The BBC has revealed the two pundits who will be filling the big shoes of Ian Wright on Match of the Day this season, after the TV legend made an ’emotional exit’ from the show over the summer.
Former England internationals Theo Walcott and Joe Hart will be taking a seat next to Saturday night regulars, including host Gary Lineker and analysts Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, over the course of the new campaign.
The reinforcements on the BBC’s flagship sports show were announced in The Times today in an event with former host Des Lynam ahead of the programme’s 60th birthday.
Popular pundit Ian Wright departed Match of the Day in May and has since revealed the reasons behind his surprise exit.
The Arsenal legend made his final showing on the famous BBC highlights show on the final day of the Premier League season, after announcing in December that he would step back from his punditry role.
The BBC have revealed the two pundits who will be filling the big shoes of Ian Wright (right) on Match of the Day
Former England man Theo Walcott will be taking a seat next to the Saturday night regulars
Joe Hart will also be giving footballing insights along with Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer
He made his debut on the show when he was a player in 1997, before becoming a regular pundit five years later following his retirement.
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’ve got to know when to step back, change, rest, have a break, and say no, it’s just time.
‘The way I am now, because I have to get back to London [after filming] it’s like 3:30am in the morning – it’s a long day. I leave at 8am in the morning and get back at midnight.
‘I don’t want to stay over in Manchester. I used to but there are personal reasons why I always want to get back home (after filming).
‘Especially, when you’re on Match of the Day, you’re live and I’ve had a massive problem before with people knowing where you are, so I always want to get back home to the missus and the girls.
‘It just takes me two to three days after that to get ready and there are other things I’m doing which I just haven’t got the energy for sometimes.
‘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 go, it had to be that.’
Walcott spent the bulk of his career at Arsenal where he made 397 appearances
Hart won a string of trophies at Manchester City and appeared for the BBC over the summer
Wright opened up on his emotional final episode, and revealed why he decided to leave the show after more than two decades
Now-retired Hart was eased into a punditry role with the BBC during Euro 2024, often making appearances pitch-side, including for the Three Lions’ opener against Serbia.
But it was not the ex-Manchester City goalkeeper’s turn of phrase or footballing insight which caught viewers’ attention.
Rather, his bizarre tattoos which were there for all to see ahead of the big match.
He already had hoops around his wrists and ankles, and it was the wrist tattoos who left fans both puzzled and shocked on television screens on Sunday night.
Speaking to Kelly Somers pre-match, Hart had a large section of his armour-style tattoo on show, leaving fans shocked as they took to social media to voice their views on the design.
Meanwhile Walcott, 35, called time on his footballing career last summer after a stint back at boyhood club Southampton.
The speedy forward spent the bulk of his career at Arsenal where he made 397 appearances and scored an impressive 108 goals.
He broke onto the scene aged just 17 and was a shock inclusion in the England squad for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
In today’s interview with The Times, Lynam backed Richards to step into the shoes of ‘Wrighty’ and become a regular pundit on Match of the Day.
The Arsenal legend made his final showing on the famous BBC highlights show on the final day of the Premier League season
In an interview with The Times, Des Lynam backed Micah Richards to step into the shoes of ‘Wrighty’
He added: ‘Obviously he’s played for England and Manchester City, though he didn’t make a huge mark on me playing for either’
He said: ‘I think it’s Micah Richards isn’t it? He’s got a sense of humour and he knows football.
‘Obviously he’s played for England and Manchester City, though he didn’t make a huge mark on me playing for either.
‘I think he needs to calm down a little but his opinions are quite solid, though I don’t think anybody can quite match Wrighty.’
