Former Chelsea star and Match of the Day pundit returning to UK after quitting football to become PREACHER in Canada

FORMER Chelsea star Gavin Peacock is returning to the UK after leaving to become a PREACHER in Canada.

Peacock spent three years at Chelsea after signing in 1993 from Newcastle.

He also played for Bournemouth and QPR before his move to Stamford Bridge and later Charlton after leaving the Blues.

He retired in 2001 and later moved into punditry with the BBC, working on Match of the Day and Football Focus.

It was after Euro 2008 - where he worked as a pundit - that Peacock moved to Canada to become a preacher.

But according to , the ex-forward is plotting a return home to spend a year as pastor at Bethersden Baptist Church in Kent.

Peacock has been a Christian since his teens and has taken part in a number of ventures to discuss links between religion and football.

Explaining his decision to move to Canada, he said: "[The TV work] was all going very well.

"So when I gave everything up, it did surprise a number of people. It’s been the hardest few years of my life - but coming away from the UK has given me some anonymity.

"Here in Canada, they consider me a preacher, not a footballer or pundit.

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 "In 2006, my wife got an illness and was in hospital for a couple of weeks.

"That recalibrated my thinking and I thought about going into church leadership, and eventually gave up my media career.

"Being a pastor really is calling to me. I've played at Wembley in an FA Cup final but feel a stronger sense of responsibility when I'm giving a service to 30 people."