Rachel Riley has proved hugely popular on Countdown and some of her other TV ventures, but she was stepping into the unknown with her move to Friday Night Football.
The presenter, who was joined on her debut by experienced faces like Jeff Stelling and Jamie Carragher, has seen her move to a regular sports slot met with plenty of approval.
Sure, some were worried her support for Manchester United might be an issue, but that was just a minority of people.
Riley seemed excited enough to be getting things underway ahead of United’s Premier League meeting with Southampton at Old Trafford.
It’s game day!!! #FNF @SkySports 6.30pm bring it on! pic.twitter.com/hsrVrEFnrD
— Rachel Riley MBE 💙 (@RachelRileyRR) August 19, 2016
There may have been just one Friday night Premier League kick-off throughout last season – with United winning at Villa Park through an Adnan Januzaj goal – but we’ll get to see plenty more this season.
That means more Riley, and she seems to have left a good early impression on viewers.
https://twitter.com/TommyEv3192/status/766706356174917632
Rachel Riley making football just that little bit better
— El (@EllisDavies) August 19, 2016
RachelRiley😍😍
— Sahel (@Sahel99_) August 19, 2016
Premiership footy AND Rachel Riley…..If Carlsberg did Friday nights…… !!! 🙂 #FPL
— Brooky (@Brookyboy1970) August 19, 2016
https://twitter.com/CamStephen/status/766706169033420800
Riley aside, though, some felt as though there was a need to iron out a few kinks in the format.
Oh my God it's SO cringe it hurts #FNF
— Tom Mortimer (@TomaszMortimer) August 19, 2016
Why start the show 90 mins before kick-off if you're going to fill it with… this?! #FNF
— Lauren 🐝 (@fateiskind) August 19, 2016
https://twitter.com/Billie_T/status/766702358881591297
#FNF give it BT till end of the season
— Craig (@CraigEnglish92) August 19, 2016
That’s pretty understandable for the first show in a new series, so we’ll forgive Sky for the time being and see if they take note for the rest of the 2016/17 campaign.
For now, we’re just enjoying the fact that there’s Premier League football on a Friday night.
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