Pougatch announced as replacement for ITV's Adrian Chiles
Mark Pougatch has been announced as the new lead presenter of ITV's football coverage, replacing Adrian Chiles.
Life-long Baggies fan Chiles has fronted the channel's football output since 2010, but Pougatch, who is best known for his work on BBC Radio Five Live, will now take over in February for the start of the Champions League and Europa League knockout rounds and the resumption of England's Euro 2016 qualifying campaign.
ITV have refused to comment on what the decision means for Chiles, although his four-year contract with ITV expires this year.
Chiles, from Hagley, near Stourbridge, was the subject of a Facebook campaign to have him removed from ITV's football coverage after last year's World Cup, and last summer it was announced he was being given a much bigger role on BBC Radio Five Live as a presenter.
Pougatch will also continue to work for BBC Radio Five Live - but not on football.
A statement from ITV said: "Mark will appear alongside ITV's panel of pundits, commentary and reporting team for the live England international and European football programmes from February."
ITV will not have Champions League football next season but the move presents an intriguing prospect of Pougatch possibly hosting a Premier League Saturday evening highlights show from the 2016-17 season should ITV outbid the BBC's Match of the Day for the rights.
ITV director of sport Niall Sloane said: "Mark is a highly-respected sports journalist and an outstanding broadcaster. We're delighted to welcome Mark to the ITV Sport team."
Pougatch himself added: "I am absolutely delighted to be joining ITV and to be given this great opportunity. I'm looking forward to working with ITV's talented pool of commentators and pundits on some of the very best football there is."
