ITV will use Eni Aluko as a pundit in its coverage of Women’s Euro 2025 next month – but has not secured the services of Ian Wright.
The pair clashed in April after Aluko said Wright “should be aware of” how much punditry work he was doing in women’s football, and that it was important “women are not being blocked from having a pathway into broadcasting in the women’s game”.
The former England and Chelsea forward issued an apology on Instagram after making the controversial comments in an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, but Wright responded on the platform by saying he could not accept it. ITV backed Wright at the time, releasing a statement to the Guardian in which they described him as “an incredible advocate and ally, and a brilliant broadcaster of women’s football”.
Aluko was overlooked by ITV for its coverage of England’s next fixture, a 5-0 win over Portugal at Wembley in May, but is understood to have secured a place in the broadcaster’s team for the Euros. The 38-year-old will be one of ITV’s main pundits, along with the United States manager Emma Hayes and the former England international Karen Carney, with its coverage presented by Laura Woods and Seema Jaswal.
Wright’s absence from ITV’s team is a surprise, after he was used throughout England’s qualifying campaign and was part of its coverage during the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia, but sources at the channel insisted it was not down to his clash with Aluko. The former England and Arsenal striker was a regular part of ITV’s punditry team in Australia, although he was used in a pitch-side role in three matches as England reached the final.
Aluko wrote in her apology to Wright that it was “wrong for Ian’s name to be raised in that conversation” and that she had “nothing but love and respect for him”. Wright’s post in response, in which he said he could not accept the apology, was “liked” by several England players, including Alessia Russo, Mary Earps, Lauren Hemp and Alex Greenwood, as well as by the former international turned pundit Izzy Christiansen.
ITV’s Euro 2025 coverage begins with the opening match between Finland and Iceland on Wednesday and includes England’s first game, against France on Saturday 5 July, and final group game, against Wales the following week.
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ITV has gambled that Sarina Wiegman’s side will reach the semi-finals by giving the BBC, the joint rights holders, first pick of the quarter-finals. ITV will have first pick of the semi-finals and the broadcasters will share coverage of the final.