Adrian Chiles dropped as ITV football presenter despite £500,000 a year contract

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ITV has ditched Adrian Chiles as its lead football host, even though he signed a contract with the broadcaster worth £1m last summer.
 
Chiles will be replaced by BBC Radio 5 Live’s Mark Pougatch, who will kick-off by presenting the Champions League meeting of Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain next month.
 
According to reports, Chiles earned upward of £4m last year, around £1.5m of which came from ITV. The presenter signed a two-year deal last summer but had his pay cut to £500,000 a year as he was no longer required to present the short-lived Daybreak breakfast show.
 
As well as his ITV work, Chiles presents a twice-weekly BBC Radio 5 Live breakfast show.
 
ITV appears to be giving its football offering a makeover, as Chiles’ departure follows that of presenter Matt Smith and pundit Andy Townsend.
 
The channel lost the rights to Champions League football from next season onwards after BT Sport bought exclusive rights for £897m.
 
Pougatch commented today:
 
I am absolutely delighted to be joining ITV and to be given this great opportunity. I’m looking forward to working with ITV’s talented pool of commentators and pundits on some of the very best football there is.