Soccer Saturday
| Soccer Saturday | |
|---|---|
| Presented by |
Paul Dempsey (1992–1994) Jeff Stelling (1994–present) |
| Opening theme | Theme from Sky Sports News HQ (since 2009), previously Requiem for a Tower by Corner Stone Cues (2007–09) and Shooting Star by Deepest Blue (2004-07) |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Running time | 330–360 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network |
Sky News (1992–) Sky Sports News HQ (1998–) Sky Sports 1 (2000–) Sky Sports 5 (2014–) |
| Picture format | 1080i (HDTV) |
| Original release | 1992 – present |
| External links | |
| Website | |
Gillette Soccer Saturday is a weekly television programme broadcast on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom and Ireland during the football season. The programme updates viewers on the progress of association football games in the United Kingdom on Saturday afternoons. The current host is Jeff Stelling. The programme is sponsored by Gillette.
Soccer Saturday grew out of Sports Saturday, which started in 1992 hosted by Paul Dempsey. Current host Jeff Stelling joined the programme in 1994 and became its sole presenter a year later. The name of the programme changed to Soccer Saturday in 1998.
Prior to May 2010, portions of the programme were simulcast on Sky Sports 1 as well as Sky Sports News. The portions simulcast were between 12:00–12:30 pm and 3:00 pm–5:15 pm, although this differed depending on the matches being covered on Sky Sports 1. From the start of the 2010–11 season these simulcasts were dropped and for the next three seasons the programme was exclusive to Sky Sports News but this Sky Sports 1 simulcast returned for the 2013–14 season as part of Sky Sports 1's new all-day Saturday football service. For the 2014-15 season the programme moved from Sky Sports 1 to Sky Sports 5 but reverted to Sky Sports 1 for the 2016/17 season.
Soccer Saturday is broadcast from 12 noon on Sky Sports News HQ and lasts for up to six hours. The programme begins with the host and four regular in-studio pundits previewing the weekend's matches, reviewing recent results and debating current issues in football. The show is also famous for the rapport between the pundits and the presenter. There is much banter between the pundits and Jeff Stelling, who, in a good humoured manner, often points out each other's mistakes and incorrect predictions. Stelling exuberantly celebrates goals scored by his favourite team Hartlepool United. Viewers are kept updated on the progress of early kick-offs by reporters at the games and by graphics below and to the right of the director's cut. These graphics also includes latest team news and league standings.
From 3 pm to 5.15 pm, Soccer Saturday provides running coverage of the 3 pm league matches, none of which are televised in the UK (and only one of which is televised in Ireland). The graphics display a vidiprinter and cycle through current scores in the English and Scottish leagues, with Jeff Stelling providing commentary on the events as they unfold. Significant events at the most high-profile games – almost always in the Premier League – are described by the studio panel who each watch a game on a monitor. Other games deemed important are reported on by correspondents at the grounds connected to the studio by a video link, ISDN or telephone.
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