Richard Keys has warned that Match of the Day could be the next programme to face the axe, following the BBC's decision to cancel Football Focus after 52 years. The long-running Saturday lunchtime staple will conclude at the end of the current season, a move the corporation attributes to shifting audience behaviours.
Football Focus to end after 52 years
The BBC announced on Thursday that Football Focus, which first aired in 1974, would not return for another season. Presenter Alex Scott, who fronts the show, expressed concerns about a potential "toxic" social media backlash. Indeed, sexist remarks were directed at her under an Instagram post she shared following the news.
Richard Keys' warning
Former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys, who anchored Premier League coverage for nearly two decades, took to X to share his thoughts. "It's not Alex Scott's fault Football Focus has folded – it's a sign of the times. MOTD will be next," he wrote. "Viewing habits have changed. That's why Grandstand and World of Sport ended. And Sportsnight. Pre-show and post-show wrapped around live games will go soon as well."
BBC defends Match of the Day
While the BBC has not officially responded to Keys' comments, sources close to the corporation insist that Match of the Day has seen increased reach this season. Digital accounts accessing MOTD content are up 21 per cent year on year, with total digital requests rising 36 per cent compared with last season and 87 per cent compared with the 2022–23 season. Although the flagship Saturday night highlights programme has experienced a slight decline in live viewing figures, consistent with wider industry trends, its overall reach has grown. A new Premier League rights deal has also allowed the show to air highlights digitally at 8pm, expanding access.
Alex Scott reflects on the show's end
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."
