy Bullard currently host Soccer AM. (Sky)

The show is not currently scheduled to run beyond Saturday 27 May.

Football pundit Chris Kamara said of the reports on Twitter: "Just heard that @SoccerAM is finishing at the end of the season. I had 14 years of going through Premier League & @EFL clubs dressing rooms. Training with Clubs for features & basically having a laugh. Fun part of my time at Sky."

The football fan-based talk show launched in 1995 hosted by Helen Chamberlain who was joined by Tim Lovejoy a year later.

Sky Sports Soccer AM presenters Tim Lovejoy and Helen Chamberlain hold the newly named Johnstone's Paint Trophy ahead of the first round draw.   (Photo by David Parry - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images)
Sky Sports Soccer AM presenters Tim Lovejoy and Helen Chamberlain. (Getty Images)

The light-hearted chat show features games, parody sketches, appearances from fans and soccer stars and interviews with celebrities.

It is broadcast live at 10.30am on a Saturday morning and over the years has been cut down from a four hour long show to 90 minutes.

In 2018 retired footballer and reality TV star Paul 'Gazza' Gascoigne appeared on the live show and sparked concern from viewers after his interview was cut short.

Paul Gascoigne with Jimmy Bullard on Soccer AM.
Paul Gascoigne appearing on Soccer AM in 2018. (Sky)

It was reported that Gazza – who has long struggled with alcoholism – had been found naked in a communal make-up room prior to his appearance on the show.

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A female member of the Sky Sports show’s staff was said to have walked in on the troubled star as he was sitting on a chair, watching football on TV on Saturday morning.

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