Yahoo Finance Matthew Wright denies being fired from TalkRadio, is signing new contract
Matthew Wright has rubbished reports he has been sacked by TalkRadio.
The 54-year-old presenter, who hosts a weekday show between 1pm and 4pm, laughed off a claim by MailOnline that he had been fired from the station – revealing he has been offered a new contract.
Wright began his show on Wednesday saying: “Surprise surprise, it’s Matthew Wright here for the next three hours. Who knows what's going to happen over the next 180 minutes? What the blazes is going on? With Brexit, the general election, my future? I don’t know!
“If you read the MailOnline I have been fired with immediate effect. It looks like they got briefed by someone who didn't know what they were talking about.
"They said I'd been fired after falling out with producers, not one word of which is true. I think that is self-evident."
Read more: Matthew Wright reveals why he doesn’t spend Christmas with family
Still waiting to be “fired with immediate effect” as claimed by last night’s @MailOnline .... pic.twitter.com/3KkQROJeAf
— Matthew Wright (@Matthew_Wright) December 4, 2019
"It's all been a bit chaotic, but I turned up for work today and guess what? I was presented with a new contract. I have not been fired, we are not going our separate ways at Christmas. I am here until the new year and even beyond."
He added: "Thank you to everyone who has been in touch on social media.”
TalkRadio is being taken over in the new year by Times Radio and it was claimed that Wright’s contract, which is due to end at the end of December, was not being renewed.
Wright announced that both he and co-host Kevin O'Sullivan had been given new contracts and would continue to present their show together.
According to MailOnline, a TalkRadio spokesman had said: “Matthew has reached the end of his contract with TalkRadio and, as he leaves us, we wish him well for the future.”
The TV presenter – who took part in I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! in 2013 – joined the company in September 2018.
Read more: Former 'I'm A Celebrity' contestant Iain Lee says show's aftercare is 'inadequate'
At the time Wright said: “I'm absolutely thrilled to be joining TalkRadio at this fascinating time in history when there's so much to discuss and debate. My new afternoon show will see me team up with Fleet Street legend, critic Kevin O'Sullivan – two real-life chums who don't agree on anything!
“Free of the restrictions imposed when I was on the goggle box, I'm looking forward to full-on phone-ins and laughs a plenty, not just with TalkRadio's growing army of loyal listeners, but with an array of celebrity guests too.”
He joined the radio station after resigning from his Channel 5 morning chat show The Wright Stuff after 18 years. Wright said he left the show because he wanted to spend more time with his family.
Wright became a father to daughter Cassady in January this year, and he and wife Amelia had battled with IVF for eight years in a bid to have children.
