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Skip Bayless, the co-host of “Undisputed” on FS1, will be taking a two-month hiatus from the show.
This decision comes as a result of the struggles faced by Bayless and FS1 management in finding a suitable replacement for his former co-host, Shannon Sharpe, according to sources close to the situation as reported by Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports.
The search for a successor to Shannon Sharpe has proven to be a daunting task for Bayless and FS1.
While there are several potential candidates available, such as recently laid-off ESPN personalities Keyshawn Johnson and Max Kellerman, as well as FS1 personalities LeSean McCoy, Nick Wright, Emmanuel Acho, and Joy Taylor, few on-air talents are willing to step into the challenging role of facing Bayless.
Complicating matters further is Bayless’s authoritative control over the direction of “Undisputed,” where he has the final say on all matters internally.
Furthermore, it appears that Bayless’s preference lies in reuniting with his former ESPN teammate and current mega star, Stephen A. Smith, per FOS.
The 71-year-old Bayless apparently expressed his desire to work with Smith, one of the biggest personalities in sports media today. This strong inclination towards a specific co-host has contributed to the “gridlock” in finding a replacement for Sharpe, leaving Bayless and FS1 with no choice but to go on a hiatus until a resolution is reached.
The network was caught off guard by the suddenness of Sharpe’s exit, leaving them with limited time to find a suitable replacement.
The resulting hiatus, which extends until August 28, has been frustrating for Bayless, particularly as it coincides with the NBA’s eventful offseason, robbing him of the opportunity to weigh in on the latest developments in the basketball world.
“Shannon’s exit moved way faster than they expected. So they had no choice but to go on hiatus,” source told FOS. “Skip has never done anything like this during all his years at FS1 or ESPN. Not being on the air during all these NBA moves is killing him.”
Meanwhile, Shannon Sharpe has reportedly been talking to FanDuel about replacing Pat McAfee who’s leaving for ESPN.
FOS added from a source: “This was so dumb. They had the best (partner), There are three stars in morning debate: Skip, Stephen A. and Shannon. And Fox had two of them.”
As Bayless and FS1 embark on their two-month hiatus, the pressure to find a suitable successor for Shannon Sharpe continues to mount.