*Shannon Sharpe is moving on to ESPN’s “First Take” after parting ways with Slip Bayelss on FS1’s “Undisputed.”
Sharpe will join Stephen A. Smith every Monday and Tuesday during the NFL season, according to the New York Post.
As Complex reports, on the latest “First Take” show, Smith said “we all know [Sharpe joining is] something that I want” and said he’d “be a tremendous asset to the show.”
“It’d be great to have him. Here’s the issue: we don’t. … It’s a bit premature,” Smith said.
He continued, “It has not happened yet. I’m still confident it’ll happen, I still believe it will happen, I think it needs to happen—and I have no doubt that I’m gonna exhaust any means that I have available to me to make it happen.”
Addressing the recent @ShannonSharpe “news” pic.twitter.com/eVe266Ps9d
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) August 18, 2023
Sharpe and Bayless launched FS1’s “Undisputed” in 2016, but growing tension in the past year allegedly prompted Sharpe to leave the show in June. One memorable moment was when the eight-time Pro Bowler became visibly upset when Bayless slammed his career as he defended Tom Brady in December 2022.
“This is just straight hate by a guy who’s jealous that he’s still playing at a high level at 45 when you had to stop at 35,” Skip said at the time, per Mediaite.
“That’s what you do, every time I call something into question, I’m jealous,” Sharpe fired back. “Skip, I did what I did. You make it seem like I was a bum! I’m in the effing Hall of Fame! I got three Super Bowls!”
Shannon and Fox Sports ultimately decided on a buyout agreement and parted ways amicably this summer, according to the New York Post.
“Shannon’s exit moved way faster than they expected,” a source told Front Office. “So they had no choice but to go on hiatus. 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.”
“Undisputed” is on hiatus until the end of August.
READ MORE: Shannon Sharpe Officially Signs Off from ‘Undisputed’ | Watch
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