Ian Wright opens up on his ’emotional’ exit from Match of the Day as the Arsenal legend explains why he decided to step back from the BBC highlights show

Ian Wright has revealed why he decided to leave Match of the Day after his emotional final performance.

The Arsenal legend made his final appearance on the famous BBC highlights show on the final day of the Premier League season after announcing in December that he would be stepping back from his pundit role.

He made his debut on the show as a player in 1997, before becoming a regular pundit after his retirement five years later.

The 60-year-old has opened up on his emotional final episode and revealed why he decided to leave the show after more than two decades.

Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky bet, Wright said, ‘It’s time. I had a dear friend who said that sometimes you just have to know when to step back, change, rest, take a break and say no, it’s just time.

Wright appeared emotional as he made his final appearance as a pundit on Sunday’s show

‘As I am now, because I have to go back to London [after filming] it’s just half past three in the morning – it’s a long day. I leave at 8:00 in the morning and will be back around midnight.

‘I don’t want to stay in Manchester. I used to, but there are personal reasons why I always want to go home (after filming).

‘Especially when you’re on Match of the Day you’re live and I’ve had a big problem before with people knowing where you are, so I always want to get back home to the teachers and the girls.

“It only takes me two to three days to prepare after that and there are other things I do that sometimes I just don’t have the energy for.

‘I’m getting older, I just want to make sure I use the time well and efficiently for myself and at the moment Match of the Day is the one that if something had to be done, it had to be that.’

Wright’s final appearance on the show coincided with the end of the Premier League season and the title race between Manchester City and Arsenal.

The former Arsenal striker had hoped to sign off as the Gunners won their first title in 20 years, but Pep Guardiola’s side sealed their fourth successive title with a 3-1 victory over one of his former sides, West Ham.

He admitted Arsenal’s failure to win the title “dampened the day a bit” but he became “increasingly emotional” as he said goodbye to those he had worked with during the highlights show.

Wright said that as he gets older he wants to use time well and efficiently before saying “if something had to go” it was Match of the Day

Wright made his first appearance on the show alongside then presenter Des Lynam in 1997

Wright’s first appearance in the iconic show saw him share the stage with Trevor Brooking

He said, ‘I didn’t do that Realized it would affect me as much as it did then, but with Arsenal losing and Manchester City scoring so early, it dampened the day a bit.

“As the day progressed and you entered the studio, you spend the day saying goodbye to people you’ve been seeing for years: runners who are now producers and people in the gallery.

‘So it all built up, I became more and more emotional. While I was doing the show you were in show mode, then the grandkids came and that finished me off.

“All my grandchildren are Manchester City fans, my granddaughter was trolling me, she said: ‘Well done grandpa, but City are the best’.”

Wright delivered emotional final words to host Gary Lineker and fellow pundit Alan Shearer in his final episode, as he said the show meant ‘the world to me’.

Wright was presented with a special cap to mark his time working on the highlights show

Fellow pundit Alan Shearer paid tribute to Wright and said he will be missed on the show

He said to his colleagues: ‘I’m going to miss you, I really do.

‘This has been the best for me. Match of the Day means the whole world to me, you don’t even know it.

“That’s why I got my eight, nine, 10 (tattoos), my two boys that I love so much, on them – people make fun of me, but I love you man.”

Shearer responded by saying: “We’ll miss you on Saturday”, while Lineker praised Wright’s contribution to the show.

Former England captain Lineker told Wright: “It has been an absolute pleasure and pleasure to work with you for so long and you are a breath of fresh air – you always have been.”

Ian Wright spoke on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky bet.