Reason why Eric Cantona ‘walked off set’ during Premier League coverage leaving fans baffled

The reason as to why Eric Cantona ‘walked off the set’ during live Premier League coverage has been explained after leaving fans baffled.

Viewers were taken aback when Eric Cantona abruptly got up and left a television studio prior to the Premier League match between Manchester United and Fulham.

However, the situation was not entirely as it seems now that an explanation has emerged.

The Frenchman was acting a little strangely on punditry duties with Owen Hargreaves, and it all culminated in Cantona randomly walking off of the set after being asked a question.

Now revealed by SPORTbible, it was a marketing stunt. Have a watch of the video below…

Eric Cantona being Eric Cantona 🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/BH3Nb4vNiw

— Not Match of the Day (@NOT_MOTD) August 17, 2024

He was asked by presenter Julia Stuart to give a prediction for the top Premier League goalscorer for the 2024/25 season, to which he simply said: “We’ll see.”

Hargreaves sprung into giving a quick more detailed answer, trying to make the situation less awkward, only for Cantona to then be asked what the Premier League season will have in store for ‘the millions of fans watching on their television sets’.

Cantona chucked, then replied “Television…” before standing up, taking off his jacket and microphone, everyone in the studio looks confused as to what is going on.

Cantona then goes to the camera and says: “We call this the beautiful game, but how many people in this world don’t even own a television? What of them?”

He gets out his phone, which shows highlights of a Premier League game, then says: “How can we sell this [the Premier League] to them?

“The game should be everywhere. It cannot be stuck on the wall or just in a bar, no. It must fly…

“No-one should believe the Premier League is ours. This marks the beginning. The revolution has begun.”

It turns out that this was a skit with Cantona actually promoting Showmax instead, which is an online subscription service that holds Premier League rights in Africa.

South African entrepreneur Mike Sharman tweeted: “Showmax hijacked the entire Premier League feed with Eric Cantona to promote its mobile offering across Africa – the most affordable package on the planet.

“The most phenomenal stunt you’ll see in 2024.”

Now with the reason why Eric Cantona ‘walked off set’ during Premier League coverage is explained, this is how fans reacted, leaving them baffled…

@JamieHComedy: The greatest man to ever exist.

@Heywood83487886: Cantona is so great 🤣😂🤣

@_N47H4N: So many thick fucks thinking this was legit 😂

@foreverayellow: just shows how good an actor he is haha, fell for it until he started talking top the camera

@bentique3: After watching this clip yesterday I honestly think Eric Cantona together with Liam Neeson should act a movie

@a_super_african: 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Eric Cantona had me there for a second

@nondodakapopo: Opening night and Eric Cantona already has the moment of the season

@MarlonReid8: This shit caught me off guard! Well played #ShowmaxPL @JuliaStuart_SA, you and Owen Hargreaves made it so believable. Eric Cantona will always be a legend. #kingeric #MUFC

@victor_fungai: WOW!!! ERIC CANTONA 🤣🤣 Best way to introduce the @premierleague league 🤣 #ericcantona #EPL

@Bee_Pee_Lu: The most interesting part of today’s match was the prank by Eric Cantona #EPL

@nufc_kev: Anyone else just cringing for them or is it just me??

@toptargets: Thought this was real for a minute. 😅

@variantK29: Wtf was this real or pranks?! 😂😂

@MaxMaw1: Someone tell Showmax they did a brilliant job with Eric Cantona 😂👏

@scottishkits2: That actin is terrible

@EthanMuggers: Looks like a scene from Ted Lasso

@imambalendze: I had my mouth open in shock…great skit

@themanCJAY: Very creative.. I was already in tears

@n_makhubele: Eric Cantona messed with us 🤣 why is he playing games #ShowmaxPL

@iampeedeeterry: I just knew Eric Cantona was up to something with those one word answers, hehe…

@TheFtXMaestro: What really happened with Eric Cantona?. Was that behavior scripted or he just lost it ? 😅

@reubenWanderer: Eric Cantona cracking me up before the season starts.

@LeItalian: 🤣🤣🤣🤣 that #ShowmaxPL advert with Eric Cantona got me for real, I thought he was drunk.

@nzesylva: I enjoyed the Eric Cantona ad for Showmax…. They got many people there lol.

@LeBoisCornes: That #ShowmaxPL advert got us all, didn’t it. Top tier acting by Eric Cantona #MUNFUL #MUFC

@Den21661693: 4 a second dere I thought Eric Cantona is loosing it

@oluwole__ola: The ad Eric Cantona did for Showmax is too good! I was initially scared 😂😂😂😂😂 Now that’s an ad 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

@EliasChinemore: Eric Cantona pulled the biggest and greatest prank of all time 🤣😂 we all thought man is high 🤣,they did a number on me there #PremierLeague

@mzeelazaro: I just watched Eric Cantona Ad on SuperSport, that was a bit strange. I thought he was making a scene in the studio. Oh wow! Great ad😂😂