FS1’s “Undisputed” will have a new panelist, Rachel Nichols, who will co-host, along with Skip Bayless. She is the latest to join as a panelist, alongside former NFL cornerback Richard Sherman and rapper Lil Wayne, who will replace the full-time panelist Shannon Sharpe, who quit the show in June.
Sharpe’s relationship with Bayless took a downturn on air due to contentious arguments and personal attacks while debating the day’s sports topics. Instead of a single co-host, Bayless will now have a rotating cast, and the network is also considering hiring Michael Irvin or Keyshawn Johnson.
Nichols worked at ESPN and CNN/Turner Sports for many years. She initially joined ESPN in 2004 as a reporter covering NFL and NBA and later CNN/Turner Sports as a news contributor, where she also covered TNT’s NBA and Turner’s NCAA tournaments.
Rachel later returned to ESPN in 2016 as a host for “The Jump,” an NBA show on weekday afternoons, where she was the lead voice until a 2021 New York Times report revealed leaked audio of her comments which suggested that Maria Taylor, her then-colleague was promoted as a part of a diversity effort as Maria is African-American.
Following this, she settled with ESPN and started working as a host on Showtime and as a contributor to CNN.
Now, she returns to the spotlight, as host of one of the most popular sports talk shows on TV.
