One of ESPN’s most notorious talking heads has chosen to take his talents elsewhere.
“First Take” co-host Skip Bayless will leave ESPN when his current contract expires this August, the network announced in a statement Tuesday.
“We want to thank Skip for his many contributions to ESPN,” the statement read. “His hard work and talent have benefited ESPN for 12 years.”
Bayless’ final “First Take” appearance will come the day after the conclusion of the NBA Finals, per ESPN. After that, he’s expected join FOX Sports, an industry source told Deadspin.
“I look at these ‘opinionists’ like superstars in the NBA,” Jamie Horowitz, the president of FOX Sports National Networks and a former “First Take” producer, told Sporting News last month. “… Yes, we’re interested in all the superstars. Of course, I’m interested in Skip,”
Bayless, who wrote for several prominent newspapers before landing at ESPN in 2004, is best known for spewing hot sports takes both on air — where he’s typically joined by “First Take” co-host Stephen A. Smith — and on Twitter, where he has amassed a 1.8 million-plus following.
Thumbnail photo via Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports Images
