Cowan was also a guest presenter for STV's overnight interactive strand The Nightshift and rejoined the station on 20 September 2011 as a main co-presenter for the lifestyle magazine show The Hour, alongside Michelle McManus.
Cowan was temporarily dropped from Off the Ball in 2013 for sexist remarks made about women's football in his Daily Record column.
Cowan criticised Bartley after he had spoken out about alleged racist abuse of Jair Tavares during a match against Dundee United in October 2022.
In the same social media post, Bartley insinuated that Cowan also had a problem with his partner, Sky Sports presenter, Eilidh Barbour.
Cowan had been critical of Barbour after the presenter had voiced their disgust over sexist and racist comments made by a speaker at the Scottish Football Writers' Association awards in 2021.