Skip Bayless returns to ESPN’s “First Take,” but only for a very limited time.
Bayless will join Stephen A. Smith on Friday's episode of the popular sports talk show in what the network describes as “a unique reunion” between the two men who haven't hosted the show together in nearly 10 years.
Bayless appeared on “First Take” from the show's inception in 2007 until she left ESPN in 2016. Smith remained on “First Take,” which she currently hosts with Shae Cornette.
It was Smith's idea to bring Bayless back as a special guest, according to a person familiar with the situation but not authorized to discuss it publicly.
After leaving ESPN, Bayless joined Fox Sports, where he co-hosted the similarly formatted show “Undisputed,” much of the time with co-host Shannon Sharpe, from 2016 to 2024. He currently hosts a podcast, “The Skip Bayless Show,” and is a regular contributor to the digital sports show “The Arena: Gridiron,” starring Gilbert Arenas.
In 2024, Smith addressed rumors that Bayless would possibly rejoin “First Take.”
“Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith, together as partners, working opposite each other on a talk show, it's over,” Smith said on his podcast. “It's over. And this isn't the first time I've said it. There's no negativity or shade cast on Skip Bayless. I've moved on.”
