RACHEL Riley has called time on her TV stint co-presenting football on Sky Sports.

The 31-year-old Countdown presenter from Thorpe Bay has decided not to renew a one-year contract she had with Sky Sports hosting Friday Night Football alongside Jeff Stelling.

It comes amid fears that abusive messages sent to the keen Manchester United fan following comments she made about Tottenham Hotspur drove her to standing down.

The former Southend High School for Girls pupil laid into Spurs’s performance in their 1-0 defeat last season to West Ham, saying live on air: “It’s deja vu for Spurs isn’t it, a proper bottle job.”

However, Sky Sports denied the comments were linked in any way to her departure, but confirmed she will not be hosting alongside Mr Stelling.

Her comments came as the North London club had spent the majority of the previous season in second place chasing champions-to-be Leicester City, eventually finishing third behind north rivals Arsenal.

A Sky Sports source told the Echo that she had already considered not renewing her contract before the Spurs game was played.

He said: “We welcome Rachel’s decision and wish her very well for the future.”

He added that the decision was made “amicably” and he has not ruled out Rachel working with Sky on future projects.

Speaking following the game in May, Rachel defended herself and insisted she did not intend to offend Spurs fans with her comments.

This prompted abusive message on social media to appear, questioning her presenting skills.

She tweeted: “Didn’t mean any offence to Spurs or their fans tonight just a surprise to slip v West Ham with their form on paper. Personal abuse is hideous.

“I love football, always have, always will, banter is fun, abuse is not.”

After getting the Sky Sports presenting gig, her dad, Chris , said she had picked up his love of the beautiful game.

He said: “I am the reason she supports Manchester United. I am a season ticket holder as I am from Salford - near Manchester - originally.

“She heard she had got the shows a couple of weeks ago, although she was aware that it was being talked about before then.

“She was over the moon. It really is her dream job.”

After leaving south Essex having gained four As at A-Level, Rachel went on to study maths at Oriel College, Oxford, and coming out with an upper second-class honours degree.

In 2009 she was handed the role of Countdown co-host, replacing Carol Vorderman on the popular teatime Channel 4 show, along with its comedy spin off Eight out of 10 Cats Does Countdown.

Rachel spent a year hosting the Gadget Show on Channel 5, before going on to pen a one-year deal presenting Friday Night Football alongside Mr Stelling.