The BBC’s long-running Saturday lunchtime staple, Football Focus, is set to conclude after this season, a decision the corporation attributes to "changing audience behaviours".
The announcement, marking the end of a programme that first aired in 1974, has sparked debate, with former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys declaring it a "sign of the times" and warning that Match of the Day could be next.
Presenter Alex Scott, who fronts the show, expressed fears of a "toxic" social media backlash following the news, and indeed, sexist remarks were directed at her in comments under an Instagram message she posted on Thursday.
Keys, who anchored Sky’s Premier League coverage for nearly two decades, shared his views on X, stating: "It’s not Alex Scott’s fault Football Focus has folded – it’s a sign of the times. MOTD will be next.
“Viewing habits have changed. That’s why Grandstand & World of Sport ended. And Sportsnight. Pre-show & post-show wrapped around live games will go soon as well."
While the BBC has not officially commented on Keys’ remarks, sources close to the corporation have insisted that Match of the Day has seen an increase in its reach this season.
Digital accounts accessing MOTD content are understood to be up 21 per cent year on year, with overall digital consumption rising sharply – total digital requests are up 36 per cent compared with last season and 87 per cent compared with the 2022–23 season.
Despite a slight decline in viewing figures for the flagship Saturday night highlights programme, consistent with wider industry trends in live television, its overall reach has grown.
A new rights deal with the Premier League has also enabled the show to air highlights digitally at 8pm, expanding access for viewers.
Reflecting on Football Focus, Scott said it had been "incredibly special" to be part of the programme.
However, she acknowledged the evolving media landscape: "Sometimes things change, but when this show began all those years ago, social media wasn’t a driving force, podcasts didn’t exist, and there was no instant access to information in the way there is today.
“Now, by the time that we go on air, the reality is that you have already seen it, debated it, and lived it across so many platforms. That shift has changed the whole industry."