Former BBC Radio Ulster presenter Colin Murray is leaving the UK station he’s worked on since 2013, talkSPORT, because he’s not prepared to work for new owner Rupert Murdoch and his News Corp group.

The Australian's take-over is part of the same £220 million acquisition of the Wireless Group, which has added Irish stations Q102, FM104, 96FM, C103, Live95FM, LMFM, U105.8FM, Galway Bay FM and WLR to his media portfolio.

“While there are parts of News Corp that aren’t a problem, it is the inevitable future working relationship between talkSPORT and The Sun that has made my position unsustainable,” Murray says. “Commercially, I delivered all-time record ratings and, creatively, I was left alone to mould a show of which I was intensely proud. I had been offered a new contract until 2019.”

Also a columnist for Metro and snooker commentator for Eurosport, the Dundonald man will continue with his weekday 10am-1pm slot until September 2.

A Liverpool supporter since childhood, Murray signed off with the Justice For The 96 hashtag used to support the Hillsborough victims and their families, and berate The Sun for their inaccurate coverage of the 1989 disaster.