Krishnan Guru-Murthy brought Channel 4’s evening news bulletin to an abrupt close this week with an unusually rushed sign-off.
The presenter, 56, has been with the broadcaster since 1998 and is its second-longest-serving news anchor. He leads coverage of major events including elections, Olympic Games, and foreign affairs.
During Wednesday’s broadcast, he ended the programme by stating the time and quickly adding, “Until then, gotta go — bye!” before removing his microphone and earpiece and leaving the studio at speed.
Viewers noted the contrast with his typically composed manner. Guru-Murthy later confirmed he was leaving to catch the start of a football match, with kickoff five minutes away.
The match in question was England’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina. The team took a 1-0 lead but lost 2-1, ending their hopes of reaching the final.
Manager Thomas Tuchel attributed the defeat to a struggle to retain possession under pressure. He said the players lacked the “DNA” to control the game with the ball as consistently as opponents such as Argentina or Spain.
England will face France in the bronze medal match on Saturday. A victory would secure a podium finish despite the semi-final loss.
The semi-final drew a peak audience of 24 million, making it the most-watched live television moment of the year across all broadcasters. It was also the largest live audience for any single broadcaster since the Euro 2020 final.
The World Cup final between Argentina and Spain will take place at New York New Jersey Stadium, with kickoff at 8pm BST following a 6:30pm ceremony. The halftime show will run 25 minutes and feature Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, and BTS, curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay.
The performance will support an education fund aiming to raise $100 million to expand children’s access to schooling and football.
