One of the LEC’s most prominent faces is stepping back from the broadcast this summer

A popular member of the LEC broadcast team is taking a much-needed break for the 2023 Summer Split.

Eefje “Sjokz” Depoortere has made the tough decision to step back from her role as a host for the European League of Legends league this summer to focus on her mental health and avoid possible burnout, she announced today. The 35-year-old will instead be resting up to return stronger for the second half of the year as a broadcast talent for both League and Counter-Strike events.

The talented host explained that although she has worked tirelessly throughout her career, she recently “tried to get lost in work” in the aftermath of some tragedies in her family. Sjokz quickly realized that this was unsustainable, however, and will instead be taking some time for her and her loved ones after recognizing the telltale signs of burnout.

Many different content creators suffer burnout throughout their careers after dedicating so many hours to honing their craft and working on the product they’ve become synonymous with. Sjokz has always been one of the most consistent broadcast talents in the esports scene and has even branched out into other titles as a result.

During the 2023 Mid-Season Invitational, for example, she apparently ran on three hours of sleep a night, which is a very hectic pace and schedule that many broadcast members face during major tournaments that require a ton of preparation and practice.

“As a freelancer, taking any time off at all is anxiety inducing and deciding to step back from the league I love, that I’ve worked with for nearly a decade is especially difficult,” she said in her statement. “Riot, in particular producer John and talent manager Nicole, have been very understanding and empowering in supporting my decision of putting my health first, as have my managers Kate and Yoni at Loaded.”

The 2023 LEC Summer Split is scheduled to start on Saturday, June 17.

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