Tim Lovejoy Opens Up About "Cringe" Soccer AM Segment He Regrets
Former Soccer AM presenter Tim Lovejoy has reflected on his time hosting the popular Sky Sports show, revealing that he cringes when thinking about one of its most iconic – and arguably most cringeworthy – segments.
Lovejoy fronted Soccer AM from 1996 to 2007, alongside Helen Chamberlain, and was known for his humor and charm. However, one segment that has stood the test of time as a guilty pleasure – or guilty annoyance, depending on your perspective – is the "Soccerette" segment.
For those who may have missed it, the Soccerette segment involved a woman wearing a football shirt being interviewed by Lovejoy or future presenters, often with a series of lighthearted and playful questions. The segment was a staple of the show, featuring a range of women, including Gemma Atkinson and Natalie Sawyer.
But Lovejoy has admitted that he doesn’t look back on the segment with particular fondness. "Don’t bring that up, I cringe about that," he said in a recent interview. "But it was a different time and we were told to push the boundaries. We were just doing different stuff and people had a laugh and a joke with it."
Interestingly, Lovejoy did have a positive experience with another popular segment on the show – "Showboat" – which featured the best skills from players from the previous week set to music. The segment was a hit with fans, but Lovejoy revealed that managers were initially not fans of their players being praised for perceived showboating, complaining to Soccer AM chiefs.
He recalled: "When we started Showboat we loved it, but after three or four weeks I got called in by one of the bosses, who was brilliant by the way, but he said a couple of the managers have complained about you putting their players on Showboat. In the 90s it was percentage football, ‘We’re not showboating ponies and we’re here to win a match and be dedicated to the fans’. They hated it for two or three years but every player was trying to get on."
Lovejoy left Soccer AM in 2007 following a pay dispute and was replaced by Max Rushden. The show was last presented by John ‘Fenners’ Fendley and Jimmy Bullard prior to being taken off the air last year.
As we look back on the legacy of Soccer AM, it’s clear that Lovejoy’s time on the show played a significant role in its success. But it’s also refreshing to see him acknowledge the segment that, in hindsight, might have been a bit cringeworthy.
So, what do you think about the Soccerette segment? Did you enjoy it back in the day, or do you cringe at the thought of it? Let us know in the comments!
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