Countdown star Rachel Riley is joining Sky Sports. The 30-year-old mathematics expert will be swapping consonants and vowels for the football pitch, fronting two shows as part of Sky’s “biggest ever season of Premier League football”.


Riley will be reuniting with former Countdown host Jeff Stelling, who was at the helm of the daytime puzzle show when she joined in 2009, for Friday Night Football, which she’ll co-host with the 61-year-old. Friday Night Football will see Sky Sports show up to ten live matches on Friday evenings for the first time.

She’ll also present The Fantasy Football Club alongside Max Rushden and Paul Merson, which will also air on Fridays and see “Premier League legends give their predictions for the weekend’s matches.”

Sky Sports also welcomes the return of Gary Neville. The former Manchester United star had left his role with Sky to move into management but he’s now rejoining as an expert analyst and commentator, and will appear alongside Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher, Jamie Redknapp and Graeme Souness.


“I am delighted to be rejoining Sky Sports and can’t wait for the start of the new football season, especially as there will be a variety of new programming on the channel,” said the 41-year-old. “It is important for me that my role will be slightly different, and I am looking forward to the challenge of working on some new, creative and exciting projects.”