Gary Lineker was open to staying on as the £1.35million-a-year host of Match of the Day but the BBC did not offer him a contract, it was revealed today.
The footballer turned pundit, 63, has been the regular host of the show since 1999 but he will end his 25-year stint on the Saturday night programme at the end of this season.
Lineker, a lightning rod for criticism over impartiality in recent years, will leave the corporation altogether in two years’ time after the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
BBC insiders appear to have quashed claims that he quit, suggesting instead that he had had indicated to bosses that he would consider staying on at Match of the Day after next May.
Lineker was open to staying on at Match of the Day, but the BBC did not offer him a new contract for the show, the corporations culture and media editor Katie Razzall has said.
Former Director General Greg Dyke said today that that Linekers penchant for giving personal views will have been in the mind of the BBC when they decided to go for a new host.
Gary Lineker is reportedly set to no longer present Match of the Day at the end of the season
Gary Lineker was spotted going for dinner with his son Angus at Sabor, a tapas restaurant in London last night
Lineker and his new boss BBCs director of sport, Alex Kay-Jelski, started talks with the broadcaster six weeks ago. But no contract was offered
Lineker and his new boss BBCs director of sport, Alex Kay-Jelski, started talks with the broadcaster six weeks ago.
One source has insisted that Mr Lineker is happy and everyone is pleased that he will leave MotD in May and the BBC two years later.
But added that is an open secret that Mr Kay-Jelski is not exactly close with the former England striker and is keen to slash spending and give the show a facelift without him.
BBC director general and ex-FA chairman Greg Dyke has said that people watch Match Of The Day for the football - and the show will move on.
Its a big loss, but life moves on. Match Of The Day will continue, while having a new presenter, just as when Des Lynam left and Gary Lineker took over from him 20 years ago, he said.
Hes become a big presenter and a big personality and a very good performer for the BBC, but life moves on. Presenters dont stay forever.
In the end, people watch Match Of The Day for the football. I was at ITV when he first became a TV personality and its fair to say he wasnt a great presenter in those days, but he grew into the job and hes been brilliant for the BBC. Hes without doubt the outstanding sports presenter of his time.
I heard it was by mutual consent. But we all know how much he earns. Hes very expensive and the BBC is in difficulties financially. It would be a saving on the sports budget which it could use elsewhere. I dont know if he was offered a new contract or not.
On the issue of impartiality he added: Whether this is anything to do with that, I dont know. It was one of the few times I disagreed with the BBC since I left - I thought, he was a sports presenter, therefore what he was saying as a sports presenter was irrelevant. It might have been a thought in the mind of whoever took the decision.
It came as Mr Lineker has been spotted for the first time after it emerged that he will be leaving the BBC.
The former Barcelona striker was seen enjoying an intimate meal with family at Sabor, a Michelin-star Spanish restaurant tucked between Mayfair and Soho in London.
Dressed in a smart blazer and a black t-shirt, the broadcaster was seen indulging himself in a selection of tapas dishes and a glass of red wine with his son Angus, 26.
Angus, the youngest of Linekers four sons, posted the photo on his Instagram at around the same time it emerged that his father will be stepping down from MOTD at the end of the season before leaving the BBC entirely after the 2026 World Cup in America, Mexico, and Canada.
Its understood that his departure, first reported by The Sun, will be announced officially by the BBC on Tuesday.
Lineker has branched out in recent years by co-founding the production company Goalhanger.
The company produces his podcast The Rest is Football, with other titles including The Rest is History, The Rest is Politics and The Rest is Entertainment.
The Rest is Politics co-host Campbell effectively confirmed Linekers departure to Sky News, stating that the outgoing Match of the Day host would be a very hard act to follow.
Linekers time as the face of Match of the Day has been divisive at times, with the presenter temporarily suspended last year for criticising the governments asylum policy in a controversially worded tweet.
He returned soon after following a walk-out by his MOTD colleagues who showed solidarity with the former England striker, and the row even prompted the Beeb to overhaul and draw up a new set of guidelines for its presenters and their social media use.
Responding to a suggestion that Lineker had been straining at the leash at the BBC, Campbell claimed the corporation went a little bit too far when they briefly took the presenter off air.
The thing about Gary Lineker as a “political figure”, he does strike me as someone who does have strong views about a lot of really important issues, said Campbell, the former Downing Street Director of Communications and Strategy.
I think the BBC went a little bit too far.
Lineker is the BBCs highest-paid presenter with a salary of £1.35million and his exit will close a long - and controversial - chapter for one of the nations most iconic shows.
The former England striker first started presenting the iconic highlights show back in 1999
Linekers future has been the subject of speculation for some time, especially after Mail Sport revealed an email in October which purported to announce his impending departure
The decision to part ways with him comes after six weeks of talks.
BBC News also appeared to confirm Linekers departure on Monday night.
Broadcaster Gary Lineker is to step down as host of flagship football programme Match of the Day at the end of this season, BBC News understands, the BBC wrote.
Linekers time as the face of Match of the Day has been divisive at times, with the presenter temporarily suspended last year for criticising the governments asylum policy in a controversially worded tweet.
He returned soon after following a walk-out by his MOTD colleagues who showed solidarity with the former England striker, and the row even prompted the Beeb to overhaul and draw up a new set of guidelines for its presenters and their social media use.
It has been hard for the BBC to keep a handle on him when he presents his popular podcast, The Rest Is Football, alongside Micah Richards and Alan Shearer.
During Euro 2024 he branded Englands performance against Denmark as s***, which prompted a retaliation from Harry Kane, who hit out at attacks from pundits who knew what it is like to wear the shirt.
That shock jock tone landed him in hot water and stands in stark contrast to the more composed, cerebral style that Match of the Day upholds.
Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan have previously been touted as the favourites to replace the former England striker.
His contract with the BBC finishes at the end of this season but he has been given an 18-month extension. However, that will not include Match of the Day anchoring duties.
Arguably his most iconic moment on the show came when he presented it in his underpants in August 2016 after Leicester City won the Premier League title
Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan have previously been touted as among the favourites to succeed him when he goes
That email, which suggested a show earlier this season would be his last - which has not been the case - also included comments from director general Tim Davie, who hailed an ‘incredible’ stint and described Lineker as a ‘world class presenter’.
A source told The Sun: Gary absolutely adores Match of the Day, and has been incredibly happy at the BBC.
But he has been at the helm since 1999, and by the time he leaves, he will have been at the Beeb for 30 years.
It’s one of the industry’s worst kept secrets that the new BBC Director of Sport Alex Kay-Jelski and Gary aren’t exactly close. The former is very keen to make his mark by bringing in new faces, and slashing wage bills.
Negotiations have been ongoing for the past six weeks and finally a deal has been struck that everyone is pleased with.
Gary will be 65 when he leaves; frankly, he isn’t getting younger. and just feels the time is right to focus solely on his mogul interests outside the BBC - namely his Goalhanger podcasting business, which is becoming huge Stateside.
BBC execs, meanwhile, will be giving Match of the Day a reboot to keep it fresh in the wake of such a huge departure.
A source told the Sun that Lineker will focus on his Goalhanger podcasting empire after leaving
Linekers recent years have been controversial due to his outspoken social media presence
He made light of the uncovered email in October, opening the first show after that by saying: Hello. Seven games on the way and it’s my final show… before the international break.’
That was a more measured response to the one he gave when approached directly by MailOnline outside his home: F*** off, I wont talk to you. Go away.
The 63-year-old presenter has reportedly been linked with jobs at rival broadcasters and before his exit under a cloud, Jermaine Jenas was being lined up to replace the former England captain.
Reports in late September suggested Lineker would hold talks with the BBC this month over a multi-year deal after volunteering to take a pay cut.
Lineker first began his punditry with the BBC at 5 Live and Grandstand before taking over as host of Match of the Day in 1999.
He has also presented Sports Personality of the Year, London 2012 and Golf for the corporation.
It is only a couple of months since Lineker suggested he would have another year, at least at the helm of the BBCs long-running football show, which celebrated its 60th anniversary in August.
He opened up about his future when asked how long he would keep presenting, and replied: I dont know... it depends how long they want me, I suppose.
Former Leicester City striker Lineker was over the moon when his beloved side won the top tier
Football Focus presenter Alex Scott has also been touted among the favourites to replace him
Micah Richards, a pundit on Match of the Day and Linekers The Rest Is Football, is also seen as one of the frontrunners
Interviewed by BBC Breakfasts John Watson in August, he said: I mean, I love doing it at the moment (and) Ive got another year doing it, at least.
Well have to wait and see what happens. Its an ever-changing feast, football, and television and football, and rights for the Premier League and stuff like that so all of these things will play a part.
But I just feel that its been a privilege to present it for 25 years now. I must be getting old.
Elsewhere in the interview, the BBCs highest-paid star also explained why the show meant so much to him.
Its been a part of my life, a big part of my life right from the start, he explained. I watched it as a kid, it was the one night my dad would let me stay up to watch Match of the Day.
Because a lot of the population dont have Sky or TNT or any of these streaming channels that show football and the Premier League, I think about half the population get their Premier League fix from Match of the Day and still do.
He was also asked why he thinks the BBC show continues to draw in viewers, to which he replied: I think part of it is that its trusted.
The longevity of the show, the love for the show. I think people enjoy seeing it that way, they like to see the highlights. They like to get their Premier League fix from us and hopefully that will continue.
Lineker landed himself in hot water when he called England s*** during Euro 2024
Linekers spot as the Beebs highest-paid talent is as much of a talking point with critics as his social media antics – and it was something his MOTD predecessor Des Lynam recently branded unjustifiable.
After quitting football, Linekers presenting career began with the BBC where he presented MOTD, as well as working for Al Jazeera Sports and NBC Sports Network.
With a reported overall net worth of £30million, he is one of the UKs most notable sports figures and consistently presents at major tournaments including the Euros and the World Cup.
Over the course of his stellar football career, he played for England 80 times and scored 49 goals before retiring in 1994 to enter the media world.
As well as presenting, he signed a £1.2million three-year deal with Walkers Crisps in 2020 and has established his own podcast production company Goalhanger, which produces podcasts including The Rest is History and The Rest is Politics.
His BBC salary has been reduced since 2019 when he earnt 1.75m, and he took a voluntary pay cut of 23 per cent in 2020.
Goalhanger claims to be the UKs largest independent podcast group.
It was founded by Lineker, along with Tony Pastor and Jack Davenport.
Lineker is a respected voice on football due to his long and prolific career for club and country
Lineker will continue to present the BBCs FA Cup coverage for the 2025-26 season, as well as fronting broadcasting for the 2026 World Cup
Chapman and Logan have been seen as the frontrunners to take his spot.
Considering that Mark Chapman hosts Match of the Day 2, and that he and Logan anchor the BBCs new Champions League highlights show, it is little surprise that their names were at the top of the bookies tables in October.
MOTD pundit Micah Richards Alex Scott, the current host of Football Focus, were also mentioned high up.
Down the list were Dion Dublin, Clare Balding, Jason Mohammad, Colin Murray, Eni Aluko, Alan Shearer, Kelly Cates, and Eilidh Barbour.
Match of the Day staff were left increasingly unsettled in October amid the rumours that Lineker could be headed for the door.
A source told the Mail: Theres a belief his time is coming to an end, but speculation surrounding the rumoured speediness of his departure has ramped up since this email has come to light.
Staffers feel it would be strange for such an esteemed broadcaster to leave so early into the football season, and not receive a big send off - just like veteran pundit Ian Wright experienced last May.
This has only intensified feelings there may have been another fallout within the ranks, and its increasingly unsettling for everybody involved.
The source continued: Nobody is being told anything, but there is a sense something big is happening behind the scenes and when it drops, many people will be affected.
Revealed - six of the top-seven favourites to replace Gary Lineker on Match of the Day are women as BBC looks to reboot the flagship show: Former England ace Alex Scott among the front-runners… and there are some VERY leftfield options
The BBC are plotting a major shake-up at Match of the Day after Gary Lineker leaves at the end of the season, insiders claimed last night.
Lineker, who took over presenting duties on the flagship BBC show from Des Lynam in 1999, is finally set to bring the curtain down after 26 years, paving the way for a brand new host.
The 63-year-old broadcaster is also set to leave the BBC entirely after the 2026 World Cup in America, Mexico, and Canada.
Lineker, who was spotted having tapas with his son as news of his exit broke last night, is the BBCs highest-paid presenter with a salary of around £1.35million but its understood executives want to move the show in a fresh direction.
In fact, six of the top-seven favourites to replace Lineker are female presenters, with former Lioness Alex Scott among the front-runners.
The favourites to replace Gary Lineker - who is leaving Match of the Day at the end of the season - have been revealed
Former Lioness defender Alex Scott is among those who have been tipped to takeover
As the BBC look for a shake-up when Lineker leaves, Gabby Logan and Kelly Somers are among those tipped for the job
Laura Woods and Eilidh Barbour are also among the high-profile female presenters who could fill the slot
Kelly Cates, who fronts Premier League coverage for Sky Sports, is another favourite
Match of the Day 2 host Mark Chapman is also one of the front-runners to take over from Lineker
Scott, who racked up 140 appearances for England and represented Great Britain at the London 2012 Olympics, is a regular MOTD stand-in when Lineker is away.
After retiring from the game in 2017, she has broke through as one of the first mainstream female football pundits.
The former Arsenal star took over presenting Football Focus from Dan Walker in 2021 and is a regular host at live games, including at the Euros, FA Cup and WSL.
But the 40-year-old presenters future has been thrown into doubt in recent weeks, with sources claiming she was deeply hurt by a lack of support surrounding Football Focus low ratings.
The Sun reported last month that Scott may be considering other offers, including a move to America with her pop star girlfriend Jess Glynne as her BBC contract is up for renewal next year.
If Scott does move away, one presenter who could fill the MOTD hole is former Olympian and BBC stalwart Gabby Logan.
In fact, the 51-year-old (4/1) is second favourite only to MOTD2 host Mark Chapman (6/4) with Ladbrokes.
The Sun reports that the Beeb are toying with the idea of introducing a series of presenters with Chapman, 51, one of the anchors likely to be rotated.
Chapman, a regular on BBC Radio 5 Live, has also recently begun hosting the BBCs new mid-week Champions League highlights show.
Jermaine Jenas was long considered to be the man who would take over Lineker, but he is now out of the running after being sacked over his sexting scandal.
The former Tottenham star admitted to sending inappropriate messages to female colleagues, later insisting that nothing physical happened but that he had cheated on his wife Ellie, with whom he has three children.
Sky Sports host Kelly Cates, whose father is Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish, is also being tipped as a possible successor to Lineker.
A reporter with a wealth of experience, Cates joined Sky Sports in 1998 as a regular presenter but suddenly left in 2006.
In August 2016, she returned to the channel, where she now covers the Premier Leagues biggest games in the studio alongside the likes of Gary Neville, Roy Keane and Jamie Carragher.
Cates has rocketed up to third-favourite at 5/1 ahead of Football Focus anchor Scott and Eilidh Barbour on 6/1.
Barbour fronts Sky Sports coverage of the Scottish Premiership and the BBCs golf coverage.
In 2018, she also joined the presenting team for MOTD 2, standing in for regular host Chapman. She has also covered the Womens World Cup for the BBC and the first-ever Premier League game on Amazon Prime Video.
Popular presenters Kelly Somers (8/1) and Laura Woods (10/1) both have extensive experience and follow up behind them as favourites.
Somers became the sixth woman to present an edition of Match of the Day in 2020 and is frequently seen reporting for BBC.
She was a regular during Englands matches at the 2020 Euros and the World Cup in 2022 and fronted Channel 4s Three Lions coverage over the last two years.
Woods, meanwhile, made her name on TalkSport and has proved to be a popular host. She has since become the lead presenter for TNT Sports Champions League coverage after replacing Jake Humphrey following the rebrand from BT Sport last year.
Woods has also presented football on Amazon Prime and ITV, covering this summers Euros for the latter.
Dan Walker, Micah Richards, and Manish Bhasin (all 12/1) are also among some of the favourites to take over.
While Somers, Woods, Walker, and Bhasin come from presenting backgrounds, Richards has taken the punditry route after his career in football which saw him play for Manchester City and England.
He is on a regular pundit on Match of the Day and Sky Sports Premier League coverage, and is part of the trio on Linekers The Rest is Football podcast alongside Alan Shearer.
However, Shearer is forced to settle for odds of 25/1 to take over the hot seat.
A name jumps out, level with Richards and others on 12/1, that few would have ever seen coming: history boffin Dan Jones.
Cambridge graduate Jones, known for his books and TV series mostly on English history such as Britains Bloodiest Dynasty, used to write columns about sport for the London Evening Standard.
However, that gig ended in 2019 and it is safe to say that he seems to be a far-fetched candidate considering his focus on other areas.
Historian Dan Jones has unexpectedly been named as one of the contenders to replace Lineker
He is level with the likes of ex-Man City star Micah Richards, who is a pundit on MOTD, at 12/1