The future of the 63-year-old hangs in the balance after the Beeb failed to secure viewing rights for live coverage of Northern Ireland's games in the next World Cup qualifying campaign.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph shortly after the £10m deal was confirmed, Jackie said the news had come as a shock but added: "It's not the time for a knee jerk reaction.

"I've got to address the situation and talk with people in the BBC."

The last time the smooth-talking football pundit missed commentating on a Northern Ireland international was in October 2004 when he was in hospital for a major operation.

"I went through heart surgery, and this is only television and football compared to that," he said.

"But, obviously, I would like to continue broadcasting."

Jackie moved from UTV to BBC Northern Ireland in 1992 as the station's main sports commentator for live coverage of Irish League and Northern Ireland international matches.

"I've been in this business for a long time," he added.

"You win things and you lose things and you ride with the punches.

"It's a stunner for me personally and the BBC, but that's life and it's how you cope with that and how you assess the situation that counts."

An insider at Sky last night said that there were "no current plans" to poach the Ballymena man for the satellite station.

BBC Northern Ireland will of course continue to show highlights of international games, but its days of live broadcasts are over for the foreseeable future.