Skip Bayless announced that Friday’s edition of Undisputed was the last time he will appear on the program on FS1, confirming a report from the New York Post last month that he was leaving the network after eight years on the air.
Bayless joined the network after working at ESPN for 12 years where he was part of the initial iteration of First Take. He worked alongside Shannon Sharpe at FS1 on Undisputed for seven years and introduced a new edition of the program last August featuring Keyshawn Johnson, Paul Pierce, Michael Irvin, Rachel Nichols and various other contributors. Bayless did not address his departure on the air and was joined by Keyshawn Johnson, Paul Pierce and Lil Wayne during the program’s final segment.
“Today was my last show on Undisputed,” Bayless said in a post on X. “I’m leaving FS1. I’ve been planning to pursue other opportunities for several months. I had a great 8-year run with a lot of great people at FOX, but now I’m excited for what’s coming up. Stay tuned.”
Sources who were briefed on the decision explained that there was a possibility of the Undisputed name being retired and putting a new show in its place, according to Richard Deitsch and Andrew Marchand of The Athletic. FS1 recently revamped its programming lineup to expand First Things First and Speak to two-hour programs on the network. According to the FOX Sports programming schedule, both Undisputed and The Carton Show are not scheduled to take the air next Monday. Recent reports have divulged that Michelle Beadle is in serious discussions to join FS1 as the co-host of The Carton Show with Craig Carton.
In a previous interview with Barrett Media, Charlie Dixon, executive vice president of content at FS1, called Bayless “the best-ever on earth at the debate format” and acknowledged that he has had “an amazing career.” When Bayless took the air for the first edition of the revamped show last August, he referred to it as the “greatest morning of [his] career.”
“The FOX Sports family thanks Skip Bayless for his outstanding contributions at FS1,” FOX Sports said in a statement. “As a founding member of the show UNDISPUTED and known as the godfather of sports debate, Skip has been a cornerstone of our network and a driving force in his sports commentary. His passion, insight, and distinctive voice have entertained audiences and captivated sports fans throughout the years. We wish Skip continued success in his future endeavors.”
Sharpe departed FS1 last June and announced later in the summer that he was joining ESPN as a contributor to First Take and bringing his Club Shay Shay podcast to The Volume as part of a larger agreement with The Volume. Over the last year, he has helped First Take to year-over-year viewership gains and signed a multiyear contract extension to continue on the show and make other appearances on the network. Additionally, Sharpe launched the Nightcap podcast with The Volume featuring Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson and Gilbert Arenas and has worked to expand his Shay Shay Media brand.
On a recent edition of Nightcap, Sharpe addressed the report of Bayless leaving FS1 and articulated his gratitude for the opportunity he provided him at FS1. While there were reports of contentious sentiments between the two hosts, with Sharpe specifically pointing to a conversation where Bayless castigated his NFL career for no reason, he expressed that he did not want to let six months ruin the rest of their time on the air.
“I want Skip to win,” Sharpe said. “I wanted Skip to succeed at Undisputed, and just because I’m not there, that doesn’t mean I don’t want him to succeed. I just realized that he and I couldn’t succeed at the same table, but I want him to succeed.”
