‘I want Skip to succeed’ insists Shannon Sharpe in classy message to former Undisputed co-star who is about to leave the show

ESPN star Shannon Sharpe sent her best wishes to former colleague Skip Bayless.

The TV personalities co-hosted Undisputed for seven years until an on-air fight ruined their relationship.

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Sharpe, 56, joined ESPN from Fox last year after the 2022 spat, and has a recurring role on First Take.

Bayless, 72, announced he is leaving FS1 amid reports that his contract would not be extended, which could end his broadcasting career.

But despite the fight, Sharpe shared some kind words.

“I want Skip to win. I wanted Skip to be successful and Undisputed,” he said in his YouTube show, Nightcap.

“And just because I’m not there doesn’t mean I don’t want him to succeed.

“I just realized that he and I couldn’t be successful at the same table.

“I’m not jealous of anyone, I’ve never been jealous of anyone. That’s not how I operate.

“I don’t know what Skip is going to do. I wish you the best.”

First Take co-host Stephen A. Smith, who was tipped to take over Undisputed while his contract negotiations with ESPN progressed, also gave his opinion on Bayless.

“As the reports said, they had some difficulties qualifying. I’m not going to get into that,” Smith said on his podcast.

“I’m not going to play that game. Skip Bayless and I haven’t spoken in a long time.

“He’s on that side of the fence, I’m on this side of the fence.

“But as I have said on many occasions… I do not root against my colleagues and contemporaries, much less against my friends.

“Being on First Take and wanting to be No. 1 doesn’t mean I want Skip Bayless to fail, it doesn’t mean I want to see him out of the business.”

Sports writer Dan Le Batard thinks this could be the end of the polarizing analyst’s career.

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Skip Bayless sent shockwaves through the sports media when he announced he was leaving the FS1 Undisputed program after eight years.

“What’s the next step for him? I ask with genuine curiosity,” Le Batard said on Monday’s episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz.

“I know a lot of people will hear this and think because I blame him and Stephen A. [Smith] for making the sports debate more corrosive than necessary and dehumanizing to the athlete than necessary, that people will think I’m enjoying the end of Skip Bayless’ career.

“For me, I feel sad for someone who dedicated his life — every exercise, the work is the most important thing.

“Every meal is just focused on how he gets attention, everything seems to be over and I imagine this will be very difficult for him.

“I haven’t heard from him publicly. I don’t know what the next step will be.”