Ian Wright announces he will be ‘stepping back’ from BBC’s Match of the Day at the end of the season, revealing he feels ‘very privileged’ by his run on the iconic highlights show
- Ian Wright will quit BBC's Match of the Day at the end of the season
- The Arsenal legend is looking forward to doing other things on his Saturdays
- Do Man United have what it takes to exploit Liverpool's defensive vulnerability? It all starts
Ian Wright has announced on social media that he will be 'stepping back' from BBC's iconic Match of the Day program at the end of the current season.
Wright made his debut on the highlights show while still a player in 1997, and became a regular pundit five years later after retiring from football in 2000.
The Arsenal legend wrote on I feel very privileged to have delivered such an incredible performance on the most iconic football show in the world.”
The 60-year-old pundit, who earned 33 caps for England, then explained his love for the show and made his first appearance as a Gunners player.
Wright said: “Anyone who knows my story knows how much the show has meant to me since I was a young boy. MOTD is my holy grail. At my very first show I said to Des Lynam, “This is my Graceland.” It will always be my Graceland and I will always be watching.”
Ian Wright has announced he will be stepping back from BBC's Match of the Day next year
Wright posted on social media to explain how MOTD was his 'Graceland' growing up
Wright made his first appearance on the show alongside then presenter Des Lynam in 1997
He was half of the show's first father-and-son expert team, along with Shaun Wright-Phillips
However, the timing of the show means he often works weekends, and this was part of his reason for deciding to leave the show at this time – after seeing what an exciting race at the top and bottom of the show seems to be. Premier League.
He revealed: 'I'm taking a step back and have made some great friends and lots of great memories. This decision has been coming for a while, maybe my birthday earlier this year got in the way a bit, but finally it's time to do a few other things with my Saturdays.
'I'm really looking forward to my final months on the show and reporting on what will hopefully be a great Premier League title race.'
Wright signed his gratitude to Match of the Day with a number of emojis, including a cool guy and a red love heart.
He also shared some footage from his history with the iconic BBC programme, from his early appearances in the 1990s to more recent shots.
Wright was initially a regular on Match of the Day between 2002 and 2008, before leaving the show – only to return to the studio regularly in 2015.
In May he became one half of the first father-and-son expert team in Match of the Day's illustrious history when he appeared alongside Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Filip Bernie, the head of BBC Sport Content, said: 'Ian has been a great star player on MOTD since his first appearance over twenty years ago. His insight, humor and warmth richly entertained and informed all who watched him.
Wright's first appearance in the iconic show saw him share the stage with Trevor Brooking
Gary Lineker currently hosts, while Wright often appears alongside fellow regular expert Alan Shearer
Wright was a regular Match of the Day pundit between 2002 and 2008, and again from 2015
“We will miss his unique style and presence when he leaves at the end of this season, but we will certainly give him the farewell he deserves.”
More to follow…
