Gary Linekar
What would happen if Gary Lineker were to leave Match of the Day? The Saturday evening football highlights show certainly wouldn’t be the same without its host of 25 years. Lineker has dedicated most of his punditry career to the BBC. Earlier this month, speculation was rife about whether the former Spurs and Leicester striker’s tenure with the BBC was coming to an end. With his contract expiring at the end of the current Premier League season, many have wondered about Lineker’s future with the network beyond 2025/26. Thankfully, the BBC was quick to clarify their stance.
A BBC spokesperson said, “We have nothing to announce, and we have not agreed on the next steps regarding his contract.”
Lineker has pledged his allegiance to the BBC for many years, but his contract with the corporation expires at the end of the current Premier League campaign. With a reported salary of £1.35 million for 2023/24, making him the BBC’s top earner, sources suggest Lineker is willing to take a pay cut to retain his position. He maintains that the BBC provides excellent value, evidenced by his willingness to accept a reduced salary. On his podcast, The Rest Is Football, Gary Lineker explained, “It’s been a strange few days. It’s natural at some point that you have to have conversations, and they’ve just started. I don’t know why it all spiraled out of control, but all is okay.”
While Lineker is expected to enter contract negotiations with the BBC soon, there are considerations about what might occur should an agreement not be reached. Lineker, with a net worth estimated in the £30 million range, could comfortably retire. However, at 63, he might choose to work elsewhere, with opportunities likely to be plentiful. Potential successors on Match of the Day could include Match of the Day 2 presenter Mark Chapman or ex-England and Arsenal defender Alex Scott, among others like Gabby Logan, Jason Mohammad, Kelly Sommers, and Theo Walcott.
More complex than just replacing Lineker is the potential impact on Alan Shearer, with whom Lineker shares a strong on-screen partnership. The two have nurtured a successful punditry relationship, and their synergy stems from a long-standing friendship. If Lineker were to leave, Shearer might consider following suit, in solidarity. The challenge for the BBC would then be in finding suitable replacements for both, without diminishing the program’s appeal loved by football fans for their footballing insights, analysis, charisma, and quick wit.
