Soccer AM cast and crew now – Heart attack aged 36 and host changing careers

Soccer AM was a staple part of the weekend for generations of football fans. The iconic Sky Sports show began in 1994 before being cancelled at the end of the 2022/23 season.

At its height, the programme had a huge influence on football fan culture, inspiring ‘Easy, Easy, Easy’ chants to be sung on stands across the country. Memorable features, such as Skill Skool and Crossbar Challenge, gave behind-the-scenes glimpses of professional clubs, while the well-loved Soccer AM cast of presenters and producers created an endless list of sketches and spoofs reflecting the weird world of football.

The show took on many guises throughout its 29-year run but there are plenty of familiar faces that fans still remember. Providing a light-hearted look at football for decades, here’s what some of the former Soccer AM cast and crew are doing now.

Helen Chamberlain

Helen Chamberlain became a presenter of Soccer AM in 1995 and remained on the show until 2017. Affectionately known as ‘Hell’s Bells’, the Torquay United fan became a household name among football fans but has led a quieter life since leaving Soccer AM.

An avid darts fan, Chamberlain has hosted events for TNT Sports but commits the majority of her time to farm life, as well as sharing her metal-detecting discoveries on social media.

When asked about her reasons for leaving the show, Chamberlain told The Athletic about her career change: “I spent nearly half my life sitting on that sofa. I was there for nearly 23 years. That’s a long time to have any job, never mind a job in broadcasting.

“I had the farm to see to. I wanted to rescue more dogs and breed sheep and chickens. So I didn’t have time for Saturday mornings anymore.”

Tim Lovejoy

Part of a memorable double act with Chamberlain, Tim Lovejoy was one of the best-known Soccer AM presenters. He joined the cast in 1996 before leaving in 2007 to focus on the newly-launched Channel Bee.

Lovejoy has remained a prominent presence on weekend TV, though, hosting Something for the Weekend on BBC from 2006 to 2012 alongside chef Simon Rimmer. Since then, he and Rimmer have presented Sunday Brunch on Channel 4.

Lovejoy and Chamberlain recently reunited as a duo for their new podcast Soccer A-Z, which also features some of their old Soccer AM colleagues.

Tubes

Real name Peter Dale, Tubes worked on the show as an assistant producer but shot to fame for his comedic timing and facial expressions. His most memorable segment saw him “ask one question and one question only” to celebrity guests, accompanied by ridiculous raps. He was one of the cast members during the show’s final season.

In 2018, Tubes revealed he had suffered a major heart attack, aged 36, and has also spoken candidly about his battle with alcoholism. He has launched his successful YouTube channel Golf Life, playing rounds with loads of famous faces including Premier League stars.

Speaking about his heart attack in 2018, Tubes revealed he had played football earlier that day. “I was really slow. It felt like I had a hangover again. I was plodding along, my legs were dead. Luckily he took me off, because I could have had the heart attack on the pitch,” he said.

After feeling his condition worsen at home, Tubes managed to contact his mum and was rushed to hospital. “If it happened two years ago when I was drinking and smoking loads they said I’d have died on the spot, because it was a major heart attack,” he said. “I couldn’t believe the support I got from the general public, friends and football clubs. If you have any family history of heart attacks or heart problems, please go and get it checked out.”

Rocket

Rocket, real name James Long, joined Soccer AM as a 15-year-old on work experience before becoming a producer. However, like Tubes, Rocket soon became a comedy character in his own right.

He left the show in 2017, earning jobs with JOE, Snack Media and Mola TV. However, Rocket is now helping fans relive the glory days with the new YouTube channel Soccer PM.

“The show’s been off air for a whole season now. And I think a lot of fans, especially myself, missed it. I left when Helen left. So that was about seven years ago. But I just feel like there’s a void in our lives on a Saturday morning,” he told talkSPORT.

“So the plan is to interview old Soccer AM crew members, presenters, guests, regular guests that were on the show, maybe chat to some old Soccerettes that have gone on to be CEOs of companies or fans of the week that have got a funny story to tell about their time on the show. So it’s just a trip down memory lane, a bit of nostalgia and ultimately a bit of fun.”

Baby Elvis

Baby Elvis helped supply the show with many of its sketches, including Dany Dyer rip-off Frankie Fryer. The character was played by Adam Smith, who has become a recognisable Sky Sports presenter since leaving Soccer AM in 2015.

Smith is currently the host of the Inside the Industry: Unfiltered podcast and has also worked for talkSPORT, as well as presenting the official England podcast at Euro 2020. Having previously revealed his own struggles in 2021, the Soccer AM alumnus also hosts Under the Surface, a podcast with mental health charity Campaign Against Living Miserably.

Robbie Knox

Nicknamed ‘Tramp’, Knox was serenaded every time he appeared on screen after the producer became an on-screen presence. Knox joined Soccer AM in 2000 but left in 2007, the same time as Lovejoy.

Since then, he started his Dry Lunch production company and has become a content creator. His YouTube channel has 127k subscribers and he hosts the Moon Under Water podcast, as well as co-hosting JaackMaate’s Happy Hour podcast.

Max Rushden

Max Rushden was hired as a presenter in 2008, following Andy Goldstein’s season-long stint after Lovejoy’s departure. Despite some viewers pining for Lovejoy to return, the Cambridge United fan was popular with fans and remained on the Soccer AM sofa until 2015.

He currently hosts a talkSPORT show alongside Barry Glendenning, who he also works with as host of the Guardian’s Football Weekly podcast after replacing James Richardson. In 2021, Rushden moved to Australia with his wife and presents football coverage for Australian broadcaster Stan Sports.

Lisa Hebden

The former Soccer AM star was best known for her Cheryl Mole character and won the show’s dance-off competition before leaving in 2017.

After a decade of working on Soccer AM, she is currently a senior production manager at Gravity Media.