Sky Sports News executive editor Andy Cairns is stepping down this summer after 30 years with the broadcaster.
Cairns began at Sky News as a sports editor in 1989 and was part of the team that launched Sky Sports News in 1998.
The organisation said this week he had “helped to build Sky Sports News from a standing start to becoming synonymous with breaking news in sport”.
Cairns said in a statement that he has decided to step aside from Sky after becoming a grandfather and gaining a “totally different perspective” on life. He said he wants to spend more time with his family.
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“When I started working at Sky News covering the sport in 1989 I never thought I would be so fortunate to do what I’ve done for 30 years,” he said.
“I’ve worked with some incredibly talented people, Sky has been a wonderful platform to make things happen and I’ve loved every minute of it.
“I remember the early days of covering England’s run to the semi-finals in Italia ’90, through to launching Sky Sports News, a channel and team that has covered countless major sporting stories with grit and determination to tell those stories accurately and quickly.
“We’ve also made great strides in our commitment to diversity across the newsroom.
“The way sport is covered by the media has changed beyond all recognition in the 20 years since Sky Sports News began, I feel a great privilege to have been part of that change. Now it’s time for the next generation to grab the baton and change to make it even better for our viewers.”
Before joining Sky, Cairns started his career in newspapers in Surrey and South London before joining BBC East and then BBC News as a producer.
Alongside his work at Sky, Cairns has also been on the accreditation board of the National Council for the Training of Journalists since 2010, before also becoming a director and trustee in 2016.
Sky Sports managing director Barney Francis said: “Andy has been right at the heart of Sky’s story for more than 30 years, proving to be a pillar of strength and integrity.
“He was a founding partner in the crazy idea back in 1998 to create a rolling sports new channel, no one gave it a hope and more than 20 years later it continues to prove them wrong.
“Andy’s legacy is bringing his razor-sharp news sense and journalistic standards from Sky News to bear on sport and creating something that has captivated millions. He has worked diligently to bring greater diversity on and off screen, something Sky Sports News should be rightly proud of.
“We wish him all the best, Sky Sports would not be what it is today without him.”
Picture: Sky
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