BBC Sportscene fans left disappointed as Amy Irons steps down from presenting

For Scottish football fans, BBC Sportscene is an integral part of the footballing weekend. Unfortunately, since the rise of YouTube and other platforms that feature Scottish football highlights, the audience numbers have dwindled. However, it hasn't been a big enough impact for the BBC to consider dropping the show. Sportscene consists of a well-run and tightly knit crew of presenters, and Amy Irons was a crucial part of this. Given that she has presented plenty of other sporting shows and has featured on national radio shows in the United Kingdom, it's unclear what her next move is, but she won't be short of offers either.

Sportscene - A constant in Scottish football

BBC Sportscene is a quintessential piece of Scottish sporting media. You may not know this, but it isn't just one programme or sport. In times gone by, Sportscene has featured rugby specials, horse racing specials and live score broadcasting, similar to Football Focus on the English BBC. Amy's father, Davie, was a professional footballer in the 1990s. Before the internet, programmes such as Sportscene and Football Focus were vital tools for gamblers who wanted to check the status of their sports bets. The last 10 or 15 minutes provided crucial statistics and live updates for those who had an accumulator that only needed a goal or two to become a success. These days, this whole process has been streamlined, and you can check the live scores on different football betting sites, taking advantage of features that were previously unavailable to gamblers, where some companies offer modern features such as the cashout option.

Davie Irons - A proud father

Amy has credited her father with helping her achieve her dreams and establish a career in the media. Davie is a renowned name in Scottish football and has played or managed over a dozen teams in Scotland and England, including St Johnstone and Carlisle. It is a tough industry to break into and just as tough to keep yourself relevant and in demand. As we have already touched on, due to the rise of the internet, how people interact with media and the programmes they watch seem to be changing all the time. Although Amy was a solid presenter at Sportscene, she also enjoyed DJing at Capital Scotland and has featured on several different broadcasters so far in her career. Even though Sportscene still enjoys good viewing figures in Scotland, other shows on the radio and television have taken noticeable hits. This is because generations have grown up without watching television and instead watch highlights on social media sites such as YouTube. This will only grow as future generations rely more on mobile phones and iPads and less on television.

What's next for Sportscene?

BBC Sportscene has a deep selection of presenters to choose from, and although fans will be disappointed at Amy's departure, they'll likely be excited to see who comes in to replace her too. As traditional media continues to place less importance on our lives, Sportscene is considering ways to stay relevant. You can keep up to date online and via the iPlayer, the primary and most popular method people use to watch BBC content. This applies to other flagship BBC sports shows, such as Match of the Day, which features highlights of the English Premier League. Although it remains more popular than Sportscene, it appeals to a broader market. It is unlikely we will see it disappear from our screens, at least not immediately. Too many people rely on it to watch Scottish sporting highlights and to hear the opinions of pundits and ex-players. Since Sportscene has entertained Scottish football and sports fans for over half a century, one presenter leaving the show won't start a mutiny. However, fans are still disappointed by Amy's choice to leave.

What's next for Amy?

Amy has plenty of options, and leaving Sportscene is a decision she wouldn't have taken lightly. As she has appeared on many other radio stations and broadcasts, both sports and otherwise, she likely already has another show or project lined up. Presenters will flit between shows in today's day and age. Considering that media is all-consuming, and we receive news updates almost instantly on social media and YouTube, it is vital that presenters are also flexible and can freelance their way between opportunities. She is still young and has much of her career ahead of her, so maybe she is taking this time to reassess what direction she would like to take with her presenting career or whether she would prefer to move towards other niches of presenting, such as alternative media. Amy will likely keep her options open and work across other sectors of the BBC, in Scotland and England. Being able to adapt across different types of multimedia presenting is a critical tool for today's presenters, and putting yourself into one box could spell trouble, especially if it is in traditional media where numbers continue to dwindle.

Conclusion

The idea that television will just completely disappear is naive. The average age of people who watch television gets older, and the population continues to age. Therefore, there will still be a section of the population, which is in the millions, who will tune in to watch their favourite television shows. For many Scottish football fans, Sportscene is that show. Television remains the best way to watch sports with friends and family for massive sporting events. You only need to look at the viewing figures from the last World Cup to see that television still has plenty of life. Although Sportscene fans will be disappointed and deflated by Amy's decision to leave, the show must go on, as they say. Sportscene will continue to provide coverage for sports fans all over Scotland, and it feels as though we will see or hear Amy on our televisions or radios very soon. Given that she is active on social media, she will likely reveal her next move on her Instagram page, so it might be a good idea to follow her there if you're looking for the latest news about what she's choosing to do next.