Gary Lineker, the highest paid presenter at the BBC for seven consecutive years, has recently shed light on his decision to leave the corporation after hosting its 2026 World Cup coverage. The ex-footballer and long-time presenter of Match of the Day (MOTD) will be ending his tenure with a current salary of £1.35m.
Lineker, 64, has been a staple in sports broadcasting since he began presenting MOTD in 1999. However, his journey with the broadcaster is set to conclude after he leads their coverage of the 2026 World Cup.
The announcement of Lineker's departure came last November and was met with surprise as it was reported that he was open to continuing with MOTD but wasn't offered a new deal for the show. In a recent interview, Lineker revealed that there wasn't "a great desire" from BBC's end to offer him another three-year contract.
Gary Lineker, BBC presenter, said:
“I think I’m a better presenter now than I’ve ever been. I know everything that can go wrong, and everything that can go right. Which is a good time to go.”
Wish unfulfilled
In an earlier conversation last month with Amol Rajan from BBC, Lineker had expressed his wish for "one more contract" from the corporation. Despite this unfulfilled desire, he will continue hosting BBC Sport’s coverage of FA Cup in the 2025-26 season and contribute to MOTD Top Ten podcast and The Rest Is Football podcast on BBC Sounds until his exit.
Lineker's decision came following controversy in 2023 when he compared British government’s asylum policy at that time with Germany during1930s on Twitter. This led to him being briefly taken off air by BBC due its policy of impartiality which sparked other sports journalists and presenters walking out in solidarity before he returned back on air.
Post-BBC plans
In the same interview, Lineker disclosed that he had been approached to participate in the celebrity edition of reality show Big Brother following his exit announcement from BBC. This inquiry was handled by Lineker’s agent who stated that he would consider it for a fee of £100m.
Lineker's departure marks an end of an era at BBC Sports. His contributions have been significant and his presence will be missed by sports fans and sports betting enthusiasts alike. As we await further details on his future endeavors, one thing is certain - Gary Lineker has left an indelible mark on sports broadcasting.
