Countryfile presenter Matt Baker speaks out on quitting BBC show after nine years
Matt Baker opened up about the real reason behind his decision to quit his high-profile BBC gig.
Matt Baker admitted he was never really up for presenting The One Show and was desperate to get his production company up and running.
In a candid interview with BBC presenter Gabby Logan the Countryfile host initially planned to front the nightly magazine programme for six months which ultimately ended up being nine years.
Speaking on the Mid Point podcast in March, the dad-of-two reflected on that time in his life, saying: "It was that part of me saying, 'Look, was this ever a goal?', and 'what are you actually working towards?'"
The presenter went on: "You think to yourself, 'I'm doing this chat show at seven o'clock on BBC One, does the goal then become, I'm just going to do this forever? What is the point of continuing with something that you've done for nine years?'
"And then I thought, I'm just going to [leave]. I'm just going to go because if I don't, I will probably be here forever.
"And like I said before, I loved that element of production. I love the element of directing and I thought I really want to set up my own production company. And I've done that now with a really good friend of mine who was the then head of development."
The Countryfile presenter explained he was a part of the pilot programme of The One Show before it was commissioned. The show bosses shifted the filming of Countryfile to accommodate Matt presenting the weekly evening programme.
"I thought I'll try that schedule for six months and I carried on for nine years," he remarked. "I sat there for nine years and never left.
"I never thought to myself I desperately want to do this show. I did it for nine years and met some brilliant people and those same people come around and you think, 'I could be doing more with my time, then sitting here every night.'"
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At the time of his departure the host said at the time he's excited to spend more time with his family when his One Show presenting duties are over.
"I'm looking forward to spending evenings with my wife Nicola and finally getting to put my kids to bed on a night time," he said.
"Thank you everybody for the most wonderful, random nine years you could ever wish to experience," the presenter concluded.
