Adrian Chiles attacks 'intolerable pressure' from BBC

Adrian Chiles attacked the BBC today and said he and Christine Bleakley were portrayed as greedy and put under "intolerable pressure" over their decision to quit the corporation.

The former One Show host announced he was leaving the BBC in April after it emerged Chris Evans would take his place on the Friday night edition of the popular programme.

His fellow presenter followed him out of the door two months later for ITV where they will be reunited on a new morning show.

Chiles said: "They are trying to portray it as a classic big money move to ITV which couldn't be further from the truth.

"I was, we were both, very happy to stay there. I didn't want any more money, just wanted to carry on doing a successful programme exactly like we had, ie, The One Show five days a week, the Apprentice and Match Of The Day 2.

"Nothing needed to change but obviously change was suggested on The One Show I couldn't live with and that's why I left."

He said there was "no suitcase of money" offered to make him switch channels.

He said: "It just wasn't like that and I resent it being portrayed like that because it makes you look money motivated and greedy and neither of us are any of those things.

"We were both put under intolerable pressure. You're in an impossible situation, you can't tell the truth, you don't know what the truth is, from day to day it's changing."

Speaking at the weekend, BBC1 controller Jay Hunt said Chiles was offered a "range of opportunities" including a chat show and sports shows in a bid to keep him on the channel.

Bleakley said she was in shock when she first heard her co-host was leaving.

The pair forged a successful TV partnership, becoming close friends and household names in the process.

She said: "The first day he left I thought, I've lost my right arm here and this is just strange.

"Suddenly everything I knew and loved changed overnight. A lot of people assume I was just with the BBC for a matter of months. I worked for the BBC for 15 years so it was a massive decision."