BBC confirms Gary Lineker will step down as Match Of The Day presenter – and has already left Sports Personality Of The Year
It’s additionally understood that Lineker will carry out deal much less than the £1.35m he banked as the BBC’s very most life like disclosed annual earner below the phrases of a brand unusual deal.
The 63-three hundred and sixty five days-frail will continue to host coverage of the FA Cup in 2025/26 and the World Cup in 2026, the broadcaster supplied.
Lineker will additionally level-headed present the BBC with the MOTD High Ten podcast that is produced by his own Goalhanger manufacturing firm.
It modified into additionally supplied that Goalhanger’s The Rest Is Football podcast, which sides BBC pundits Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, will characteristic on BBC Sounds. However Sky News understands most productive one advert-free episode per week will be on BBC Sounds, slightly than every episode.
The aged England footballer acknowledged: “I’m delighted to continue my prolonged association with BBC Sport and would respect to thank all these who made this happen.”
More:
Who would possibly perchance change Lineker?
Lineker did no longer present in his own short assertion why he’s leaving Match Of The Day, which he started net webhosting in 1999.
Alex Kay-Jelski, director of BBC Sport, acknowledged: “Gary is a world-class presenter, and we’re delighted that he’ll lead our coverage of the next World Cup and continue to lead our live coverage of the FA Cup.
“After 25 seasons Gary is stepping down from MOTD. We want to thank him for every little thing he has executed for the enlighten, which continues to device thousands and thousands of viewers each and each week.
“He’ll be hugely neglected on the enlighten however we’re so joyful he’s staying with the BBC to recent live football.”
Per a Sky News query about SPOTY, the flagship annual sports activities awards enlighten, a BBC Sport spokesperson acknowledged: “We are capable of verify Gary has determined to step down from the crew presenting BBC Sports Persona Of The three hundred and sixty five days.
“After 23 years glorious three hundred and sixty five days’s 70th anniversary modified into his closing enlighten.”
Prognosis:
Will the next technology know him most productive as a podcasting tycoon?
Lineker has hosted the Premier League highlights enlighten Match Of The Day since 1999, after his predecessor Des Lynam moved to ITV.
He is the co-founder of Goalhanger Podcasts, which produces popular reveals equivalent to The Rest Is History, The Rest Is Politics and The Rest Is Entertainment, as well to his own football podcast.
The firm, founded in 2014, claims to be the UK’s largest self reliant podcast agency and acknowledged in September its podcasts had been downloaded bigger than 380 million times to this level this three hundred and sixty five days.
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Lineker has been the BBC’s very most life like-paid considerable particular person in recent years for his work on reveals in conjunction with Match Of The Day and Sports Persona Of The three hundred and sixty five days, as well to coverage of principal tournaments in conjunction with World Cups and European Championships.
He bought about £1.35m at some level of the 2023-24 financial three hundred and sixty five days, in accordance with the BBC’s most modern figures.
It’s unclear who will steal over from Lineker on Match Of The Day.
Frail Tottenham Hotspur footballer Jermaine Jenas had at one level been regarded as to be his natural successor however he modified into sacked from the BBC in August over claims of tainted behaviour.
Lineker loved a successful profession as a striker, successful 80 caps for England, earlier than stepping into broadcasting.
