{"id":23374,"date":"2026-02-17T14:14:49","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T14:14:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eplvip.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/17\/jeff-stelling-confirms-long-term-absence-from-talksport-live-after-receiving-message-from-listener\/"},"modified":"2026-02-17T14:14:49","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T14:14:49","slug":"jeff-stelling-confirms-long-term-absence-from-talksport-live-after-receiving-message-from-listener","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eplvip.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/17\/jeff-stelling-confirms-long-term-absence-from-talksport-live-after-receiving-message-from-listener\/","title":{"rendered":"Jeff Stelling confirms long-term absence from talkSPORT live after receiving message from listener"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Former Sky Sports presenter Geoff Stelling joined Ally McCoist on Tuesday morning as he made a surprise announcement about his future on TalkSPORT.<\/h2>\n
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February 17, 2026, 11:17<\/span>Updated February 17, 2026 11:17<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Jeff Stelling is on leave from his presenting role (Image: talkSPORT)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n
Geoff Stelling has announced that he is taking a break from his role with talkSPORT. The 70-year-old has been a regular on the radio station since 2023, hosting the breakfast show.<\/p>\n
He joined talkSPORT after leaving Sky Sports, where he hosted Saturday Football for 29 years, and became a well-known face in sports broadcasting.<\/p>\n
Stelling has found a new home at talkSPORT, working alongside the likes of Ally McCoist and Alan Brazil. He made the surprise announcement Tuesday morning as he was chatting with listeners about his first record and his favorite pancake toppings.<\/p>\n
“For God’s sake, I got so many messages (on the Today show) that I have to take a break. That’s what I’m going to do for the next couple of weeks,” he said. “I’m going to take a little break and relax. I’ll see you when I get back.”<\/p>\n
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McCoist replied, “Good for you, well earned buddy.” In Stelling’s absence, the former Scotland international striker will play alongside Brazil on Wednesday’s show.<\/p>\n
Brazil himself recently had to take some time off, quitting the TalkSPORT breakfast show on January 22nd due to illness. He needed time off to recover from an ear infection, but came back with some light banter.<\/p>\n
“I’m still alive! I’ve never received so many texts and emails asking, ‘Are you okay? Are you dead? Are you going to die?'” Give yourself a break! To be honest,” he said.<\/p>\n
“I had a big infection in my right ear and my left ear was stuffed up. I was sitting here thinking I was going to fall off the chair. This was the worst for me. It was horrible.”<\/p>\n
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Jeff Stelling will leave Sky Sports in 2023 (Image: PA)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Mr Stelling left Sky Sports in 2023 after the company decided to revamp its coverage. He’s a little bitter about the breakup, and recently told the Daily Mail:<\/p>\n
“We all know that kids today don’t watch as much TV as they used to. Young people will get their entertainment in different ways, so going after them as an audience is wrong. What you’re risking is alienating the audience you already have by changing it to suit a younger audience (who isn’t).”<\/p>\n
“You can stick to what you have, stick to quality programming, quality presenters, quality pundits, and hopefully get your news on social media. When people get to the age of their moms and dads, they might start watching TV instead and enjoying the same quality productions that their parents watched.”<\/p>\n
She added: “People say to me, ‘You’re an old fart, you’re out of touch with modern thinking,’ and I still do sometimes. By the way, sometimes I get called a dinosaur. By the way, if someone sends me an email, please don’t call me a dinosaur! It doesn’t matter if I’m 70 and you’re 17. Our opinions have equal value.”<\/p>\nContent cannot be displayed without consent<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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![\"Jeff](\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36734837.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_jeff-stellingJPG.jpg\")
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