Former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly thinks the Chris Christie 'beachgate' controversy was contrived by the New Jersey governor

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie intentionally sparked the 'beachgate' controversy in order to raise his public profile and boost the odds of him landing a coveted sports talk radio gig, according to former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly.

O'Reilly floated the theory that the unpopular governor allowed himself to be photographed alone with his family on a closed-off beach knowing that it would provoke outrage.

'So he's the only one on the beach, and then he allows himself to be photographed in a lounge chair with his grin on his face,' O'Reilly said on Glenn Beck's radio show Friday morning.

O'Reilly's comments were reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

'He knows what he's doing. He's engendering controversy to get his name out there so he'll get some kind of media play.

'What better way to get his name out there as a controversial guy,' said O'Reilly.

The former host of the O'Reilly Factor on Fox News said Christie would be well suited for a job in the media – whether it be as host of a sports program or regular news.

O'Reilly thinks Christie intentionally sparked the 'beachgate' controversy in order to raise his public profile and boost the odds of him landing a sports talk radio gig. Christie is seen above with family and friends at the governor's summer house at Island Beach State Park last Sunday

'So he's the only one on the beach, and then he allows himself to be photographed in a lounge chair with his grin on his face,' O'Reilly said on Glenn Beck's radio show Friday morning

'That's what he's angling for, and I think he's going to get some kind of media contract too,' O'Reilly said.

Beck told O'Reilly that he doesn't think Christie would find success if he decided to host a political show.

'On politics, radio is so heavily right,' Beck said. 'And Chris Christie has almost zero credibility with the right.'

When asked to respond to O'Reilly's remarks, Christie spokesperson Brian Murray said it is 'such a ridiculous comment that it merits no substantive response at all.'

O'Reilly made the comments to radio host Glenn Beck (above), who thinks that Christie has no future doing a political radio show

New Jersey's state government was shut down for three days, resulting in public beaches being closed off in the days leading up to the July 4th holiday.

The image of Christie lounging on the beach and sun-tanning with his family while his constituents were crammed into much smaller beaches made the portly governor even more unpopular.

The budget impasse was resolved just in time for Independence Day, as Christie signed off on a compromise measure reached by lawmakers in Trenton.

Christie is disqualified from running for re-election since New Jersey law stipulates that no governor can serve more than two consecutive terms in office.

There is widespread speculation that Christie is angling for a job as the host of a drive-time sports talk show on a New York radio station.

On Monday and Tuesday, Christie is scheduled to fill in for a vacationing Mike Francesa, the host of a highly-rated program on WFAN 660AM in New York, according to NJ Advance Media.

The governor will co-host a four-and-a-half hour sports talk show with another radio personality, Evan Roberts.

WFAN program director Mark Chernoff said that this will be an audition of sorts for Christie.

There is widespread speculation that Christie is angling for a job as the host of a drive-time sports talk show on a New York radio station. He is seen above in this 2014 file photo in a Ewing, New Jersey radio studio during his program, 'Ask the Governor'

On Monday and Tuesday, Christie is scheduled to fill in for a vacationing Mike Francesa (above), the host of a highly-rated sports talk program on WFAN 660AM in New York

Francesa is planning on retiring at the end of the year following a highly successful 30-year career at WFAN.

He was most notably one half of the highly rated show Mike and the Mad Dog, which he co-hosted for 19 years with Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo.

Christie has some experience in radio. He has occasionally stepped in to co-host another WFAN show, the morning drive-time Boomer & Carton.

As governor of New Jersey, he has hosted a call-in show called Ask the Governor on 101.5FM.

'He likes sports. He likes to talk,' Francesa has said of Christie. 'He obviously is very comfortable behind a microphone.'