{"id":299619,"date":"2023-12-17T10:24:19","date_gmt":"2023-12-17T10:24:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/?p=299619"},"modified":"2023-12-17T10:24:19","modified_gmt":"2023-12-17T10:24:19","slug":"ian-wright-to-leave-match-of-the-day-at-end-of-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/soccer\/ian-wright-to-leave-match-of-the-day-at-end-of-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Ian Wright to leave Match of the Day at end of season"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n
Former England striker Ian Wright has announced he is to leave Match of the Day at the end of the current season.<\/p>\n
The 60-year-old pundit has revealed his decision to step back from \u201cthe most iconic football show in the world\u201d to \u201cdo a few more different things with my Saturdays\u201d.<\/p>\n
Wright said on his official X \u2013 formerly Twitter \u2013 account: \u201cAfter my debut show whilst still a player in 1997 and many more memorable years, I\u2019ll be stepping back from BBC MOTD at the end of this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel very privileged to have had such an incredible run on the most iconic football show in the world.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m stepping back having made great friends and many great memories. This decision has been coming for a while \u2013 maybe my birthday earlier this year fast-tracked it a little \u2013 but ultimately it\u2019s time to do a few more different things with my Saturdays.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really looking forward to my last months on the show and covering what will hopefully be an amazing Premier League title race.\u201d<\/p>\n
I feel very privileged to have had such an incredible run on the most iconic football show in the world<\/p>\n
Wright first appeared on the BBC show in 1997 during his distinguished playing days at Arsenal and became a regular in 2002 two years after his retirement from the game.<\/p>\n
On his first appearance, he told presenter Des Lynam the programme was his \u201cGraceland\u201d, and his enduring passion for football has been abundantly clear since.<\/p>\n