LONDON (AFP) – Former England football captain Gary Lineker will step down as host of the BBC’s flagship Match of the Day highlights show at the end of the season, the broadcaster confirmed yesterday.
But the BBC said Lineker – the broadcaster’s highest-paid presenter earning GBP1.35 million a year – would remain at the corporation after both parties “agreed in principle to a contract extension through to the 2026 World Cup”.
“After 25 seasons Gary is stepping down from MOTD,” said Director of BBC Sport Alex Kay-Jelski.
“We want to thank him for everything he has done for the show, which continues to attract millions of viewers each week.
“He’ll be hugely missed on the show but we’re so happy he is staying with the BBC to present live football.”
Lineker, who will have held the post for 26 years when he leaves at the end of the Premier League season in May 2025, said: “I’m delighted to continue my long association with BBC Sport and would like to thank all those who made this happen.”
Former BBC director general Greg Dyke told BBC radio that Lineker was “the outstanding sports presenter of his time”, but added: “Life moves on, presenters don’t stay forever.”
The 63-year-old Lineker took over as host of the Saturday night programme in 1999.
In March last year, Lineker was briefly taken off air by bosses after comparing the language used to launch a British government asylum policy to the rhetoric of old Germany on social media.
In solidarity with Lineker, a number of fellow presenters and pundits including Alan Shearer and Ian Wright refused to appear on the programme, meaning an episode was reduced to 20 minutes and aired without its host, pundits and commentary.
Lineker was reinstated just over a week later.
