Walid Al-Faraj’s return to television began with an unintended reminder of his previous programme, after the Saudi sports presenter referred to his new show by its former title during its opening moments.
While launching Rotana Sport with Walid, Al-Faraj instinctively said “Action with Walid” the name of the programme he presented for many years during his time with MBC Group. He quickly realised his mistake and corrected himself live on air.
Rather than overlook the slip or move straight on to the next section of the programme, Al-Faraj responded with his usual humorous approach. Addressing the mistake, he said: “Forgive us, we haven’t practised yet, and the guys have been waiting for a mistake from early on.”
His comment referred to the programme team and viewers who had been anticipating any early mishap during his first appearance in the new broadcasting venture.
The moment soon circulated among followers on social media and other platforms, particularly because it came at the start of Al-Faraj’s first edition of Rotana Sport with Walid. What could have been an awkward opening instead gave the programme an unexpected light-hearted moment.
The slip was understandable given the length of Al-Faraj’s association with Action with Walid. The programme became a central part of his television identity and an established element of his public image among Saudi football supporters.
That long-running relationship also meant that moving to Rotana Sport with Walid presented Al-Faraj with a fresh challenge. The task was not simply to host a different programme, but also to break habits formed during years of introducing, presenting and promoting the previous show.
His mistake therefore offered a brief illustration of how strongly the former title had become connected with his on-screen presence. Although he corrected the words almost immediately, the reference was enough to attract attention and become one of the defining moments of the new programme’s first appearance.
Al-Faraj’s return to the screen had already been followed closely by Saudi sports audiences, making the opening slip particularly noticeable. The incident also gave viewers an early indication that the transition to the new format would involve a period of adjustment for both the presenter and the production team.
The launch took place amid wider discussion around Saudi football coverage. A separate item referenced in connection with the programme saw Al-Qahtani criticise Al Ahli, describing their celebration as excessive and saying Al-Diriyah had been better.
The article also promoted tickets for matches in the Roshn Saudi League.
For Al-Faraj, however, the main talking point from the opening broadcast was his unplanned return to the name of the programme he had left behind. His on-air correction marked the beginning of a new chapter, while also showing that the previous one had not yet completely disappeared from his television instincts.
