Matthew Wright has revealed that the demands of presenting a daytime show are the reason for his decision to leave his long-running Channel 5 show.
On Wednesday morning’s edition of The Wright Stuff, one of the panellists, Anne Diamond, asked the 52-year-old presenter to “talk about the elephant in the room” – his announcement on Tuesday that he would be moving on.
Wright explained: “There is not a lot to say really, other than the fact – you know better than most – the demands of getting up for a daytime show.
“I’m not going to equate it with digging roads, which is hard as well, but the old brain! I’m up at three o’clock in the morning these days. I go to bed at half seven. I’ve had 18-and-a-half years of it.
“Mrs Wright, we pass like ships in the night. And you are looking around thinking at some point you have got to have a change.”
"Matthew, I think we've got to talk about the elephant in the room…"
Here's the answer to all the questions you've been asking for the past 24 hours!@Matthew_Wright | @TheAnneDiamond | #wrightstuff pic.twitter.com/6APJaBr6ce
— The Wright Stuff (@5WrightStuff) May 2, 2018
Wright thanked viewers and his followers on social media for the messages of support they have sent him since he made the announcement.
Wright said: “I have to say, I had no idea that people could be so nice on Twitter.
“Because normally you come off a show and it’s ‘You’re this, you’re that, and I hope you die a hideous death’.
“Yesterday, people were just being really, really, really nice. I was quite overwhelmed.”
Wright confirmed he would continue to present The Wright Stuff until the summer.
Thanks again for all the amazing comments and messages. I had no idea ❤️❤️❤️ not going anywhere for a couple of months btw xx
— Matthew Wright (@Matthew_Wright) May 2, 2018
Joking about the bereft tone of some of the messages he has received, he said: “Some of the messages read like I was dead!
“‘I’m really going to miss your wit and your charm’ – actually, I’m not planning on parking it just yet!
“And in fact, I think people wanted to know, I’m here, as far as I know, until late June, beginning of July.
“I have no idea what I’m going to do next. I am available for weddings, birthdays and bar mitzvahs!”
Wright has hit the headlines several times during his time on The Wright Stuff, which launched in September 2000.
The former journalist sparked controversy after hosting a TV debate entitled “Foxy Knoxy: Would Ya?”, discussing with panellists how Amanda Knox was “undeniably fit and loves wild sex”.
Earlier this year, I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! star Iain Lee stormed off the set of The Wright Stuff after being consistently questioned about his marriage, saying “I’m so close to telling you to eff off and walking off right now.”
In 2011, Wright made comments about the death of a teenager which caused “considerable offence” to viewers.
His remarks prompted 2,358 complaints from viewers to broadcasting watchdog Ofcom.
Wright took part in I’m A Celebrity… in 2013.