Joy Taylor has finally spoken out on her Fox Sports split one week after it was revealed the network axed her weekday show.
The host’s nine-year stint at Fox came to an abrupt end after the network reportedly failed to renew her contract four months after she found herself embroiled in a bombshell sex lawsuit.
Now, the 38-year-old has been left questioning her future in sports media as she addressed her Fox exit for the first time.
Although Taylor expressed gratitude for the opportunities she’s had a female panelist in sports media, she suggested that the events of the past year have left her feeling jaded towards the industry.
‘Overall, like the saying ‘it doesn’t feel like work when you’re doing something that you actually enjoy.’ I think what happened to me this year took that away from me,’ Taylor said on The Ringer’s Higher Learning.
‘I don’t know if I’ll get that back. I might — and maybe like when the callous forms over the wound and you get away from things you it doesn’t feel, like the tremors go away, so we’re not there yet — but right now, it doesn’t feel that way. It doesn’t feel exciting.
Joy Taylor has finally spoken out on her Fox Sports split one week after it was revealed
The network cut three shows, including ‘Speak,’ which is hosted by Taylor, last week
‘Like the big dreams seem like ‘I’m going to do it but I’m not as excited about it.’ And that’s kind of s*itty ’cause this has been a lot of work and a lot of passion. But it’s been something that I think has come naturally to me because I enjoy it… but the building the work of it all, it doesn’t feel the same. Like the dream now is to just disappear.’
Although her Fox Sports exit is still relatively fresh, Taylor hinted that she had already begun to consider the future of her career before last week’s shock news.
‘I don’t want to be 70 with a mic,’ she said. ‘I want to build things for other people to have spaces… not being front-facing allows you the space to still create, but not have this responsibility. And this comes with a lot responsibility, especially if you’re somebody like me. And not to toot my horn, but in a lot ways, I am the only me. And that’s a lonely experience… there’s not a lot comps, if any, to what I do in the space that I’m in.’
Earlier this month, Fox Sports reportedly slashed its weekday lineup with a trio of shows axed, including ‘Speak’ which was hosted by Taylor.
The former sports host had worked on a number of different shows in her nine-year stint with Fox, yet the company has decided not to renew her expiring contract this summer – just months after she found herself embroiled in a bombshell sex lawsuit .
The network shortly announced a new deal with Barstool Sports and founder Dave Portnoy, while Kay Adams was rumored to be a leading contender to fill the void left at Fox.
The decision from Fox came in the wake of lawsuit brought by former FS1 hairstylist Noushin Faraji, who listed Taylor as a defendant as well as top programming executive Charlie Dixon and Skip Bayless.
Taylor was accused of using sexual relationships with colleagues , including Dixon and former co-host Emmanuel Acho, to further her career in the lawsuit filed by the ex-employee.
Taylor’s contract has not been renewed by Fox, meaning she is leaving after almost a decade
The 38-year-old was also alleged to have told Faraji to ‘get over it’ when she confided in her about claims she was sexually assaulted by Dixon.
Taylor has denied all allegations.
In addition to ‘Speak,’ Fox has reportedly decided to cancel two of its morning programs, ‘Breakfast Ball’ and ‘The Facility’.
All three shows, which were overseen by Dixon, are said to have struggled to find a huge audience, bring them to an abrupt end.
Fox fired Dixon in April, while Acho was a casualty of the recent axing with his show, ‘The Facility’, which only debuted last September, also slashed.
More to follow.
