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 following his emotional final appearance. 

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.

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 misses 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.'

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

The former Arsenal striker would have hoped to sign off with the Gunners winning their first title in two decades, but Pep Guardiola's side sealed their fourth consecutive title with a 3-1 win over another of his former sides, West Ham. 

He admitted that Arsenal failing to win the title 'dampened the day a bit,' but he got 'more and more emotional' as he said goodbye to those he had worked with on the highlights show.

He said: 'I didn't realise it was going to hit me like it did, but with the day and Arsenal losing, Man City scoring so early – it dampened the day a bit. 

'As the day went on and you got into the studio, you’re saying bye all day to people you’ve seen for many years – runners who are now producers and people in the gallery. 

'So, it was all building, I got more and more emotional. While I was doing the show, you’re in show mode, then the grandkids came on and that finished me.

'All my grandkids are Manchester City fans, my granddaughter was trolling me, she was saying, 'Well done granddad, but City are the best'.'

Wright, on his final episode, offered emotional final words to host Gary Lineker and fellow pundit Alan Shearer, as he said the show meant 'the world to me'.

He told his colleagues: 'I am going to miss you guys, I really am.

'This has been the greatest for me. Match of the Day means the whole world to me, you guys don't even know.

'That's why I got my eight, nine, 10 (tattoos), my two guys I love so much on there - people laugh at me but I love you man.'

Shearer responded by saying, 'We will miss you on Saturdays', while Lineker hailed Wright's contribution to the show.

Former England captain Lineker told Wright: 'It’s been an absolute pleasure and a delight to work with you for so long and you are a breath of fresh air - you always have been.'

Ian Wright was speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet.