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      Alan Shearer writes touching message to Ian Wright over MOTD exit and reveals how Saturdays will now be very different

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      ALAN SHEARER issued a heartfelt message to fellow football legend Ian Wright after the Arsenal great announced he will be stepping down from Match of the Day.Wright announced on Sunday that he will be quitting the BBC show at the end of the season.
      Alan Shearer issued a heartfelt message to legendary Match of the Day co-host Ian WrightCredit: Getty
      Arsenal legend Wright announced he will leave Match of the Day at the end of the seasonCredit: Getty
      Shearer praised his longtime partner on the hit football show, where they formed a stunning team alongside host Gary Lineker for many years.
      And the Newcastle legend insists Saturdays will no longer be the same without the 60-year-old.
      That is because they will be “much, much quieter” without the ex-England international’s lively character and signature laugh.
      Shearer wrote on The Athletic: “[Wednesday] I picked him up from the airport, we had breakfast at his hotel and then I met him again in the pub a few hours later.
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      “It was only afterwards that I appreciated how much I’d been looking forward to it and perhaps this, ultimately, is the best compliment I can pay my longstanding colleague on Match of the Day.
      “Wrighty, if you’re reading this, you make life a joy. It was over the course of his trip that he told me he’d be stepping back from Match of the Day come the end of the season.
      “We’ll still work together on the Premier League, but my Saturdays certainly won’t be the same. For a start, they will be much, much quieter.”
      Wright first appeared on the show while still a player at Arsenal in 1997, later returning for further stints between 2002-2008 and 2015 to the present.
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      Shearer wasn’t the only one who paid tribute to the legendary striker’s contribution on Match of the Day.
      Lineker tweeted: “It has been an absolute pleasure and privilege to work alongside you, Ian. One of my favourite people on the planet. Farewell my friend.”
      Wright stated he is leaving the flagship show after making “great friends and many great memories”.
      The ex-Crystal Palace star suggested he is departing the programme to pursue different projects.
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      Shearer revealed his Saturdays will be ‘much, much quieter’ without WrightCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Wright announced: “I’m stepping back having made great friends and many great memories.
      “This decision has been coming for a while, maybe my birthday earlier this year fast tracked it a little, but ultimately it’s time to do a few more different things with my Saturdays.”
      “I feel very privileged to have had such an incredible run on the most iconic football show in the world.
      “Anyone that knows my story knows how much the show has meant to me since I was young boy. MOTD is my Holy Grail.
      “On my first ever show, I told Des Lynam, ‘This is my Graceland’. It will always be my Graceland and I will always be watching.” More

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      A brutal day in the life of a MOTD pundit with stars ‘unable to keep eyes open after 7pm’ as Ian Wright announces exit

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      THE brutal reality of life as a Match of the Day pundit has been laid bare.And one star admits they “can’t keep their eyes open after 7pm”… despite the show being broadcast live hours later.
      The brutal reality of life as a Match of the Day pundit has been revealedCredit: BBC
      Ian Wright is leaving the show at the end of the seasonCredit: Twitter / @GaryLineker
      A new dawn is coming for the popular BBC highlights show after Ian Wright announced his exit next summer.
      The Arsenal legend is stepping away to spend more time with his family at the weekend, while also pursuing a career in acting.
      And it’s no surprise considering how tough it can be to get the show on the air.
      Match of the Day goes out live on BBC One at 10.25pm on Saturdays.
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      The following day sees Match of the Day 2 go out at 11.05pm.
      And Micah Richards admits it can be a real struggle to get going at that time of night.
      The Premier League title winner with Man City is a regular face on the show.
      Speaking with Match of the Day host Gary Lineker and pundit Alan Shearer on the Rest is Football podcast, Richards revealed the fast-paced nature of the beast.
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      Micah Richards admits pundits are falling asleep by 7pm, with the show broadcast live at 10.25pmCredit: Getty
      With the show being filmed at the Dock10 studios at MediaCityUK in Salford, Lineker and his pals turn up in time for the start of Saturday’s 12.30pm fixture.
      The team stayed glued to the screens for the 3pm kick-offs, and continue into evening for the 5.30pm late game.
      But the hard work only gets started at that point.
      Host Lineker is required to sort out the script and even film a teaser trailer to be shown before the 9pm news.
      The running order of the show is decided as producers scramble to pick between games.
      And pundits like Shearer, Wright and Richards must also sort out the various clips for analysis.
      Match of the Day is then broadcast live to the nation and runs for nearly 90 minutes.
      Richards revealed the process can be exhausting, admitting he’s almost dozing off by the time it’s 7pm.
      But Lineker reckons that although the team are tired before the show goes out, the adrenaline of live TV kicks them all into gear.
      You get to about 7pm and your eyes just start going!Micah Richards
      Richards said: “The energy on MOTD, the logistics, how do you get your energy at 10.30pm at night?
      “I come in the door at 12.30pm and am buzzing, loving all the games, feel on top of the world, wow what a job!
      “How privileged are we to watch every single game, it’s brilliant. But you get to about 7pm and your eyes just start going!
      “But we’ve not finished and we’ve got to do the analysis that keeps your mind ticking over. I start flagging at 9pm, 9.15pm.”
      Lineker then got laughs from Richards and Shearer by responding: “When I’ve watched you, you start flagging at 10pm, 10.45pm!”
      He continued: “You’re right, that period in the evening after the 5.30pm game, 7.30pm onwards, a lot of work happens after.
      “You’re sorting your analysis, I’m fiddling with the script. I write words for the trail.
      “That 8.30pm-9.30pm, 10pm, you do just feel like ‘I want to go to bed, it’s my bedtime’, especially at my age.
      “It’s a very regimented show, sometimes six, seven, eight games, you’ve got to make sure timings are right.
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      “It’s live television, we discuss a few things, but however tired you feel, when that red light goes on…
      “When the game starts and the adrenaline kicks in, you liven up.” More

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      Ian Wright reveals emotional reason he’s leaving Match of the Day and secret tattoo dedicated to love of fellow pundits

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      FOOTIE legend Ian Wright has revealed how he will spend Saturdays now he has quit Match Of The Day.And, perhaps surprisingly, it involves watching a whole load more of the beautiful game.
      Ian Wright and granddaughter, Raphaella Wright-Phillips, who is a talented young footballerCredit: Adidas Football / EUEFA Champion the Girls
      Ian with host Des Lynam and fellow pundit Trevor Brooking on his first Match of the Day appearance in 1997Credit: BBC
      Ian still going strong on MOTD with Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer in 2023Credit: TWITTER/IAN WRIGHT
      The ex-England, Arsenal and Crystal Palace star will round off 26 years as a pundit at the end of the season, confessing his decision was “fast tracked” by turning 60 last month.
      He has opened up for the first time about blowing the final whistle on his TV role, admitting just what it meant to him. And he has also revealed the secret tattoo he designed to honour his show colleagues.
      Looking to the future, Ian — whose granddaughter also has huge footballing talent — said with his trademark laugh: “I’m going to actually watch more football.
      “I’m going to watch my grand-daughter. I’m going to watch a lot more women’s games.
      READ MORE ON IAN WRIGHT
      “I’m going to watch a lot more Arsenal games, just to be there with fans. Go with my son and his missus, be amongst it, just to celebrate when we win or when we lose.
      “It’s been a bit of a realisation that I want to give quality time to them.
      “So that’s what I want. To watch games, spend time with people.”
      When Ian first appeared on Match Of The Day in 1997, during his playing days, he told then presenter Des Lynam the show was his “Graceland”.
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      He became a regular in 2002, two years after retiring from football, before leaving in 2008 and returning in 2015. And that feeling of wonder never left him.
      ‘We bonded tightly’
      Chatting on his Wrighty’s House podcast hours after news of his departure was announced, Ian said: “I don’t want to go too deep into what it means to me, but the music . . . every time I hear the music it takes me back to an unbelievable place when I first remember what Match Of The Day meant to me, when I was allowed to actually be on it.
      “When I was actually good enough to be on it as a regular, it was more than I ever thought it would be.
      “When I first went on, I was winging it. I remember Des Lynam, when he welcomed me on, I said to him, ‘This is my Graceland’.
      “You know, like when people visit Elvis? Match Of The Day was my Graceland. It’s an institution.”
      Ian, a regular alongside Alan Shearer, 53, and host Gary Lineker, 63, revealed his decision to leave “had been coming for a while”.
      Sharing the news on Sunday morning, the prolific goalscorer said: “I feel very privileged to have had such an incredible run on the most iconic football show in the world. I’m stepping back having made great friends and many great memories.
      “This decision has been coming for a while. Maybe my birthday earlier this year fast-tracked it a little but, ultimately, it’s time to do a few more different things with my Saturdays.”
      As part of the job, Wrighty would spend hours each week watching Premier League games. Now he will be taking in Arsenal ladies’ fixtures at Borehamwood, Herts, and matches starring his own brood.
      His granddaughter Raphaella Wright-Phillips, whose father is former Manchester City ace Shaun Wright-Phillips, 42, is a talented young footballer who wowed fans with her skills in a recent viral video.
      And his grandson, D’Margio Wright-Phillips, 22, has played at under-17 level for England and appeared 17 times for Stoke before going on loan to Northampton.
      Dad-of-eight Ian has two younger daughters, Lola and Roxanne, with wife Nancy Hallam, who he married in 2011.
      Ian said: “I’m going to watch my granddaughter. I want to see if I can watch my grandson play as well. He needs a bit more support now. It’s kind of fallen off a little bit for him.
      “So hopefully I can watch him some more, spend a bit more time. I want to take Nance to more games as well because she really makes me laugh when she’s watching the game.
      “She has to do so much on a weekend with the two girls, so I want to be a bit more present on that.”
      Wrighty’s love affair with Match Of The Day began when he was a boy, then deepened as a player.
      But a tough regime at home saw him — and his brother Maurice — banned from watching the show by their stepfather. Ian said: “When we was younger, my stepdad would make me and my brother turn around and face the wall.
      “So we could hear the music, but we weren’t allowed to watch. My brother would hold my ears as I was crying not being able to watch it.”
      He continued: “Then all the players, you all watch it. It’s not that you analyse yourself. I remember my best goal I ever scored was against Everton at Highbury and I couldn’t wait to watch Match Of The Day.
      “Alan Hansen was doing the punditry and he said it was bad defending. I said, ‘For f***s sake Al, you’re taking that off of me?’. I said, ‘Jesus, that came out of nowhere, that goal. It was just pure fluidity’ and he said, ‘Terrible defending’.”
      Ian revealed he has a tattoo tribute to Alan Shearer and Gary Linker, with the inking of 8, 9, 10 representing the numbers of the trio’s old football shirtsCredit: https://www.instagram.com/wrightyofficial/
      Granddaughter Raphaella is the daughter former Manchester City ace Shaun Wright-Phillips
      Ian playing for Arsenal in 1993Credit: Getty
      Even now Ian gets a thrill from appearing on the live TV show, which first aired in August 1964 with Kenneth Wolstenholme as host. Ian said: “When I first got the call for Match Of The Day, it does hit hard, you are nervous.
      “Because people don’t realise it is live. You don’t get much time, you’ve got them in your ear saying, like, ‘ten seconds’, so at the start that would stress me out.
      “When you first sit there and the music kicks in, that’s why I didn’t take offence when someone said I couldn’t string words together. I was trying to find words! But it gets better and better.”
      Ian also gave an insight into the rituals between show regulars. He said: “Gary Lineker had an accident once where they were still talking and didn’t realise it had gone live. So as soon as the music kicks in, he says, ‘Is this for real?’. Every time.”
      It’s not all been goals and trophies though, with Ian quitting the BBC in 2008, claiming he was less of a pundit and more of a “court jester”. He worked away from the channel for seven years before returning in 2015.
      Continuing on the podcast, he said: “They gave me one game — Chelsea v Brentford — and after that people were writing in saying, ‘Where has he been?’ and it turned on its head.
      “You get some really nice messages. Obviously there are some f***ing idiots out there but, in the main, you do get people who send you genuine thanks for that bit of insight.
      “They say, ‘I really like how you guys do it, I love the camaraderie.”
      The relationship between Ian, Gary and Alan has ushered in a golden era for the highlights show.
      And Ian revealed he has a tattoo tribute to his two pals, adding: “I got my 8 9 10 tattoo because it’s my (old Arsenal football shirt) number, it’s Shearer’s number and it’s Gary Lineker’s number.
      “Especially after we’d done Covid, we bonded really tightly in and around that time. We spoke to each other a lot.
      “The other day Gary was vexed because there was some poll, Lineker or Shearer?
      “And I said Shearer. And he said, ‘You said that too quickly for me’. I call him G-Force, and I said, ‘G-force, you know what you mean to me, bro!’.
      “When we played against him, Alan Shearer was living rent free in my head.
      “Now he is a friend. To be able to say we are tight, the family are tight, is incredible. I have to say he’s better than me at golf — which gets on my nerves — but I’m going to miss the guys.” In 2020, Wrighty was named TV/Radio Pundit of the Year by the Football Supporters’ Association.
      Ian, in his Crystal Palace playing days, with sons Bradley, 5, and Shaun, 8Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Best of pals, Gary, Ian and Alan share a jokeCredit: Kieran Clarke/BBC
      England strikers Alan and Ian pictured in 1992Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      In June he was made an OBE for services to football and charity and last month received the Freedom of the City of London.
      Away from football, Wrighty’s TV hosting career has spanned everything from entertainment shows, including Friends Like These and Gladiators, to stints on Celebrity Big Brother, I’m A Celebrity . . . Get Me Out Of Here! and even his own talk show.
      His ITV gameshow Moneyball has just been cancelled after two series. But it sounds like his new packed schedule as a football supporter will keep him busy.
      Read more on The Sun
      Ian added with a laugh: “I feel like I might have to retire from that after a year!”
      MY BEST MOMENT 1IAN and his son, ex- Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips, 42, became the first father-and-son punditry team on MoTD in May this year.
      Ian said: “Being on with Shaun, my little baby, my big little baby.
      “If that was my last show, I could have easily finished with that, nothing can top that.
      “It’s the Holy Grail for me.
      “When he was younger we used to watch it together and now being on together, he’s on there and he’s earned the right to be on there.
      “It’s incredible.”

      MY BEST MOMENT 2IAN saw Gary Lineker’s tears as Leicester City, the team he has supported since he was a boy, winning the Premier League for the first time in 2016.
      Gary later fulfilled a promise to present the show in his pants if the side finished on top. Ian said: “It was a really beautiful moment. Gary got his tissue out and dried his eyes. We left him.
      “Anyone that knows Gary, you’re not used to seeing emotion. So seeing that was a beautiful moment, him disarmed of every- thing other than his pure love for his team.” More

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      Ian Wright teases incredible career change just one day after announcing he is quitting Match of the Day

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      IAN WRIGHT has teased an incredible career change after announcing he will leave Match of The Day.Wright has been a long-term pundit on the show, beginning while he was still a player in 1997.
      Ian Wright is set to step away from our screens on Match of the DayCredit: BBC
      Wright is set to act in a new Netflix filmCredit: Twitter
      He joined as a full-time pundit on the show in 2002 and became an icon on the nation’s screens.
      A disagreement with producers saw him step back between 2008 and 2015 but after returning he became a stalwart on the highlights show.
      On stepping back from the show this time he said he wanted “to do a few more different things with my Saturdays” after turning 60.
      And one of those other things looks to be an acting gig.
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      The legendary Gunner will appear in the new Netflix film called The Kitchen, which comes out on January 19.
      The film is directed by Daniel Kaluuya and Kibwe Tavares and set in a futuristic London.
      It also stars Kano of Topboy fame.
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      Wrighty is seen in the trailer sporting his signature hat and glasses combination.
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      A source said: “Daniel [Kaluuya] is a massive Gooner, and a huge Ian Wright fan. He’s written this incredible thriller, and wanted Ian to appear.
      “So he got in touch, and Ian was delighted — and leapt at the chance.
      “He hasn’t had any acting lessons but after years appearing on Match of the Day — and having recently shot an M&S gig — he’s actually a natural in front of the camera. He has about four scenes.”
      Fans have speculated that he could be set to join the next series of Strictly Come Dancing as one of the big name stars next year.
      Some even went as far as saying he could be the new judge after speculation that Craig Revel Horwood would quit.
      Wright will still be on Match of The Day until the end of this season, and will be hoping that Arsenal’s title push could provide him with the ultimate parting gift. More

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      How Arsenal legend Ian Wright went from untouchable pundit frozen out by BBC and ITV to one of the nation’s favourites

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      IAN WRIGHT has opened up on why he was snubbed for years by the BBC and ITV before making his comeback in 2015. The much-loved pundit quit Match of the Day 15 years ago after falling out with TV bosses.
      Ian Wright made his Match of the Day debut when he was still a playerCredit: TWITTER/IAN WRIGHT
      The Arsenal legend became a regular again on MOTD in 2015Credit: BBC
      But it came after he was axed in 2008 after a disagreement with TV bosses that lasted yearsCredit: Getty
      Wright is again set to step back from screens at the end of this season – but now on far better terms.
      The former England striker announced he is leaving MOTD”to do a few more different things with my Saturdays.”
      Wright made his debut on the iconic highlights show in 1997, while he was still playing in the Premier League with Arsenal at the time.
      After retiring three years later, he began working as a regular pundit in 2002.
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      He lasted on Match of the Day for six years before being axed and frozen out by the BBC following a dispute with chiefs.
      The Gunners and Crystal Palace legend was unhappy as he thought he was only being used for comedy purposes to stop tensions arising between fellow pundits.
      Wright said at the time: “I feel like I am just there as a comedy jester to break the ice with Alan Shearer and Alan Hansen, who just do run-of-the-mill things.
      “I can’t do that any more. People want something different.”
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      Ian Wright making his first Match of the Day appearance with Des Lynam and Trevor Brooking
      Wright has become a much-loved part of the showCredit: BBC
      Wright has now lifted the lid on his 2008 departure from the BBC as he spoke to his Wrighty’s House podcast.
      He said: “There was a time I wasn’t on the BBC for about nine years, they weren’t happy with a column I’d done about punditry and where it should be going, how it feels a bit sterile.
      “And the fact that I said I feel like I’m on the end and I’m being like a court jester, I come in for the light comic relief.
      “I said I’ve got more to offer.
      “I remember being off the BBC for about nine years and I couldn’t get nothing at ITV because the guy that got rid of me on the BBC went to ITV.
      “It’s funny because the guy I’m talking about Niall Sloan, he is like in the television world a father to me in terms of how he explains things to me, how he wants me to be.
      “We’re very tight now. But I couldn’t get on any television.”
      Desperate to continue his role in the media, the 1998 Premier League winner with Arsenal embarked on a career in radio and it ended up being the start of his comeback journey to tele.
      It led to him getting the job as host of a documentary about Laurie Cunningham, who was a pioneer for black footballers.
      Wright explained: “This is where Absolute Radio came in and everyone down there almost saved me, made me fall back in love with doing it.
      “To get back onside with Sloan from ITV, he wanted to do a documentary about Cunningham and the people doing it said: ‘We can’t do a documentary without me speaking about Cunningham.’
      “And so Sloan was like: ‘Okay he’ll do it, but he’ll do it if you give him a game again, let him get back on the TV.’
      “So I done it, it done really well and they gave me a game.
      “They gave me Chelsea against Brentford in the FA Cup and I was very fortunate because I was on with Martin Allen, who was somewhere else in space while he was on TV.
      “Everything he was saying I was able to counter-attack it and say, ‘well that’s not right because of this.’
      “I remember David Luiz really dived into somebody and I remember digging him out for that and then after that people were writing in saying: ‘Where’s he been? Why isn’t he on then?’
      “And it just turned on its head, I was back.
      “What it made me realise is you’ve got to put the work in.”
      Wright ended up landing a more permanent role on MOTD in 2015 after helping to convince BBC chiefs while doing international fixtures on ITV.
      Leaving once again is a tough decision – but Wright believes he has made the right one, explaining: “The time’s come for it I think.
      “I don’t want to go too deep into what it means to me but the music, every time I hear the music, it takes me back to an unbelievable place when I first remembered what Match of the Day meant to me.
      “Then to get myself into a position where I was able to be good enough to be on Match of the Day and then be a regular, it was more than I thought it was going to be.
      “When I first went on, not very rehearsed in what I was going to say or what I was going to be, I was winging it and I remember Des Lynam, when he welcomed me on to the show, I said to him ‘this is my Graceland’.
      “Match of the Day was my Graceland.
      “When I first got the call for it, it does hit hard. You are nervous, because some people still don’t realise, It’s live.
      “People still say ‘it’s live?’ Yeah. Obviously the games are highlights because we’re putting all the stuff on it.
      Read more on The Sun
      “But while we’re sitting there, we’re live. It’s a live show.”
      Wright says he is “really looking forward to my last months” on the show and is hopeful his time on MOTD will end with his beloved Arsenal winning the Premier League title.
      Ian Wright and son Shaun Wright-Phillips did punditry together last seasonCredit: BBC
      Ian Wright has also worked for ITV following his axe from teleCredit: Getty More

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      I’m an ex-Arsenal star-turned-TV pundit.. my wife takes the p*** out of my tattoo but there’s a secret meaning

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      IAN WRIGHT has revealed that he got tattoos in homage to his friendships with Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer.The Arsenal legend announced yesterday that he’ll be quitting Match of the Day at the end of the season.
      Ian Wright’s tattoos are visible on his left handCredit: Getty
      The 60-year-old has his pals’ squad numbers tattooed on his hand alongside his ownCredit: https://www.instagram.com/wrightyofficial/
      Wright, 60, has been a regular since 2015, having had his first stint as a regular on the show between 2002 and 2008.
      After returning to the iconic BBC show he became part of its top team alongside Lineker and Shearer.
      The trio have become incredibly close friends during their time together on Match of the Day.
      During the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, their bonds increased even further.
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      Wright feels such a connection to his two pals, that he even got their squad numbers from their playing careers tattooed on his hand next to his.
      Speaking on the latest episode of Wrighty’s House he explained what made him get his tattoo, and even admitted that wife Nancy Hallam has mocked him for it.
      He said: “I got my eight, nine, ten, everyone laughs at me, my missus and Roscoe laughs at my tattoo, eight, nine, ten because it’s my number, Shearer’s number and Lineker’s number.
      “And I thought I’d get that on, especially after we’d done the Covid [shows], we bonded really tightly in and around that time, we spoke to each other a lot, really got quite tight.
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      “I’m going to miss them, I’m going to miss the guys.”
      Announcing his decision to quit the show yesterday, Wright wrote on social media: “I’m stepping back having made great friends and many great memories.
      “This decision has been coming for a while, maybe my birthday earlier this year fast tracked it a little, but ultimately it’s time to do a few more different things with my Saturdays.
      “I’m really looking forward to my last months on the show and covering what will hopefully be an amazing Premier League title race.”
      An emotional Lineker, 63, tweeted in response: “It has been an absolute pleasure and privilege to work alongside you, Ian. One of my favourite people on the planet. Farewell my friend. ❤️”
      While fellow pal Shearer, 53, added: “See you in 3 hours. I’ll give you a big hug!!! ❤️”
      Wright, 60, is close friends with Gary Lineker and Alan ShearerCredit: TWITTER/IAN WRIGHT More

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      Why has Ian Wright quit Match of the Day?

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      IAN Wright has announced that he will be stepping down from his job as a Match of the Day Pundit at the end of the season.Wright, who first appeared on the show back in 1997, broke the news of his exit on social media, explaining that the decision had ”been coming for a while”.
      Ian Wright pictured in April 2023
      Why has Ian Wright quit Match of the Day?
      In December 2023, Ian Wright announced that he will be leaving his Match of the Day role.
      A statement shared on social media by the Arsenal legend read: ”After my debut show whilst still a player in 1997 and many more memorable years, I’ll be stepping back from BBC MOTD at the end of this season.
      ”I feel very privileged to have had such an incredible run on the most iconic football show in the world.
      ”Anyone that knows my story knows how much the show has meant to me since I was young boy. MOTD is my Holy Grail.
      Read More on Ian Wright
      ”On my first ever show, I told Des Lynam, ‘This is my Graceland’. It will always be my Graceland and I will always be watching.”
      Wright added: ”I’m stepping back having made great friends and many great memories.
      ”This decision has been coming for a while, maybe my birthday earlier this year fast tracked it a little, but ultimately it’s time to do a few more different things with my Saturdays.
      ”I’m really looking forward to my last months on the show and covering what will hopefully be an amazing Premier League title race.”
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      Following the announcement, head of BBC Sport content Philip Bernie said: ”Ian has been a wonderful star player on MOTD since his first appearance over 20 years ago.
      ”His insight, wit and warmth have richly entertained and informed all those watching him.
      ”We will miss his unique style and presence when he goes at the end of this season, but we will be sure to give him the send-off he deserves.”
      How long did Ian Wright work on Match of the Day for?
      As mentioned above, Ian Wright first appeared on the hit sports show back in 1997 – while he was still playing.
      However, it wasn’t until years later that the former footballer became a regular pundit.
      Wright hung up his boots and retired from playing in 2000, before becoming a familiar fixture on Match of the Day in 2002.
      His first stint lasted until 2008, before Wright once again returned for a second spell on the highlights show in 2015.
      Who else presents Match of the Day?
      Dubbed ”the world’s most famous football show”, Match of the Day brings viewers big names and big games from the Premier League.
      Prior to announcing his exit, Ian Wright became a regular on the programme alongside host Gary Lineker and fellow pundit Alan Shearer.
      Reacting to the news, an emotional Lineker said: “It has been an absolute pleasure and privilege to work alongside you, Ian. One of my favourite people on the planet. Farewell my friend.”
      Read more on The Sun
      And Shearer added: “See you in 3 hours. I’ll give you a big hug!!!”
      Following his statement, SunSport has taken a look at five pundits who could fill Wrighty’s boots on MOTD. More

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      Match of the Day praised for ‘perfect’ coverage after Luton captain Tom Lockyer’s cardiac arrest on pitch at Bournemouth

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      THE BBC have been praised for Match of the Day’s coverage of Tom Lockyer’s cardiac arrest on Saturday.Luton’s match against Bournemouth was abandoned in the 65th minute as their skipper Lockyer received treatment on the pitch.
      Tom Lockyer was treated on the pitch at BournemouthCredit: Getty
      Match of the Day have been praised for their handling of the incident
      The Hatters later confirmed that the 29-year-old was responsive as medics stretchered him off.
      He was then taken to hospital, where he remained in a stable condition.
      The match had been level at 1-1 when the incident occurred.
      Addressing what happened, Match of the Day opened the programme by quickly showing both goals from the match, while experienced host Gary Lineker explained what had happened.
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      Lineker called it a “traumatic day in the Premier League”, before sending best wishes to Lockyer.
      He added: “It goes without saying that everyone here at Match of the Day sends their thoughts and best wishes to Tom, his family and anyone connected to Luton Town.”
      Many viewers were pleases with the tone that the programme struck in their sensitive handling of such a distressing event.
      One wrote on social media: “Watching Match of the Day, handled the Lockyer situation very well.”
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      While a second opined: “Beautifully done Match of the Day. Handled the Tom Lockyer situation with the utmost respect and decency. Quality broadcasting and decision-making like that at key moments is, and always should be, the BBC’s role. A careful balance of news and privacy in such a situation.”
      A third commented: “Great job by @BBCSport and Match Of The Day, the way they covered the Tom Lockyer situation at the start of the show.”
      And a fourth posted: “Hugely powerful start to Match Of The Day around the Tom Lockyer story. Really well handled – so sensitive.”
      Another added: “Match Of The Day have handled the Tom Lockyer situation perfectly there. Shown what they needed to, relayed what they needed to. Doesn’t need anything more obtrusive than that.”
      Luton boss Rob Edwards was also hailed for his quick thinking at the time of the incident.
      While the football world came together to wish Lockyer well.
      Lineker himself tweeted: “Reports coming in that Tom Lockyer is now alert and responsive. Thank heavens.”
      While John Terry wrote: “Praying for Tom Lockyer.”
      David de Gea posted: “Tom Lockyer 🙏🏼”.
      And Ashley Young added: “Thoughts and Prayers with Tom Lockyer and his family 🙏🏾”.
      Luton wrote in a statement: “We are able to provide a further, positive update on Tom Lockyer’s condition.
      “Our medical staff have confirmed that the Hatters captain suffered cardiac arrest on the pitch, but was responsive by the time he was taken off on the stretcher.
      “He received further treatment inside the stadium, for which we once again thank the medical teams from both sides.
      “Tom was transferred to hospital, where we can reassure supporters that he is stable and currently undergoing further tests with his family at his bedside.
      “We would like to thank everyone for their support, concern and loving messages for Locks.”
      Brentford and Luton are likely to replay the match in full at a later date.
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      Premier League Rule L15 states that any match abandoned with the consent of the referee will be replayed, with the Board to confirm a date and kick-off time.
      And according to the Mail, the top flight is expected to stick to this protocol.
      Rob Edwards was hailed for his quick thinkingCredit: Rex More