It may have been in a slow decline for the last few years of its run, but it was still sad to hear the announcement earlier this year that Soccer AM would be leaving the air at the end of its current season.
The iconic Sky Sports early-morning football magazine show has given us some brilliant moments and iconic characters down through the years and, during the heyday of Tim Lovejoy and Helen Chamberlain era, was appointment viewing for fans of English football on a Saturday morning.
The final episode of Soccer AM aired on Saturday morning - and guest Jack Whitehall caused a stir in the studio.
Whitehall's mic was briefly muted after he made a risky joke about disgraced UK TV personality Rolf Harris, who died earlier in May.
Final Soccer AM show was an eventful one
The final Soccer AM show enlisted a star-studded line up of guests, with hosts Jimmy Bullard and John Fendley joined by actor Stephen Graham, musician Stormzy, and comedian Jack Whitehall.
It wasn't long, however, before Whitehall got himself in hot water with the show's producers.
Whitehall has previously joked about wanting to be recognised in the Royal Honours, hilariously doing so alongside OBEs Ewan McGregor and Lewis Hamilton on the Graham Norton Show in 2015 - but his latest joke about it had the Soccer AM studio stunned.
Whitehall joked that he was sucking up to the Royal Family in order to be recognised in the honours - before suggesting he would be happy to take the honours which had been stripped of disgraced TV personality Rolf Harris:
When they released the honours, waited by the phone - nothing. Every year! The amount of brown nosing I've done...
I'd take anything, I'd have the ones they stripped off Rolf.
Jimmy Bullard was left stunned and stepped away in disbelief, while the rest of the couch were speechless.
Jack Whitehall on Soccer AM causing scenes pic.twitter.com/PZuLQYP44k
— Michael (@Michael_Gee79) May 27, 2023
Harris was sentenced to five years and nine months in prison in 2014, after being found guilty of 12 counts of indecent assault against minors. He had previously been awarded with an MBE, OBE, and CBE by the Royal Family, but these were revoked in 2015 in light of his conviction.
Whitehall's joke understandably had the producers on edge given the sensitive subject matter, and he went on to find his microphone muted when he appeared to reference Rupert Murdoch immediately after.
Jack Whitehall attempted to defend himself for his comments by saying, "It's the last show, let's go out with a bang!"
For the right or wrong reasons, Soccer AM certainly did just that.
The show's hosts would give a touching close to the show, with Bullard thanking everyone involved in the production of Soccer AM, and John Fendley saying the show had
28 years, over a thousand shows, this show has changed my life. I know it's had an impact on many of yours.
I've had the privilege to be a part of this underdog television show, the like of which we may never see again.
Thank you from everyone at Soccer AM ❤️ pic.twitter.com/xoqarzFThM
— Soccer AM (@SoccerAM) May 27, 2023
Farewell to Soccer AM.
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