Channel 4 news presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy became an unlikely viral sensation this week after footage emerged of him making a break for it at the end of Wednesday’s evening bulletin, barely pausing to remove his microphone before dashing off the set at speed.
It later emerged that the presenter was making a mad dash because he didn’t want to miss England play Argentina in the World Cup semi-final. Sadly for Krishnan and millions of England fans, Wednesday night’s semi-final did not deliver the fairytale ending the nation had dreamed of. England fell to a 2-1 defeat against Argentina in a bruising encounter, ending their hopes of reaching a first World Cup final since 1966.
Krisnan is one of the longest running news anchors on Channel 4 (Image: John Keeble, Getty Images)
The clip, posted on social media on Friday by an amused viewer with the caption “When you’ve gotta go, you’ve gotta go,” spread rapidly across the internet, drawing many delighted reactions.
The person who shared it added, “To be fair, he was rushing off for the football…!” — a detail that only endeared Krishnan further to football-loving viewers across the country.
The Strictly Come Dancing star did not shy away from the moment, swiftly replying to the post to confirm what everyone had already suspected. “It was 5 minutes to kick off…!” he wrote.
In the footage itself, Krishnan can be seen wrapping up the bulletin in his usual polished fashion before the football fan in him took over. “That’s it for this evening. We’re back at 7 tomorrow night,” he told viewers, before adding with barely concealed urgency, “Until then, gotta go – bye.”
Krishan wasted no time in rushing off set (Image: Channe 4)
With that, he gestured to the camera, yanked off his microphone and earpiece, and was gone — disappearing off-screen just as the closing theme began to play.
Fans were equally baffled and said on X at the time, “This should be how all news programmes end, none of this staying in your seat and shuffling your papers nonsense.”
Another commented, “Where did Krisnan rush off to so abruptly?” A third added, ” He took off like a storm.”
Other viewers seemed to think Krishnan left abruptly because he needed to use the men’s toilet.
England were taking on Argentina in one of the most eagerly anticipated matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup — a tournament that has captivated supporters on both sides of the Atlantic.
Co-hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the tournament marked the first time a World Cup has been held across three nations, with 48 countries competing across an expanded format for the very first time.
The loss was a painful one, particularly given how close the Three Lions had come throughout the tournament, with stand-out performances and a run that had genuinely excited the country.
Krishnan was seen removing his earpiece (Image: Channel 4)
England will now face France in the third-place play-off — a bronze medal fixture that, while not the prize either nation was chasing, still represents a chance for pride and a podium finish on the grandest of stages. France were knocked out of the semi-finals themselves, beaten by Spain in their last-four clash.
The match is set to take place at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida — a venue also commonly referred to as Miami Stadium — on Saturday, 18th July, with kick-off at 5pm local time. For supporters back home in the UK, that means settling in for a late one, with coverage beginning from 10pm BST.
The third-place play-off between England and France at the 2026 World Cup is set to be held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, also referred to as Miami Stadium.
