Chris Hughes has denied rumors that his departure from ITV was due to a salary increase request for hosting the Cheltenham Festival. Reports in April 2025 indicated that he left the network following a disagreement over pay.
Hughes stopped working for ITV Racing after his appearance on Celebrity Big Brother, where he finished sixth. Despite over a year passing since his exit, horse racing commentator Neil Watson criticized ITV for letting Hughes go and mentioned the alleged payment dispute.
Watson expressed dissatisfaction with GK Barry and Calfreezy, also known as Callum Airey, taking presenting roles at Cheltenham alongside Oli Bell. Hughes refuted the pay dispute claim on social media after Watson raised the issue.
Watson later apologized to Hughes on Twitter for any inaccuracies in his remarks. Hughes clarified that he never asked for a raise and was informed that his departure was part of ITV’s cost-cutting measures.
In August 2025, Hughes left his role at BBC Sport after four years as the face of their coverage of the Hundred cricket tournament. England cricketers Alex Hartley and Isa Guha replaced him on the presenting team.
Sky has reduced the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the upcoming season, offering savings of £192 and over 1,400 live matches across various leagues. Sky will broadcast a minimum of 215 live Premier League matches next season, an increase of up to 100 games.
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