Chris Kamara shares disappointment after only FIVE people turned up for Soccer Saturday reunion - with Matt Le Tissier among former pundits who skipped get-together
Chris Kamara has hinted at his disappointment after only five people turned up to a planned Soccer Saturday reunion dinner.
During his 24 years on the programme until he left in 2022, Kamara became one of the most beloved faces on Sky Sports, working alongside the likes of Jeff Stelling, Matt Le Tissier, Phil Thompson, Charlie Nicholas, Paul Merson, Tony Cottee and Alan McInally as they delivered goals, drama and laughter to millions of viewers on Saturday afternoons.
But many of those familiar faces were missing at this week's reunion.
Among those who did attend were Stelling, who fronted Soccer Saturday for a quarter of a century before leaving Sky at the end of the 2022-23 season, Bianca Westwood, who departed in 2023, and Nicholas, affectionately known as 'Champagne Charlie', who was let go in 2020 during Sky's revamp of their football coverage. Long-serving producer Alan Condo also attended.
Sharing a photo from the dinner, Kamara wrote: 'Soccer Saturday reunion dinner. Only 5 turned up but still a fabulous night. - Condo (producer) - Champagne Charlie - Bianca and of course the Unbelievable Jeff Stelling.'
His message suggested he had hoped for a bigger turnout, although he remained upbeat about the evening.
Fellow former Soccer Saturday star Matt Le Tissier was not in attendance at the latest reunion
Those missing from the dinner included Le Tissier, Thompson, Cottee, McInally and Merson, all of whom have previously joined Kamara and Stelling at other reunions since leaving Sky.
While there is no indication of any ill feeling, the low turnout was a reminder of how much has changed since Soccer Saturday's heyday, when the panel exchanged banter, punctuated by goal updates and regular gaffes.
Le Tissier, who was among those missing from the dinner, was let go by Sky in August 2020 alongside fellow Soccer Saturday panellists Charlie Nicholas and Phil Thompson as part of a shake-up of the broadcaster's football coverage.
The Southampton legend later claimed his dismissal was linked to his controversial opinions, including his refusal to wear a Black Lives Matter badge and his posts on social media questioning Covid-19 restrictions and vaccine campaigns.
Kamara, 67, stepped down from the show in 2022 after being diagnosed with speech apraxia but has since appeared on Amazon Prime's Premier League coverage among other media roles.
Earlier this month, he told Mail Sport: 'There is no downside to being me at the moment, everybody is so nice. It makes me feel humble, and I'm always surprised at how lovely people are towards me.
'My speech has improved, and I'm enjoying life and what is remaining of it.'
Stelling and Westwood now work for talkSPORT.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
24 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
How trendsetting Brit Anna Wintour became fashion's ultimate force at Vogue – with NO ONE safe from her sharp tongue
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SHE came, she saw the fashion world from behind her Chanel sunglasses, she conquered. After 37 years as the formidable force on US Vogue, Anna Wintour is stepping aside as Editor-in-Chief. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 Anna Wintour has announced she's quitting her iconic role at American Vogue in a shock career move Credit: GC Images 6 Anna, pictured in 1996, has had her signature razor-sharp bob since the age of 14 Credit: Getty The move marks the end of an era, in which the UK-born power player ruled the fashion industry with a perfectly manicured fist. One flick of her hair or glance and your fate was sealed. Dame Anna, honoured by Queen Elizabeth II in 2017 in full Chanel couture, turned unknown models into stars, transformed 'trashy' celebs into tastemakers, and set trends the high street copied. Her signature razor-sharp bob — which she has had since the age of 14 — needs two daily blow-dries (morning and evening) and near-constant trims. Her attitude is equally polished — and feared. Nicknamed Nuclear Wintour for her icy reputation, she remains fashion's most enigmatic personality. The documentary The September Issue offered a rare peek inside Vogue's Manolo Blahnik-strewn corridors, capturing the chaos of assembling an 840-page edition of the magazine in 2007. Debuting in 2009 at Sundance and grossing around £7million, the film cemented Anna's status as the ultimate force in fashion. Surrounded by 'thin, rich and young' people Her frosty persona inspired The Devil Wears Prada's Miranda Priestly — Meryl Streep's pursed lips and cutting glares were taken straight from the Wintour playbook — and even The Incredibles' eccentric designer Edna Mode was modelled on her. But inside Vogue, Anna's power wasn't a scowl or stare. It was a yellow Post-it note stuck to the bottom of a printout, bearing the a seal of approval 'AWOK' — Anna Wintour OK — which could make or break careers. One star Anna truly legitimised was Kim Kardashian. When she boldly put Kim and then-fiance Kanye West on Vogue's cover in 2014, the fashion elite gasped. Anna Wintour finally sets record straight on Met Gala outfit rule rumor after years of speculation Her response? 'If we only put tasteful people on the cover, no one would talk about us.' Anna also championed other stars — giving Kendall Jenner strong Vogue backing and helping her break into high fashion. She championed Gisele Bundchen in the late 1990s and early 2000s, featuring her on many Vogue covers, and Kate Upton's debut on the front of the magazine in 2013 signalled a shift toward embracing curvier models in the industry. Infamously private, Anna Wintour's influence is impossible to ignore. The Devil Wears Prada even became a musical — proof of her cultural reach. At 75, she kept Vogue not just relevant, but reigning as fashion and culture's ultimate authority. From supermodel golden eras to today's social media trends, Anna transformed the title from a magazine into a global style empire. Every May, she breaks the internet with the Met Gala — her annual, star-studded spectacle where celebrities stun in jaw-dropping looks. What was once a low-key fundraiser transformed under her reign into fashion's most exclusive, over-the-top, meme-worthy night. 6 Anna Wintour cracks a rare smile while at work in 1989 Credit: Getty 6 Anna's frosty persona inspired The Devil Wears Prada's Miranda Priestly Credit: Alamy Starting in 2004, Anna harnessed showbiz glamour to skyrocket the event into global fame. Today, from TikTokers to A-listers, the guest list is fiercely selective — just 30 seconds of fame on a bright red carpet holds massive cultural weight. While Anna wields immense power over designer brands and celebrities, she has also had a huge impact on the high street. From her very first Vogue cover mixing budget jeans with couture, she has championed accessible fashion for all. Anna has been key in shaping runway trends that trickle down to high street retailers. In 2009, she launched Fashion's Night Out, turning shopping into a celebrity- studded, cocktail-fuelled event in New York and London, raising funds for causes such as the NYC AIDS Fund and September 11 Memorial until the event ended in 2013. But Anna did not just dip into retail — she transformed the high-street experience. By blending celebrity appeal, charity and immersive theatre, she redefined how brands engage with shoppers. She was a fixture at Topshop's London Fashion Week shows and has long championed luxury-meets-store collaborations — think Balmain x H&M — bringing runway glamour to the masses and giving the UK high street a major boost. FASHION QUEEN In an interview with The Times last year, Anna tipped her hat to Gap for snapping up designer Zac Posen and gave props to Uniqlo for working with Givenchy's former artistic director Clare Waight Keller, who had designed Meghan Markle's wedding dress. The fashion queen said: 'These big mass companies have finally clocked the power of creativity. You wouldn't have seen that ten, 15, even 20 years ago.' Anna has two children — Charles, a psychiatrist born in 1985, and TV producer Katherine, known as Bee, who she had in 1987. Their father is child psychiatrist David Shaffer, who Anna was married to from 1984 to 2020. She is reportedly romantically linked to actor Bill Nighy, though they describe themselves as close friends. Still, in Wintour's world, loyalty can be as fleeting as fashion trends. 6 When Anna boldly put Kim and then-fiance Kanye West on Vogue's cover in 2014, the fashion elite gasped Credit: AP:Associated Press 6 Anna with fellow Brit fashion icon Naomi Campbell Credit: Getty Her decades-long friendship with the late Andre Leon Talley — once her trusted right-hand at Vogue — ended bitterly after he was pushed aside. In his 2020 memoir The Chiffon Trenches, Talley claimed she preferred to surround herself with 'thin, rich, and young' people. Ouch. Top designers haven't escaped her icy glare either. After various scandals, names such as John Galliano and Dolce & Gabbana were swiftly frozen out of Vogue's world — proving that even fashion royalty are not safe from her. Yet despite the many ups and downs, one thing is certainly true. Anna Wintour is a force, a legend and one hell of a woman whose influence stretches far beyond the pages of Vogue. She will now focus on her roles as Global Editorial Director and Chief Content Officer at the magazine's publisher Condé Nast. Whoever is picked to take over her old job better be able to fill her Manolo Blahnik pumps.
The Sun
24 minutes ago
- The Sun
Great news for sports fans as booze ads ban AXED sparing fans a ticket price hike and boosting investment in grassroots
PLANS to ban alcohol sponsorship at sporting events have been axed — sparing fans ticket price hikes, The Sun can reveal. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has ruled out barring booze firms, it is understood, to the relief of football, rugby and tennis chiefs. 2 The Premier League agreed a four-year mega-deal with Guinness last season while ABK Beer backs October's Rugby League Ashes. Dropping the 'nanny state' ban will also boost grassroots sport, as cash trickles down from the elite levels. One senior Tory said: 'Sponsorship helps keep football tickets affordable and grassroots sports alive. 'You don't drive harmful drinking down by banning adverts, you just hit fans in the pocket.' However, partial restrictions on alcohol ads will form part of a ten-year NHS plan out next week, it is believed. They may be outlawed before the 9pm watershed in line with junk food and drink as ministers try to tackle growing health problems. Junk food ads are to be banned between 5.30pm and 9pm from October. We told yesterday that more than half of Labour voters opposed an ads ban by meddling ministers. Fury as cost of 12-pack of beer set to soar by £1 thanks to sinister new tax brought in by Labour 2
The Sun
24 minutes ago
- The Sun
How trendsetting Brit Anna Wintour became fashion's ultimate force at Vogue – with NO ONE safe from her sharp tongue
SHE came, she saw the fashion world from behind her Chanel sunglasses, she conquered. After 37 years as the formidable force on US Vogue, Anna Wintour is stepping aside as Editor-in-Chief. 6 6 The move marks the end of an era, in which the UK-born power player ruled the fashion industry with a perfectly manicured fist. One flick of her hair or glance and your fate was sealed. Dame Anna, honoured by Queen Elizabeth II in 2017 in full Chanel couture, turned unknown models into stars, transformed 'trashy' celebs into tastemakers, and set trends the high street copied. Her signature razor-sharp bob — which she has had since the age of 14 — needs two daily blow-dries (morning and evening) and near-constant trims. Her attitude is equally polished — and feared. Nicknamed Nuclear Wintour for her icy reputation, she remains fashion's most enigmatic personality. The documentary The September Issue offered a rare peek inside Vogue's Manolo Blahnik-strewn corridors, capturing the chaos of assembling an 840-page edition of the magazine in 2007. Debuting in 2009 at Sundance and grossing around £7million, the film cemented Anna's status as the ultimate force in fashion. Surrounded by 'thin, rich and young' people Her frosty persona inspired The Devil Wears Prada's Miranda Priestly — Meryl Streep's pursed lips and cutting glares were taken straight from the Wintour playbook — and even The Incredibles' eccentric designer Edna Mode was modelled on her. But inside Vogue, Anna's power wasn't a scowl or stare. It was a yellow Post-it note stuck to the bottom of a printout, bearing the a seal of approval 'AWOK' — Anna Wintour OK — which could make or break careers. One star Anna truly legitimised was Kim Kardashian. When she boldly put Kim and then-fiance Kanye West on Vogue's cover in 2014, the fashion elite gasped. Anna Wintour finally sets record straight on Met Gala outfit rule rumor after years of speculation Her response? 'If we only put tasteful people on the cover, no one would talk about us.' Anna also championed other stars — giving Kendall Jenner strong Vogue backing and helping her break into high fashion. She championed Gisele Bundchen in the late 1990s and early 2000s, featuring her on many Vogue covers, and Kate Upton's debut on the front of the magazine in 2013 signalled a shift toward embracing curvier models in the industry. Infamously private, Anna Wintour's influence is impossible to ignore. The Devil Wears Prada even became a musical — proof of her cultural reach. At 75, she kept Vogue not just relevant, but reigning as fashion and culture's ultimate authority. From supermodel golden eras to today's social media trends, Anna transformed the title from a magazine into a global style empire. Every May, she breaks the internet with the Met Gala — her annual, star-studded spectacle where celebrities stun in jaw-dropping looks. What was once a low-key fundraiser transformed under her reign into fashion's most exclusive, over-the-top, meme-worthy night. 6 6 Starting in 2004, Anna harnessed showbiz glamour to skyrocket the event into global fame. Today, from TikTokers to A-listers, the guest list is fiercely selective — just 30 seconds of fame on a bright red carpet holds massive cultural weight. While Anna wields immense power over designer brands and celebrities, she has also had a huge impact on the high street. From her very first Vogue cover mixing budget jeans with couture, she has championed accessible fashion for all. Anna has been key in shaping runway trends that trickle down to high street retailers. In 2009, she launched Fashion's Night Out, turning shopping into a celebrity- studded, cocktail-fuelled event in New York and London, raising funds for causes such as the NYC AIDS Fund and September 11 Memorial until the event ended in 2013. But Anna did not just dip into retail — she transformed the high-street experience. By blending celebrity appeal, charity and immersive theatre, she redefined how brands engage with shoppers. She was a fixture at Topshop's London Fashion Week shows and has long championed luxury-meets-store collaborations — think Balmain x H&M — bringing runway glamour to the masses and giving the UK high street a major boost. FASHION QUEEN In an interview with The Times last year, Anna tipped her hat to Gap for snapping up designer Zac Posen and gave props to Uniqlo for working with Givenchy's former artistic director Clare Waight Keller, who had designed Meghan Markle's wedding dress. The fashion queen said: 'These big mass companies have finally clocked the power of creativity. You wouldn't have seen that ten, 15, even 20 years ago.' Anna has two children — Charles, a psychiatrist born in 1985, and TV producer Katherine, known as Bee, who she had in 1987. Their father is child psychiatrist David Shaffer, who Anna was married to from 1984 to 2020. She is reportedly romantically linked to actor Bill Nighy, though they describe themselves as close friends. Still, in Wintour's world, loyalty can be as fleeting as fashion trends. 6 6 Her decades-long friendship with the late Andre Leon Talley — once her trusted right-hand at Vogue — ended bitterly after he was pushed aside. In his 2020 memoir The Chiffon Trenches, Talley claimed she preferred to surround herself with 'thin, rich, and young' people. Ouch. Top designers haven't escaped her icy glare either. After various scandals, names such as John Galliano and Dolce & Gabbana were swiftly frozen out of Vogue's world — proving that even fashion royalty are not safe from her. Yet despite the many ups and downs, one thing is certainly true. Anna Wintour is a force, a legend and one hell of a woman whose influence stretches far beyond the pages of Vogue. She will now focus on her roles as Global Editorial Director and Chief Content Officer at the magazine's publisher Condé Nast. Whoever is picked to take over her old job better be able to fill her Manolo Blahnik pumps.
