Adrian Chiles replaced as ITV football presenter

Though be interesting to see what happens if ITV get Premier League highlights (aka Match of the Day) as it is widely rumoured they are going all for them. Again.

Wonder if the way he attracts chants from fans had an impact on the decision to drop him? There are videos on YouTube of Liverpool and Tamworth fans chanting about him (Adrian Chile's, you're a w***** you're a w*****) which I guess could have caused ofcom issues

I'd hope not. Sky News didn't drop Kay Burley in similar situations...

Football, a gentleman's game watched by thugs

There is no official confirmation, but could Chiles and ITV have had a falling out?

We just don't know and it's obvious that both sides have decided the public don't need to know. I really suspect it's nothing more than what usually happens at the end of a contract (we've seen it before where the lead ITV football presenter is ousted slightly earlier than they thought!).

How about: his four year contract is up, so they're not obliged to use him to get their money's worth anymore, and considering the sparse football rights after this summer (and the ire he seems to inspire, unfairly in my opinion) he's simply too expensive for such an irregular role?

He signed a new 2 year contract last Summer.

Well 'The Apprentice - You're Fired' is without a host, after Dara said he's left the show at the end of the last series. Remind me again, who he took over that presenting gig from..

Plus BT Sport are looking for an experienced presenter to host the live Champions League coverage from next season.

Broadcast reporting that privately BT are very confident that Gary Lineker will sign on to present their CL coverage and the BBC are willing to facilitate it. As his contract with them is UK exclusive.

Charles Sale has been reporting similar for months

Doesn't Charles Sale just "report" everything though as ultimately something will come true.

Considering Clare Balding works for bloody everyone and it's now quite common to see familar BBC Sport faces and voices on other channels I don't see how the BBC could have an issue with Gary Lineker fronting the Champions League for BT Sport. Why BT would want him to is quite another matter.

The only question for the BBC is whether it's worth while keeping him - and IMO when they've got Mark Chapman (IMO the finest sports broadcaster around at the moment) standing in the wings plus Gabby Logan, Manish Bhasin, Dan Walker and Jason Mohammed around it might be worth them doing an Adrian Chiles on him.

Because he is very popular in the real world.

On your first point the BBC have to rewrite his contract to allow him to do it as unlike Clare his contract is BBC exclusive and runs until after Euro 2016.