Sky Sports pundit forced to leave studio in middle of Porto vs Arsenal while reporting on match

THE SURPRISE reason Keith Curle left his punditry role live on TV in the middle of a game has been revealed.

The 60-year-old former England defender has been out of work since he was sacked as manager of Hartlepool United in February 2023. 

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Keith Curle left TV viewers completely bemused on Wednesday[/caption]

Sky Sports News

The ex-Man City ace left the Sky Sports News studio midway through Arsenal’s loss at Porto[/caption]

Manchester City’s ex-captain has since returned to the world of punditry.

This week Curle was tasked with updating viewers on Sky Sports News with developments from Arsenal’s defeat in Porto on Wednesday.

However, supporters were left completely bemused as Wolverhampton Wanderers’ 1998 Player of the Year disappeared midway through the Champions League game.

Some surprised viewers even took to social media, with one tweeting SSN directly and asking: “Anyone know why Keith Curle stopped commenting tonight on sky sports??”

Now the remarkable reason behind him abandoning his post during the broadcast has been revealed by the Daily Mail.

And it was all to ensure that he made it home on time.

Curle was working live from Sky’s studio in Isleworth, which is a town located within Hounslow Borough in West London.

He removed his headset and left 15 minutes into the second half of the Arsenal match.

That was because he had to dash across the capital in order to get to Euston.

Curle was booked on a 10.30pm train to Sheffield, where he lives, and had to depart in order to ensure he was on it.

The much-liked former centre-half played for Bristol Rovers and City, Torquay United, Reading and Wimbledon’s Crazy Gang before signing for Man City in 1991.

He spent five years with the Cityzens before going on to have a four-year stint at Wolves until 2000.

Curle then moved to Sheffield United for two-seasons before ending his playing days with Barnsley and Mansfield Town.

The three-time capped England international then became player-manager of the Stags and has since been in the dug-out at Chester City, Torquay and Notts County.

He took over Carlisle United in 2014 and spent four years there prior to joining Northampton Town and leading them to play-off promotion from League Two in 2020.

After leaving there in 2021, he had a short stint in charge of Oldham Athletic before last season’s 29-game tenure at Hartlepool.