ADRIAN CHILES IS to be replaced as the face of ITV football with BBC Radio 5 Live’s Mark Pougatch taking his place with immediate effect.
With ITV recently confirming that Andy Townsend’s contract would not be renewed at the end of the season – not to mention former analysts Roy Keane and Martin O’Neill currently occupied with Ireland duty – it marks the latest in a series of significant changes for the broadcaster over the last couple of years.
Chiles joined ITV from the BBC five years ago when he was signed to anchor both their football coverage and a new breakfast show called Daybreak. While the latter was subsequently dropped, Chiles became synonymous with football on ITV even if his presenting style was somewhat divisive.
ITV, of course, will lose the rights to Champions League football at the end of the season as BT Sport takes over having paid nearly £900 million for a three-year exclusive deal.
Pougatch will assume his role as anchor when he presents the broadcaster’s live coverage of Chelsea and PSG in the last-16 of the Champions League.
A well-respected broadcaster, Pougatch will continue to present shows on 5 Live but no longer retains his role as the station’s lead football anchor.
Sure all they’ll have next season are the england games anyway
They should have got rid of him 4 years ago, he’s even more annoying than Redknapp, that’s been a bit harsh on him but it’s the truth.
Uuugh even blander….Pougatch makes Michael Owen sound like Taz the Tasmanian Devil…….
Basically the death knell for ITV’s sports coverage.
Thank the Lord!!!!!! Now if they could make sure he never opens his mouth again in public we would all be better off.
Unfortunately,he has a slot on Radio 5 Live!
Hope they follow ITV!
He’s as dry as pat Kenny.
Rte should snap him up…get him into GAA and he could also commentate on Katie Taylor fights…wouldn’t that be brilliant
Delighted that they got rid of Chiles, I might actually start watching their coverage again. But Townsend is a really decent analyst, maybe RTE will bring him onboard
It think it was probably the praise of Andy Townsend that undid Ger there if you ask me Clive……
Andy (I’ve forgotten I declared for Eire) Townsend
Oh wow lol I’m guessing im alone in my admiration of Townsend haha.