Clive Tyldesley quits commentary role – but will still do Champions League final

Legendary football commentator Clive Tyldesley has announced he's quitting talkSPORT ahead of the 2023/24 season.

The 68-year-old has been splitting his time between ITV, talkSPORT and CBS Sport since being demoted as ITV's lead commentator back in 2020, commentating on Premier League and Champions League matches for all three broadcasters.

It's understood his decision to leave talkSPORT is a personal one, with The Mirror reporting that he felt uneasy at being expected to promote gambling companies and odds during commentaries. Despite his decision to quit, it's understood Tyldesley accepts the role bookmakers have in producing revenue streams in the sport, and that he continues to have huge respect for talkSPORT.

And fans overseas will still be able to hear Tyldesley commentate on Saturday's Champions League final between Manchester City and Real Madrid for CBS.

READ MORE: Clive Tyldesley 'bitterly disappointed' after leaving World Cup before quarter-finals

His decision comes just a few weeks after England and Brentford striker Ivan Toney was handed an eight-month ban after being charged with a string of betting offences.

‌Tyldesley has agreed to do some work with Big Step – a charity trying to end all gambling and bookmaker advertising in football.

The broadcasting icon was reportedly "baffled" after ITV replaced him as lead commentator with Sam Matterface three years ago, having been the voice of ITV since joining the company from the BBC in 1998.

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Fans were left similarly flabbergasted when the Lancashire-born mic man was sent home early during the 2022 World Cup – before England had even been knocked out!

Speaking to The Mirror a few days later, Tyldesley said the decision left him "bitterly disappointed".

"Was I bitterly disappointed? You bet I was," he said. "But it’s a decision I’ve got to accept and in the grand scheme of things people don’t turn it on for the commentator, they turn it on for the football. I didn’t agree with the decision but I accepted it."

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